U.K. supermarket chain to buy banana facility
U.K. supermarket chain Morrisons has announced plans to buy a banana ripening facility that used to be operated by Del Monte but was shut down in November, 2011. 
The acquisition of the 58,000 square foot factory in Boston, Lincolnshire will be undertaken as a joint venture with Global Pacific, which has expertise in exotic fruits and will be running the site on behalf of Morrisons.
A Morrisons release said the new facility would allow the company to better meet consumers' varying banana tastes, while allowing the fruit to ripen slower, "meaning it is sweeter and lasts longer in the home".
"Bananas are the most popular fruit in the UK so it makes sense for Morrisons to apply its unique approach to food production to simplify the supply chain, cut out costs and improve quality," said Morrisons chief executive Dalton Philips.
"Adding this ripening factory to our business means we will be able to mature bananas more precisely to our customers different needs."
The acquisition of the 9-year-old facility is the sixth addition to the chain's manufacturing business since 2010, with other sites including a produce site in Worsley, meat and fish factories and a flower operation.
The acquisition is expected to create 80 jobs in the area.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
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