Van Drunen Farms buys majority stake in SouthAm Freeze Dry

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Van Drunen Farms (Momence, IL) has taken a majority stake in SouthAm Freeze Dry (Santiago, Chile), a partnership that benefits both parties. SouthAm is a leading supplier of freeze-dried fruit supplies to a number of global consumer packaged goods companies. The firm enjoys a strong competitive advantage from its ability to directly access the rich agricultural output from Chile and the surrounding South American supply chain. The investment by Van Drunen Farms, which includes the dietary supplement supplier FutureCeuticals, allows the firm to leverage SouthAm’s access to the supply chain for the food, functional food, and dietary supplements spaces. Van Drunen Farms will also continue SouthAm’s innovation, focused on the development of native herbals, fruit, and vegetable ingredients.

“This partnership will better position both SouthAm and Van Drunen Farms, offering unique and substantial benefits for our customers,” remarked Kevin Van Drunen, co-owner and president of Van Drunen Farms, and board member of SouthAm, in a press release. “It is exciting to see our global platform expanded with a partner that shares our long-term vision to be a global leader in freeze-dry ingredients and has a truly international reach.”

"We are thrilled to take this next step as a company," added Boris Hirmas Said, founder and chairman of the board of SouthAm, in a press release. “We started in 2004 with a mission to create a world-class business to showcase Chile’s unique capacity for premium quality manufacturing and food products. With that initial goal achieved, we are now ready to partner with Van Drunen Farms to bring this message and these products to the world."

The partnership enhances the access of both companies to the global supply of fruits and vegetables, benefiting their respective customer bases. Strawberries, for example, are one freeze-dried ingredient that will be more readily available for customers following the partnership.