Leading Strawberry Processor Achieved Significant Growth and Profitability through Operational Improvements and Customer-Focused Solutions
Sun Capital Partners, Inc. (“Sun Capital”), a leading private investment firm specializing in leveraged buyouts and investments in market-leading companies, today announced that an affiliate exited its investment in Sunrise Growers-Frozsun Foods (“Sunrise Growers” or the “Company”) concurrent with an investment in the Company by an affiliate of Paine & Partners, LLC. The Company is a leading supplier of frozen strawberry products as well as a distributor and marketer of fresh strawberries. Terms of the private transaction were not disclosed.
Headquartered in Placentia, California, Sunrise Growers’ frozen berry operations produce in excess of 130 million pounds of processed strawberry and other fruit products annually, giving the Company the number one U.S. market share in frozen strawberries. Since the investment by an affiliate of Sun Capital in June 2008, Sunrise Growers has significantly improved growth and profitability through cost saving initiatives, facility consolidations, key customer additions, new product introductions, and business rationalizations. In addition, the Company stabilized its grower base and completed several equipment upgrades that meaningfully increased capacity.
“Sunrise Growers’ continued success as a market leader has been fueled by a disciplined commitment to strategic operational improvements, as well as pursing innovative and customer-focused solutions,” said Marc Leder, Co-CEO at Sun Capital. “These efforts have contributed to excellent growth and improved profitability, and the Company is well-positioned for future success.”
Sun Capital has strong experience in the food and beverage sector through current affiliated portfolio companies Contessa Premium Foods, a leading U.S. processor and distributor of premium seafood and frozen convenience meals; Creekstone Farms, a processor of high-quality beef products; Harry’s Fresh Foods, a producer of premium home-style refrigerated foods for the retail and foodservice markets; and several former affiliated portfolio companies such as Fearman’s Pork, Elan Nutrition, and Cangro.
About Sun Capital Partners, Inc.
Sun Capital Partners, Inc. is a leading private investment firm focused on leveraged buyouts, equity, debt, and other investments in companies that can benefit from its in–house operating professionals and experience. Sun Capital affiliates have invested in more than 315 companies worldwide with combined sales in excess of $45 billion since Sun Capital’s inception in 1995. Sun Capital has offices in Boca Raton, Los Angeles, and New York, as well as affiliates in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Shanghai and Shenzhen. For more information, please visit www.SunCapPart.com.
About Sunrise Growers-Frozsun Foods
Sunrise Growers-Frozsun Foods is the leading strawberry processor in the U.S. and one of the top marketers of frozen fruit and fresh strawberries. Recognized for their award-winning private label retail and foodservice programs, the Company is vertically integrated allowing control of product throughout the supply chain. From specialty toppings to beverage bases and smoothies and a full line of innovative frozen fruit products, Sunrise Growers-Frozsun Foods services a wide range of retail, industrial and foodservice customers.
