Industry leaders form Last Mile, acquire GreenFruit Avocados
This industry-savvy leadership is critical to the success of this avocado consolidation.
UNITED STATES – Last Mile, a newly formed holding company backed by industry leaders and Spanish investment firm Tahuaycani, has acquired California-based avocado supplier GreenFruit Avocados in a deal supported by Ospraie Management.
To begin with, Last Mile controls every stage from cultivation to distribution: Simpatica contributes approximately 1,400 acres of established California groves; Tahuaycani provides connectivity to ACP Agro in Peru; and GreenFruit operates ripening and distribution centres across Southern California, Texas, Chicago, Miami, Pennsylvania, Toronto, and Vancouver.
“This partnership was formed around a simple conviction: the avocado industry rewards companies that control the supply chain and bring the right leadership, the right growers, and the right capital together,” Donovan said. “GreenFruit 2.0 gives us the distribution and operational foundation to do that.”
Secondly, this strategic combination of global sourcing networks is significant, with Peru and California offering complementary harvest seasons that enable year-round supply to North American markets.
This dual-hemisphere model reduces reliance on any single production region and buffers against weather-related disruptions. Mexico remains a core foundation of GreenFruit’s sourcing model, with the acquisition adding capital and global supply depth.
Additionally, this industry-savvy leadership is critical to the success of this avocado consolidation. For instance, Bauwens has more than 21 years of experience in global executive management. He will step back from his role as CEO of Simpatica to serve full-time as GreenFruit’s Chief Executive Officer.
“This is industry-savvy ownership with real grower relationships in a vertically integrated model,” Bauwens said. “We understand this business from the ground up: For growers, that means a financially stronger partner who knows their world; for retailers and distributors, that means a team with the credibility and the supply depth to deliver on what we promise.”
On the other hand, Donovan, whose career at Mission Produce spanned over 36 years and helped build global demand for avocados, will serve as Executive Chairman of the Board.
GreenFruit will operate as a grower, packer, shipper, and ripener across North and South America, with its headquarters in Orange County, California. Continuity of customer and grower relationships remains a top priority.
The fully integrated model, combining captive growth, ripening expertise, and strategic distribution centres, enables consistent quality and dependable year-round supply, critical factors for retail and food service customers who cannot tolerate supply gaps.
Under new ownership and with the transaction terms undisclosed, GreenFruit will continue to serve existing customers while expanding its global reach.
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