SunOpta to Enter Exclusive Supply Agreement with Zhejiang Yumberry Juice Co., Ltd.
The agreement excludes certain existing customers. Yumberry is a native Chinese fruit harvested organically from one-hundred year old trees in the valleys of Xiangu.
30/04/07 SunOpta Inc. announced that the SunOpta Fruit Group has entered into an exclusive supply agreement with Zhejiang Yumberry Juice Co., Ltd. to market Yumberry juice concentrate initially in the United States and also in Canada after one year.
The agreement excludes certain existing customers. Yumberry is a native Chinese fruit harvested organically from one-hundred year old trees in the valleys of Xiangu.
Yum, short for yummy derived from its native name Yang Mei, has been harvested in China for over 2,000 years for its healthy attributes. This deep red fruit is high in antioxidants and contains a wide range of vitamins, including vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin and carotene.
Yumberry is used in diverse applications ranging from fruit juices to bakery applications, wines, cocktails and dairy products. Organic Yumberry juice has a sweet/tart balance that can either stand alone or be mixed with other juices or flavors. The harvested fruit is carefully selected, pressed, de-pectinized, filtered, concentrated and pasteurized before being shipped to North America. The juice is also available in single strength.
Joseph Stern, Executive Vice President of the SunOpta Fruit Group commented, "I am happy to announce the addition of this healthy new fruit to our expanding portfolio of organic fruit juices. Yumberry is one of those rare "good for you" healthy fruits that actually tastes great on its own or can be blended with other juices to add nutritional value and a unique rich flavor. We expect Yumberry to grow in popularity much like other high antioxidant fruits, such as acai and pomegranate, have in recent years."
Steve Bromley, President and Chief Executive Officer of SunOpta commented, "The addition of Yumberry to our continually growing line-up of globally sourced healthy food products complements our strategy of positioning the SunOpta Fruit Group as a leading supplier of frozen fruit and fruit ingredient solutions to the private label, food service and industrial markets."
