Farming brothers return to their roots as they sow the way for the next generation at family-owned Produce World in Peterborough

The brothers behind a Peterborough supplier of vegetables have gone back to their roots with a buyout of all the firm's minority shareholders.
The Burgess brothers - the fourth generation of the family behind Produce World.The Burgess brothers - the fourth generation of the family behind Produce World.
The Burgess brothers - the fourth generation of the family behind Produce World.

The Burgess family, which can trace the origins of Produce World, in Yaxley, back to the late 19th century, has just announced the buyout of all the minority shareholders in the company.

While family has always held a majority of the shares, they say a significant minority were held by other shareholders who received shares as a result of mergers and acquisition by the group.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Chairman and chief executive William Burgess said: “We have been looking for a way to reward our minority shareholders for some time, and we believe the time is right.

"Produce World was founded as a family business and going forward that is the way we want it to be.

"Jason, Andrew and I are now fully involved in the day-to-day running of the business and we are currently working on plans to bring the next generation into the company.

“From our point of view, we are more confident than ever about the future of Produce World.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"We are a business that grows and packs organic and conventional potatoes and vegetables, with farming at the heart of everything we do.

"The business has gone back to its roots.”

The holding company Produce World Investments is now completely owned by the Burgess family.

Produce World recently completed the sales of its redundant site at Swinderby which will be used to build 120 homes.

Timeline:

1898: Harry & Percy Burgess began growing vegetables in the Peterborough Fens and running a fruit and vegetable shop in Richmond, London .

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

1946 Russell Burgess Ltd established to pack and market fruit and vegetables, potatoes and fresh produce grown on farms in the Fens.

1999 A joint-venture growing operation was formed between Las Lomas and the Produce World Group providing an additional supply line to import parsnips, leeks, bunched carrots, potatoes and onions, and create an all year round supply source.

2000 Russell Burgess (Potatoes) merges with Sutton Bridge Ltd to form Solanum Ltd.

2003 Companies merge to create Produce World Ltd.

2009 Produce World disposes of its interests in British & Brazilian Produce Ltd to AG Thames Holdings Ltd.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

2014 TIO and Fenmarc Roots division based at Swinderby acquired.

2014 UK Grower Award for Tatsoi

2015 Taylorgrown Ltd acquired

2015 Major investment in Sutton Bridge and Isleham sites.

2017 Restructured back to four independent business units and closure of office in Lynch Wood, Peterborough.

RELATED:

Peterborough fresh produce boss warns tough weather will force up price of vegetablesFresh produce chief in Peterborough is at the heart of battle for Brexit{https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/business/investment-helping-yaxley-s-produce-world-to-take-control-of-the-market-1-5965007|Investment helping Yaxley’s Produce World to take control of the market

Read more at: https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/business/investment-helping-yaxley-s-produce-world-to-take-control-of-the-market-1-5965007|Read more}