Village Farms International and Great Northern Hydroponics Announce Exclusive Distribution Agreement

TRADING SYMBOL: The Toronto Stock Exchange:
Village Farms International, Inc. – VFF

VANCOUVER, May 28, 2015 /CNW/ - Village Farms International Inc. (Village Farms) (VFF.TSX) and Great Northern Hydroponics (Great Northern) located in Kingsville, Ontario are pleased to announce an exclusive distribution agreement between the two companies.  Village Farms is a progressive vertically integrated food company focused on growing, marketing, and distributing its branded fruits and vegetables to retailers throughout the United States and Canada.  Great Northern is a world class grower which has been growing in the Kingsville-Leamington area in Ontario since 1998. Great Northern is the only Ontario greenhouse vegetable grower who produces locally-grown production year-round through the use of supplemental lighting during the winter months and has a related entity that owns and operates a 12 MW cogeneration plant, which supplies the Ontario grid with power and the greenhouse with heat and CO_2.

According to Michael A. DeGiglio, President & CEO of Village Farms, "We are happy to be able to extend our exclusive specialty tomatoes varieties with additional production capacity.  This allows us to expand our entire product line into the Ontario market, eastern Canada, as well as the midwest and eastern United States to both existing customers and new customers.  The integration of our facilities will provide for better nationwide customer service, local product and a reduction in food miles.  Village Farms will start to offer the new product volume to its customers beginning later this year."   Mr. DeGiglio went on to say "Although we have worked with growers in Kingsville-Leamington for over 25 years this is our first distribution agreement in the Kingsville-Leamington area and we are very excited about the future possibilities for both organizations."

Guido van het Hof, President of Great Northern said: "This is a great opportunity for Great Northern to expand its product lines through the exclusive varieties provided by Village Farms.  We have known and followed Village Farms and are excited to be able to provide our production to their customer base."  

About Village Farms
Village Farms is one of the largest producers, marketers, and distributors of premium-quality, greenhouse-grown fruits and vegetables in North America.  The food our farmers grow, along with other greenhouse farmers under exclusive arrangements are all grown in environmentally friendly, soil-less, glass greenhouses.  The Village Farms^® brand of fruits and vegetables is marketed and distributed primarily to local retail grocers and dedicated fresh food distributors throughout the United States and Canada.  Since its inception, Village Farms has been guided by sustainability principles that enable us to grow food 365 days a year that not only feeds the growing population but is healthier for people and the planet.  Natural resource efficiencies such as water conservation and renewable energy optimizing cogeneration are all part of our clean technology model of farming. Village Farms is Good for the Earth^® and good for you.

About Great Northern Hydroponics
Great Northern Hydroponics is a large tomato production greenhouse established in 1998 and located in Southwestern Ontario, Canada; using state-of-the-art technology and modern growing methods to produce premium quality gourmet tomatoes enjoyed by consumers each and every day.  Great Northern Hydroponics' current production capacity is a 65-acre facility (15 acres of which are lighted, with year-round production).  The goal of Great Northern Hydroponics is to achieve the perfect integration between agriculture and technology, using techniques that are environmentally sustainable and responsible. Great Northern Hydroponics is confident that all aspects of its business conform to these goals and is proud to be on the path to a bright and clean future with a watch-full eye to the environment.  With every function performed; as growers and packers, the company maintains a commitment to maximum freshness, uncompromised quality and environmental responsibility.

SOURCE Village Farms International, Inc.

Stephen C. Ruffini, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Village Farms International, Inc., [phone] ext 340.