Chile's Hortifrut announced successful incorporation of Vitalberry on Friday. The merger will place 50.8% of company ownership in the hands of the Moller family, as well as businessmen Eduardo Elberg and Ignacio del Río.

The announcement came with a number of staff changes. In a Hortifrut board meeting on Thursday, Ignacio del Río and Andrés Solari were appointed as directors, replacing Juan Sutil and Heriberto Urzúa.

Andrés Solari has also been named company vice president.

Hortifrut said the merger seeks to "capture synergies and economies of scale that add value to producers, providing excellent service to Hortifrut clients on the global market."

Hortifrut has been in the berry business for 30 years, complemented by Vitalberry's 20 year presence in the industry.

The companies run operations in the United States, continental Europe, the United Kingdom, Asia and Latin America.

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