MBG Marketing, the world’s largest grower-owned blueberry and blackberry marketing cooperative, has taken a strategic step into the global foods market by establishing MB Global Foods.

According to the company, the move will complement MBG Marketing’s commitment to growing its product portfolio in cooperation with Naturipe Value Added Foods.

Larry Ensfield, president and CEO, along with the board of directors of MBG Marketing, said they are very enthusiastic about the new opportunity, which is a partnership with Stephen Mullin and Paul Gibis.

These two food industry veterans will be managing MB Global Foods, a new international frozen fruit and vegetable business, from Hudson QC, Canada, beginning in March 2017. 

MBG Marketing plans to make substantial capital investments into their two existing IQF and value added processing facilities in Michigan and Georgia to support MB Global Foods’ key initiatives, which will include the procurement of food stocks from around the world to support these processing capabilities.

“This is a very exciting time for MBG Marketing and its grower members," said Ensfield. "Our cooperative just celebrated its 80th anniversary and this new business opportunity gives us a good start on the next 80 years.”

Mullin and Gibis, with their years of experience in servicing international food markets, are ideal partners to lead this venture, the group said. MBG Marketing is very pleased to join with them in announcing the introduction of MB Global Foods.