Ardo launches frozen ingredients firm

Ardo UK has formed a new company, Ardo Food Ingredients, to break into supplying frozen fruit, vegetables and herbs to food processors.

The move follows the frozen fruit and vegetable supplier's acquisition of Ploegmakers, which is based in Veghel in the Netherlands, in May last year. Ploegmakers supplies fresh-frozen and refrigerated vegetables, herbs, potatoes and fruit to manufacturers of soups, sauces, ready meals, salads, bakery products and baby foods. The business has an annual turnover of euro 35M, and produces 16,000t of product a year.

"We already have a very successful food manufacturing sector, but the acquisition of Ploegmakers means we can now provide additional expertise, increased capacity and a wider product range," said Debbie Henry, UK business sector manager for Ardo Food Ingredients, who is based at Ardo UK's headquarters in Charing, near Ashford, Kent. "The integration of a highly sector-focused provider with our existing portfolio will enable Ardo Food Ingredients to become a major player in the food ingredients sector."