February 15, 2024

By Lynda Kiernan-Stone, Global AgInvesting Media

NatureSweet, the largest vertically integrated agricultural company in North America, announced the expansion of its portfolio with a new greenhouse facility that has begun planting and growing produce in Bonita, Arizona. 

It was only five months ago that Blue Road Capital, an independent investment firm focused on vertically integrated food and agriculture opportunities, announced its acquisition of NatureSweet for an undisclosed sum. 

As consumers continue to focus on their physical and mental wellbeing, sales of natural and organic products are expected to surpass $300 billion this year. And with an increased awareness of the intersections of food and overall health, sugar has come under intense scrutiny, with 33 percent of Americans identifying it as likely being the main cause of weight gain, and behind a range of health issues such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, according to IFIC data. 

Headquartered in Texas, with facilities in Mexico and Arizona, NatureSweet taps into these key consumer trends that lean heavily toward fresh produce and natural foods. Demand is expected to continue to climb in the coming years, with predicted global annual market growth of 5.14 percent to 2027, potentially growing to a market value of $210.9 billion, according to ProducePay. 

Founded in 1990, NatureSweet is a leader within the fresh produce industry. Over the course of its existence, the company has grown to produce greenhouse tomatoes, sweet peppers, and cucumbers across more than 1,400 acres on a year-round basis. Its produce is grown, harvested, and packaged by more than 6,000 directly employed employees and is sold through major supermarkets throughout the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. 

The company is the creator of branded snacking tomatoes, and is the top selling North American brand and an emerging force in greenhouse-grown peppers and cucumbers. This has led it to be the world’s largest CEA company to have achieved Fair Trade Certification, Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) Certification, and B Corp Certification.

NatureSweet explained that it will start operations by growing D’Vines – cherry tomatoes that are harvested and packaged on-the-vine for maximum freshness, before expanding to other conventional and organic products throughout the 18 hectares (44+ acres) of greenhouse space at the Bonita site. 

Over the course of three years, the company plans to invest more than $5 million in the facility alone, and hire about 250 agricultural workers, marking the brand’s expansion of growing operations in the U.S.

“Arizona is proud to celebrate NatureSweet’s new production facility in Graham County,” said Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs. “With this investment, NatureSweet will create hundreds of quality jobs in rural Arizona and strengthen Arizona’s important agriculture industry.”

Commenting on the company’s choice of Arizona for expansion, Rodolfo Spielmann, president & CEO, NatureSweet, said, “Choosing Arizona to plant our seeds is more than just a strategic decision, it’s a commitment to innovation, collaboration, and the incredible opportunities that the state offers. We look forward to contributing to the area’s dynamic landscape and growing a successful future together. We are just starting.”

~ Lynda Kiernan-Stone is editor in chief with GAI Media, and is managing editor and daily contributor for Global AgInvesting’s AgInvesting Weekly News and  Agtech Intel News, as well as HighQuest Group’s Unconventional Ag. She can be reached at lkiernan-stone@globalaginvesting.com.

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