Fruit World owner and CEO Bianca Kaprielian and Creekside Organics owner, President and CEO Brenda Haught have announced a 50-50 merger of their two companies, effective immediately.
Calling the move a strategic alignment of shared values and vision, the companies said the merger strengthens each leader’s long-held commitment to supporting family farms, combining decades of organic farming, sales and marketing expertise under one roof.
“This partnership was a natural evolution for us,” Kaprielian said in a news release. “Before this merger, our companies already shared so much in common — a commitment to family farmers, an organic-first approach, a focus on producing the highest quality fruits and vegetables in the industry, strong core values and a passion for outstanding service. By coming together, we are not just uniting our operations but strengthening our ability to grow, innovate and deliver even more value to everyone we serve.”
“Family farms are important to our respective companies, our communities, to our food supply and the environment,” Haught said. “Creekside and Fruit World are, and work with, multigenerational and first-generation farmers that we want to lift up, bolster and give access to our network of retail and wholesale customers. This merger leverages our combined expertise in farming, growing, packing, sales and marketing. It opens up exciting new opportunities for our staff, growers and customers and we are looking forward to new opportunities to serve and delight in every aspect of what we do!”
The newly formed company will move forward under the Creekside Organics Inc. name, and the Fruit World label will be one of the company’s flagship brands, the release said. Creekside will market under the brands Fruit World, Capay Organic and Creekside Organics.
The companies said they are combining complementary strengths to deliver enhanced service and expanded product offerings, delivering a wider range of high-quality produce, including:
- From Creekside Organics — organic artichokes, broccoli, baby broccoli, Brussels sprouts, baby bok choy, cauliflower, celery, chards, cabbages, kales, lettuces, herbs, squashes, peppers, beans, peas, cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, melons, figs, apricots and citrus.
- From Fruit World — organic and conventional citrus, organic stone fruit, grapes, tomatoes, persimmons and pomegranates.
Kaprielian and Haught will serve as co-CEOs leading the company. The leadership team also will include key members of both companies’ ownership groups:
- Craig Kaprielian, current owner, Fruit World.
- Angelica Kaprielian, current owner, Fruit World.
- Noah Barnes, current owner, Creekside Organics and Capay Organic.
- Thaddeus Barsotti, current owner, Creekside Organics and Capay Organic.
- Freeman Barsotti, current owner, Creekside Organics and Capay Organic.
The companies will transition to a fully integrated organization over the next few months, retaining all staff and preserving the relationships, expertise and values that have driven both businesses forward, according to the release. Creekside Organics said is committed to delivering exceptional service, expanding product offerings and continuing to champion family farms.
