TreeTop Buys Puree Processor

SELAH, Wash.Tree Top Inc, a grower-owner cooperative known for its Tree Top brand of premium juices, applesauce and other fruit products, has agreed to acquire Medford, Ore.-based Sabroso Co., the nations largest processor and seller of single-strength and concentrated fruit purees, and a provider of dried fruit flakes and fruit preparations for the ingredient and foodservice channels. Sabroso has manufacturing facilities in Medford and Woodburn, Ore., and Oxnard, Calif. TreeTop also owns and operates Bothell, Wash.-based Northwest Naturals, which specializes in juice formulation and juice concentrate sales to the beverage industry.

The combination of Sabroso, Tree Top and Northwest Naturals creates a world leader in providing processed fruit solutions for food manufacturers in the food, beverage and foodservice industries, says Tom Hurson, senior vice president, Tree Top Ingredient and Foodservice Sales. This agreement is great news for all three companies. It provides an expanded product portfolio, increased research and development capacity, industry leading fruit processing knowledge and technology and decades of successful grower relationships.