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Fresh fruit distributor Unifrutti has expanded into the vegetable sector after finalising its acquisition of Dimifruit in Almeria.

The deal forms part of Unifrutti’s global strategy as it looks to expand and diversify its product offering across Europe and establish itself “as a producer of vegetables”. It follows the purchase of Oranfrizer, an Italian producer of blood oranges.

Dimifruit harvests vegetables such as tomatoes, aubergines, peppers and courgettes in greenhouses in Almeria. According to Unifrutti, the company’s location offers a unique microclimate, where natural ventilation and the lack of humidity limits the spread of fungal diseases.

Dimifruit’s controlled production takes place for the most part in winter, starting in September and ending in April. The company employs around 400 workers to harvest the produce.

“Dimifruit vegetables are all produced using the integrated pest management system and are already widely known by large-scale European and Italian retailers for their quality and low environmental impact," said Dimitri Calabrese, Dimifruit CEO and founder, who will become Unifrutti's sales manager in Italy.

Gianluca Defendini, CEO of the Unifrutti division based in Italy, added: “Following the group’s global strategy, we in Europe believe in production companies that are well-established in their territory of origin…and which practice advanced farming methods with an increasingly low environmental impact. We are creating an offering that is valuable, diverse and responsible."