GRANDVIEW, WASH. — FruitSmart, Inc. has merged with Carolina Innovative Food Ingredients (CIFI), a supplier of sweet potato-based ingredients.  

Universal Corp., parent company of Nashville, NC-based CIFI, agreed to purchase FruitSmart in November 2019.

The fruit and vegetable ingredient processor is headquartered in Washington’s Yakima Valley, where it has approximately 200 employees and two manufacturing facilities. It supplies a range of juices, concentrates, blends, purees, fibers and seed powders to food, beverage and flavor companies throughout the United States and internationally.

Terry G. Chambers, president of FruitSmart, will continue with the same title and role.

“As an affiliate of FruitSmart, the CIFI team is integrating into our sales and operations team,” Mr. Chambers said in a June 29 letter to customers. “This very experienced and talented group, based in Prosser, Wash., and Nashville, NC, is charged with providing you with an even more extensive portfolio of high-quality fruit and vegetable ingredients. This includes value-added offerings, such as custom blended concentrates and NFC juices.”

FruitSmart and CIFI already are working to develop new concepts at FruitSmart’s new Product Development Center in the Yakima Valley, he added, and will be meeting with customers and attending trade shows as one company.