The company was formed in 1942 at the peak of the Second World War and from its inception - as a supplier and importer of potato flakes and dried milk - we have continued to be food industry innovators.
In 1984 Gerry Costa and Carlos Ballester bought the company to distribute fresh fruit, vegetables and dried fruits into UK pre-packer companies for the rapidly expanding British supermarket trade.
Briess soon became the biggest importer of Spanish courgettes and aubergines, and quickly expanded its operations into root vegetables, importing carrots, new potatoes and onions.
We also exported seed potatoes all over the world as market demand escalated.
Soon our commitment to overseas growers in helping develop organic crops did not go unnoticed by Sainsbury's: they positively encouraged the trend with our supply lines in Spain, and other European and North African countries. We were pioneers of the Organic Farmers & Growers Association.
Briess quickly became the biggest importer of organic carrots and the first to use Big Bags to transport carrots, and later parsnips from Spain and France to the UK prepack food trade.
In the 1990's we added bunched carrots to our Sainsbury's produce range, and also for other multiples.
Since becoming part of the Produce World Group we have consolidated our product range to concentrate on offering larger supplies of conventional and organic carrots, parsnips, tomatoes (cherry, santa and vine varieties), and onions and beetroot from our growers in France and Spain.
Latest News
Open Farm Sunday - 1 June 2008
This years event has been described by LEAF as “the best yet!”. Over 400 farmers across the country opened up and early reports indicate that nearly 150,000 members of the public visited a local farm on 1st June. A full report will be issued by LEAF later in the year…but in the meantime here is our very own Produce World report. As proud sponsors of the 2008 Open Farm Sunday event I would like to share with everyone the day’s successes, and give a great BIG thank you to everyone who took part…THANK YOU!.
Produce World acquires Marshalls and Agromark
Produce World Ltd, currently growing and marketing organic and conventional fresh produce, has acquired Marshalls Holdings Ltd, a group of companies that includes Marshall Bros (Butterwick) Ltd and a 76% holding in Agromark SA, in a deal agreed and completed last night.
