Agrana Beteiligungs-AG, the Austrian sugar, starch and fruit group, has consolidated its presence in Asia through the acquisition of a fruit processing plant located approximately 50km south of Pune, in the western state of Maharashtra, from the Indian fruit processor Saikrupa Fruit Processing Pvt Ltd.
Following the establishment of Agrana Fruit India Private Ltd in September 2016 and the acquisition of the facility from Saikrupa last month, Agrana has now expanded its production activities in Asia to a third territory, in addition to China and South Korea.
As the global leader in fruit preparations, Agrana now maintains 26 production sites in 20 countries.
Its Maharashtra plant is located in close proximity to strategically important commodities such as mangoes, strawberries, pomegranates and guava. Key customers have also set up operations in this region. At the same time, Agrana Fruit India has opened an administration office and a research and development laboratory in Pune.
Johann Marihart, Agrana Beteiligungs-AG said that this first entry in India with the acquisition of the fruit processing plant is a further important step as part of their expansion into the fast-growing Asian market.
He also added that excellent opportunities are seen for the products, particularly in emerging markets such as India, due to the rising purchasing power and changes in consumption behaviour patterns.
He mentioned that it is now time to leverage Agrana’s high quality standards and the innovative strength of their fruit segment to satisfy the needs of the customers with a wide portfolio, ranging from standard fruit preparations for yoghurts and ice cream to premium-segment fruit solutions such as sauces, condiments, fillings and smoothie bases.
Fruit preparations at Agrana contain top-quality fruit, which is prepared either as a liquid or in pieces in order for these to be used in dairy products or in the ice cream and bakery industries. These products are individually designed and produced by Agrana on the basis of close development-related collaborations with customers.
In addition to supplying to the food processing industry, the company also supplies its fruit preparations to fastfood companies and food service providers.