Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. is selling key assets from its Mann Packing business to Church Brothers Farms, a family-owned company known for value-added vegetables and leafy greens.

Under the agreement, Church Brothers Farms will assume operations at Mann Packing’s facility in Gonzales, California. This expansion allows Church Brothers to better serve both foodservice and retail markets. Church Brothers will integrate its vegetable expertise and value-added capabilities to further strengthen its retail presence.

“As industry leaders in farming, harvesting, processing and marketing premium vegetables, we are honored to steward Mann Packing’s legacy in the Salinas Valley,” says Brian Church, Church Brothers Farms Chief Executive Officer. “This transition marks a pivotal step in our growth journey, reinforcing our commitment to category leadership and accelerating our strategic expansion into retail — an essential pillar of Church Brothers’ future.”

Fresh Del Monte says it aims to focus on strengthening its core portfolio and driving long-term, sustainable growth. Mann Packing has been part of the Fresh Del Monte family for several years, and the company says this divestiture ensures Mann Packing will continue under a company rooted in the vegetable industry. 

By concentrating resources on high-growth fruit and fresh-cut categories, Fresh Del Monte says it will enhance operational efficiency, optimize its margin profile and continue developing opportunities to convert residual materials and byproducts into new value streams, while reducing waste and enhancing overall resource efficiency.

“This is a complementary move that positions both organizations for success,” says Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh, Fresh Del Monte’s chairman and CEO. “Church Brothers brings deep vegetable expertise and a strong production footprint, making them the ideal home for Mann Packing and its legacy of innovation. For Fresh Del Monte, this transaction allows us to concentrate fully on our core products and higher-margin, value-added segments — areas where we continue to deliver the quality, reliability and innovation our customers expect. It also reflects our disciplined commitment to long-term growth and shareholder value, ensuring we invest in the categories and capabilities that will define the next chapter of our business.”

Church Brothers says it plans to leverage the Gonzales facility’s capacity to expand its integrated supply network, enhance service capabilities and deliver greater value to retail and foodservice customers.