REEDLEY, CA - In October of 2023, it was announced that Frutura would acquire all company assets of Sun Belle LLC. Now, two and a half years later, I connected with members of Sun Belle and Frutura leadership to discuss the companies’ evolution.
Following the Sun Belle acquisition, Frutura completed its acquisition of Sun Belle Mexico (formerly Giddings) in 2024, which included Black Venture Farm (BVF) with a keen focus on developing new berry genetics. Frutura’s strategy was to grow and scale the berry category in parallel with its other core fruit segments—avocados, citrus, grapes, and cherries—through the addition of complementary businesses that strengthen supply continuity, expand market reach, and support a more integrated, year-round offering.
“Both Sun Belle and Sun Belle Mexico have played a critical role in advancing those objectives,” JC Clinard, Chief Executive Officer of the Frutura Berry Division, began telling me.
“The two teams have strengthened alignment across our operations and commercial approach, and the continued investment in the Sun Belle brand has further unified our go-to-market strategy. Our growing operations and leadership teams are increasingly integrated, creating efficiencies and deeper collaboration across regions. This move has also supported a more vertically integrated supply chain that begins with genetics from BVF, ends with distribution at Sun Belle, and is bridged by production from Sun Belle Mexico and other third-party producers from around the world,” JC continued.
According to Taylor Hazelwood, Vice President of Sales at Sun Belle, “Being part of the Frutura platform has also empowered Sun Belle to deliver greater value to customers. With access to a broader network of expertise and complementary fruit categories, we’re able to deepen long-standing relationships by offering more comprehensive, year-round solutions while staying closely aligned with evolving industry trends such as the increasing interest in variety-specific offerings.”
Taylor also highlighted the customer and industry focus on sustainability and how Frutura’s strong position in the category has helped elevate Sun Belle’s own initiatives as well. The company is actively working toward next-level programs, including a targeted path to B Corp certification by 2028. “Sustainability is certainly at the core of our industry. From field to shipper to consumer—Sun Belle and Frutura are committed to upholding a responsible Future of Fruit.”
Since the acquisition, Sun Belle has strengthened its operations by expanding leadership across the United States and Mexico, with a dedicated focus on key areas including packaging, quality, transportation, and food safety.
“We’ve made a strong commitment to better connecting our Sun Belle teams throughout the U.S. and Mexico to ensure alignment and seamless operations,” said Ian Grigg, Vice President of Supply Chain, Frutura Berry Division. “Having represented both Giddings and Sun Belle throughout my career in fresh produce, the coming together of these companies is a true full-circle moment for me. This familiarity with the foundations of both organizations has uniquely supported our efforts to accelerate process efficiencies, strengthen our overall offering, and enhance the way we serve our customers. Today, we benefit from greater visibility across the supply chain and deeper collaboration at every level—resulting in a more connected, seamless operation from field to consumer.”
In addition to an expanded leadership team, Frutura’s global footprint has supported significant growth in Sun Belle’s international sales relationships, extending the company’s reach and deepening its presence in key markets. Vice President of Business Development at Sun Belle, Ken Hopps, comments, “This has been a pivotal stepping stone season for us, allowing us to work directly with key retailers in Europe and Asia, which we will only continue to expand upon with each season. Our goal is continued international expansion.”
Ken adds, “Our vertical integration has enabled us to introduce new, differentiated offerings—most notably our premium program—driven by continued varietal innovation. With Frutura’s support, we’ve been able to fully leverage our expertise, enhancing day-to-day operations while advancing packaging and product innovation, ultimately delivering greater value and differentiation for our customers.”
As Sun Belle looks to its future, JC stated that this renewed focus on vertical integration and an increasingly dynamic, aligned organization has naturally set the business up for a brand refresh.
“Building on the long-standing, respected reputation of Sun Belle, we’ll be introducing an updated look that reflects who we are today while honoring the strength of our legacy. The refreshed brand will roll out this fall,” JC teased.
Since Frutura’s acquisition in 2023, and with the addition of JC’s leadership in 2024, the company has continued to build strong momentum. JC’s deep-rooted expertise in the berry category is helping to shape and lead the evolution of the Sun Belle business, with a focus on empowering teams, defining a forward-looking strategy, and driving alignment to achieve it.
“We see significant opportunity to further scale the business—continuing to invest in our people, strengthening our vertically integrated model, and bringing innovative, high-quality offerings to market that set us apart and create lasting value for our customers,” JC said on a final note.
With a brand refresh on the way and many other exciting developments in the works, keep following along with ANUK as we report the latest.
