Dive Brief:

• Progressive Produce, based in Los Angeles, has purchased the asparagus business of Mission Produce.
• The deal gives Progressive control of relationships with Mexican, Peruvian and U.S. asparagus growers, greatly expanding acreage the company can access and boosting year-round supply.
• The agreement is the latest in a series of moves by Progressive to expand operations.

Dive Insight:

Folks around the produce markets in California know Progressive as one of the long-time players in the industry. The company has been around for about a half-century. But it's only in the past decade or so that Progressive has expanded beyond its base business of potatoes and become a mult-crop distributor with a customer base across much of the country. No one is surprised to see Progressive continue that expansion. Mission, on the other hand, has not had as much luck in moving beyond its core business in avocados. By selling its asparagus business, Mission can concentrate on what it does best. This deal seems like a win-win.