Today in Shanghai, Mission Produce has signed a joint venture with Chinese specialty fresh produce retailer Pagoda and import company Lantao to market ready-to-eat avocados on the Chinese market.
“Demand for avocados in China is growing fast. We can accelerate this growth by offering consumers a product that is ripe and ready-to-eat,” according to Steve Barnard, the president of Mission Produce.
Pagoda is one of the country’s largest fruit chain stores with over 1,300 shops and a presence across the country. Mission Produce will, through the joint venture, now be present in seven countries worldwide.
The agreement was formally signed in Shanghai at the Fresh Connections summit, a yearly industry event organised by the PMA, the Produce Marketing Association.