PACIFIC_PRODUCE_LIMITED - Accounts

The directors present the strategic report for the year ended 30 November 2021.

The principal activity of the company during the year was that of importers and wholesalers of fresh fruit and vegetables. The directors are pleased with the increase in turnover of £8,725,766 (14.4%) to £69,150,218 from £60,424,452 in 2020.

Market conditions are likely to remain extremely competitive in 2022, though we remain confident that we can outperform against our peers. The challenge of maintaining market share whilst dealing with high levels of inflation throughout the supply chain will be our constant task. The increase in global shipping costs has been significant, sometimes 200%, coupled with trucking and farm input rises and more recently the energy "crisis" means that raising prices to customers is inevitable.

We believe that we are well placed to weather the storm of rising costs, we have a lean model and believe that some of our competition will find this new environment more difficult than us.

The recent development of the war in Ukraine has now added another layer of volatility and confusion. Aside from the obvious issues with energy which impacts all industries but has a high impact on farming and the movement and storage of chilled goods, we also have to consider the future impacts of all inputs with particular concern on fertilizers.

The industry seems to be in a permanent state of change and that brings a number of risks to the company. The main risks outside our control (and that of our competitors) are:

• currency fluctuations and weather patterns and high inflation in the supply chain.

• global logistics – the pandemic has created a mess in terms of supply chain efficiencies so shipping rates have been increased and importantly for a short shelf life product the service levels have decreased dramatically with fewer vessels and many delays. As the world grapples with supply and demand fluctuations the potential to damage the fresh produce industry is at a high risk level.

• where possible currency is purchased forward and the majority of our supply base is from more stable climates (Peru).

• the company is exposed to changes in consumer behaviour, in terms of preference for certain varieties or products driven by flavour, health benefits or health scares.

• political risk is always in the background, it is difficult to think of a stable political country anywhere in the world, change is probably the only certainty, we mitigate part of this risk by having a multi country supply chain.

The company is in a good position to deal with supply chain savings that are being implemented by key customers and as a young company our strategy from inception was a very lean business model.

Remaining close to the market and making good predictions and changing crops early enough is part of every strategic meeting that takes place twice per year, where future plantations are discussed. This is part of modern agriculture and our suppliers are world experts.

• Turnover increased by 14.4%

• Continued profit retention to aid with cash flow is the objective, whilst remaining an attractive dividend to shareholders, with the intention of re-investment in farms.

On behalf of the board

The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 30 November 2021.

The principal activity of the company continued to be that of the wholesale of produce.

The results for the year are set out on page 8.

An interim ordinary dividend was paid amounting to £1,285,288 (2020: £1,028,713). The directors do not recommend payment of a final dividend.

The directors who held office during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:

The directors are to continue building supplier and client relationships and to expand produce on offer by securing new supplies of produce where there is a identified gap in the market. The changing business model of direct selling requires greater working capital. Therefore, the company continues to build profit reserves to continue the subsequent growth reported.

The auditor, UHY Ross Brooke, is deemed to be reappointed under section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006.

So far as each person who was a director at the date of approving this report is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditor is unaware. Additionally, the directors individually have taken all the necessary steps that they ought to have taken as directors in order to make themselves aware of all relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditor is aware of that information.

The directors are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

•     select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

•     make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

•     prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

We have audited the financial statements of Pacific Produce Limited (the 'company') for the year ended 30 November 2021 which comprise the statement of comprehensive income, the statement of financial position, the statement of changes in equity, the statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

•     give a true and fair view of the state of the company's affairs as at 30 November 2021 and of its profit for the year then ended;

•     have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

•     have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:

• the information given in the strategic report and the directors' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• the strategic report and the directors' report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report and the directors' report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

•     adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

•     the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

•     certain disclosures of remuneration specified by law are not made; or

•     we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

As explained more fully in the directors' responsibilities statement, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.

We obtained an understanding of the laws and regulations applicable to the company through discussions with management, and from our wider knowledge of the company and industry. We determined that the most significant laws and regulations, which may have a material effect on the financial statements, include the Companies Act 2006, Taxation Legislation, Employment Law and Health & Safety legislation.

- the identified laws and regulations were communicated to the audit engagement team;

- we assessed the extent of compliance with the laws and regulations identified, through making enquiries of management, inspecting legal correspondence and personnel records.

We assessed the susceptibility of the company's financial statements to material misstatement due to fraud, by:

- reviewing managements’ own assessment of the company’s susceptibility to fraud;

- considering the strength of the control environment; and

- evaluating management’s incentives for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements.

We determined that the principal risks were related to inflation of revenues and over-statement of profit through the inappropriate application of cut-off.

To address the risk of fraud, we:

- compared financial statement disclosures to supporting documentation;

- performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual trends;

- tested journal entries to identify unusual transactions; and

- investigated the rationale behind significant or unusual transactions, as well as key assumptions and estimates used in the preparation of the financial statements.

There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above and the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of it. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company's members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

The income statement has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations.

Pacific Produce Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is The Threshing Barn, North Weston, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 2HA.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £1.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

The company's underlying performance has met the expectations of the directors, with sales increasing significantly during the year. The directors expect the company to increase sales, profits and matching positive cash inflows for the foreseeable future, and see no adverse events or circumstances that would change the directors' assessment over the company's ability to trade over the next 12 months. Therefore the directors have adopted the going concern basis of accounting.true

Turnover represents amounts receivable for wholesale produce and related services net of VAT.

Revenue from the sale of goods is recognised when the significant risks and rewards of ownership of produce have passed to the buyer (usually on satisfactory delivery of produce), the amount of revenue can be measured reliably, it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the entity and the costs incurred or to be incurred in respect of the transaction can be measured reliably.

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

Freehold land is not depreciated, as its recoverable value is deemed to be equal to or greater than it's original cost.

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is credited or charged to profit or loss.

Interests in subsidiaries, associates and jointly controlled entities are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost less any accumulated impairment losses. The investments are assessed for impairment at each reporting date and any impairment losses or reversals of impairment losses are recognised immediately in profit or loss.

Entities in which the company has a long term interest and shares control under a contractual arrangement are classified as jointly controlled entities.

At each reporting period end date, the company reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any). Where it is not possible to estimate the recoverable amount of an individual asset, the company estimates the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit to which the asset belongs.

Recoverable amount is the higher of fair value less costs to sell and value in use. In assessing value in use, the estimated future cash flows are discounted to their present value using a pre-tax discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the asset for which the estimates of future cash flows have not been adjusted.

If the recoverable amount of an asset (or cash-generating unit) is estimated to be less than its carrying amount, the carrying amount of the asset (or cash-generating unit) is reduced to its recoverable amount. An impairment loss is recognised immediately in profit or loss, unless the relevant asset is carried at a revalued amount, in which case the impairment loss is treated as a revaluation decrease.

Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell. Cost comprises cost of produce and, where applicable, import and transportation costs that have been incurred in bringing the stocks to their present location and condition.

Stocks held for distribution at no or nominal consideration are measured at the lower of replacement cost and cost, adjusted where applicable for any loss of service potential.

At each reporting date, an assessment is made for impairment. Any excess of the carrying amount of stocks over its estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell is recognised as an impairment loss in profit or loss. Reversals of impairment losses are also recognised in profit or loss.

Cash and cash equivalents are basic financial assets and include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

The company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the company's statement of financial position when the company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Other financial assets, including investments in equity instruments which are not subsidiaries, associates or joint ventures, are initially measured at fair value, which is normally the transaction price. Such assets are subsequently carried at fair value and the changes in fair value are recognised in profit or loss, except that investments in equity instruments that are not publicly traded and whose fair values cannot be measured reliably are measured at cost less impairment.

Financial assets, other than those held at fair value through profit and loss, are assessed for indicators of impairment at each reporting end date.

Financial assets are impaired where there is objective evidence that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the financial asset, the estimated future cash flows have been affected. If an asset is impaired, the impairment loss is the difference between the carrying amount and the present value of the estimated cash flows discounted at the asset’s original effective interest rate. The impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss.

If there is a decrease in the impairment loss arising from an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, the impairment is reversed. The reversal is such that the current carrying amount does not exceed what the carrying amount would have been, had the impairment not previously been recognised. The impairment reversal is recognised in profit or loss.

Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire or are settled, or when the company transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity, or if some significant risks and rewards of ownership are retained but control of the asset has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party.

Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities.

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and loans are initially recognised at transaction price.

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less.

Derivatives, including interest rate swaps and forward foreign exchange contracts, are not basic financial instruments. Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value on the date a derivative contract is entered into and are subsequently re-measured at their fair value. Changes in the fair value of derivatives are recognised in profit or loss in finance costs or finance income as appropriate, unless hedge accounting is applied and the hedge is a cash flow hedge.

Debt instruments that do not meet the conditions in FRS 102 paragraph 11.9 are subsequently measured at fair value through profit or loss. Debt instruments may be designated as being measured at fair value through profit or loss to eliminate or reduce an accounting mismatch or if the instruments are measured and their performance evaluated on a fair value basis in accordance with a documented risk management or investment strategy.

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the company’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the company.

The tax expense represents the sum of the tax currently payable and deferred tax.

The tax currently payable is based on taxable profit for the year. Taxable profit differs from net profit as reported in the income statement because it excludes items of income or expense that are taxable or deductible in other years and it further excludes items that are never taxable or deductible. The company’s liability for current tax is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting end date.

Deferred tax liabilities are generally recognised for all timing differences and deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that they will be recovered against the reversal of deferred tax liabilities or other future taxable profits. Such assets and liabilities are not recognised if the timing difference arises from goodwill or from the initial recognition of other assets and liabilities in a transaction that affects neither the tax profit nor the accounting profit.

The carrying amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each reporting end date and reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that sufficient taxable profits will be available to allow all or part of the asset to be recovered. Deferred tax is calculated at the tax rates that are expected to apply in the period when the liability is settled or the asset is realised. Deferred tax is charged or credited in the income statement, except when it relates to items charged or credited directly to equity, in which case the deferred tax is also dealt with in equity. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset when the company has a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets and liabilities and the deferred tax assets and liabilities relate to taxes levied by the same tax authority.

The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense, unless those costs are required to be recognised as part of the cost of stock or fixed assets.

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the company is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged to profit or loss on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease except where another more systematic basis is more representative of the time pattern in which economic benefits from the leases asset are consumed.

Transactions in currencies other than pounds sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At each reporting end date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing on the reporting end date. Gains and losses arising on translation in the period are included in profit or loss.

In the application of the company’s accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

The following judgements (apart from those involving estimates) have had the most significant effect on amounts recognised in the financial statements.

Determining income tax provisions involves judgements on the tax treatment of certain transactions. Deferred tax is recognised on accelerated capital allowances where a temporary difference occurs due to the estimated useful economic life of qualifying plant and machinery. The carry value of both current and deferred tax can be seen on note 9 and 16.

The annual depreciation charge of tangible assets is sensitive to changes in the estimated useful economic life and residual values of recognised assets. These estimate are annually reviewed for an amendment in the adopted policy in the assets that are typically exposed to technological advancement, future investments, changes in economic utilisation, and the physical condition of the asset. See notes 12 for the carrying value of these assets and note 1.4 for the adopted useful economic life of each class of asset.

An analysis of the company's turnover is as follows:

The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the company during the year was:

Their aggregate remuneration comprised:

The number of directors for whom retirement benefits are accruing under defined contribution schemes amounted to 4 (2020 - 4).

Investment income includes the following:

The UK corporation tax rate remained at 19% as enacted from 1 April 2017. Therefore, the current tax rate used is 19%.

The actual charge for the year can be reconciled to the expected charge for the year based on the profit or loss and the standard rate of tax as follows:

Details of the company's joint ventures at 30 November 2021 are as follows:

The following are the major deferred tax liabilities and assets recognised by the company and movements thereon:

An amount of £941 (2020: £1,015) of the deferred tax liability set out above is expected to reverse within 12 months from the reporting date and relates to accelerated capital allowances.

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund.

The company has three classes of ordinary equity shares labelled A, B and C. Each share has the same rights to an entitlement to distributions and an entitlement to a capital distribution in the case of the company being wound up. The ordinary A and B share have voting rights whereas the ordinary C shares have no voting rights.

The share premium account represents investment from shareholders holding ordinary C shares and paying market value rather than par value for the shares.

Operating lease payments represent rentals payable by the company for certain of its properties. Leases are negotiated for a term of 6 years.

At the reporting end date the company had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:

During the year the company entered into the following transactions with related parties:

During the year the company traded with other related parties that are under the same ultimate controlling party. The purchases during the year amounted to £14,337,462 (2020 - £10,008,571).

At the reporting date, these related parties were owed £67,057 (2020 - £nil).

During the year dividends totalling £50,000 (2020 - £492,713) was paid to those with control.

Dividends totalling £1,285,288 (2020 - £1,028,713) were paid in the year in respect of shares held by the company's directors.

At the reporting date a director was owed £1,933 (2020 - £101,933). No interest is accruing on the balance. This loan is due on demand.

The company is controlled by Mr E Masias Malaga, a director of the company.