Mission Produce, Inc. has announced a joint venture with ZZ2  Boerdery (“ZZ2”), one of South Africa’s largest farming companies, and Criterion Africa Partners  (“CAP”), a private equity firm developing assets within the forestry value chain in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The joint venture company, Selokwe Agri, has plans to develop over 1,000 hectares of avocados for global distribution in the premium growing region of Limpopo, South Africa.  

“As global demand for avocados continues to grow,1 establishing additional sources of owned production through vertical integration is a key element of our sourcing strategy to promote increased supply reliability,” said Steve Barnard, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, of Mission  Produce. 

“South Africa is the 2nd largest exporter of avocados to the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) during the Summer season. So, our new investment in the region is  expected to support our expansion in export markets, especially in conjunction with the  anticipated March opening of our newest forward distribution center in the UK.” 

Partnering with ZZ2 and CAP to vertically integrate the Company's operations in South Africa gathers the expertise of each shareholder, maximizing the production and distribution potential of the region. 

CAP established Selokwe as part of its higher and better use (“HBU”)  investment strategy, which creates value through the improved utilization of land, water, and labor resources in South Africa and increases employment opportunities in its regional communities.

In addition, ZZ2 brings its expertise in avocado cultivation and environmentally conscious farming to maintain compliance with CAP’s environmental, social, and governance  (ESG) standards, including the maintenance of the Global G.A.P. and Sustainability Initiative of  South Africa (SIZA) certifications.  

“We look forward to deepening our relationships with some of the most well-established,  reputable partners in South Africa, the world’s 8th largest exporter of avocados,” said Keith Barnard, Senior Vice President of Sourcing, Mission Produce. 

“The avocado seasonality of  South Africa extends our supply availability by approximately two-to-three months before Peru’s peak season and is expected to bring a long-term benefit in our ability to offer a year-round supply of ripe Hass avocados,” added Barnard. 

ZZ2 has currently developed more than 250 hectares of avocados at Selokwe, which are expected to be harvested for the first time this 2023 season. Mission has engaged Core Fruit to manage its logistics and transportation to the European market, where the majority of volume from South Africa is planned for distribution. 

“The opportunity to grow the avocado market in Europe is significant– in 2022, the EU’s per capita consumption was 3.3 pounds, compared to the U.S.’s 8.5 pounds,” added Steve  Barnard. “The addition of a high-quality source to our existing network strengthens Mission  Produce’s position as a global market leader and enhances our ability to drive avocado market  growth in the EU.” 

Mission Produce is vertically integrated in Peru, Colombia, Guatemala, and South Africa, and manages over 5,500 hectares of avocados.