The chairman of Fyffes, Mr Neil McCann, and his sons, Mr Carl McCann and Mr David McCann, have spent more than £640,000 buying shares in the fruit distribution group. The shares were purchased through the McCann family's investment vehicle, Balkan Investments.

According to a notification to the Stock Exchange, Balkan Investments bought 500,000 shares at 100p each and a further 75,000 shares at 104p each last Wednesday and a further 60,000 shares at 104p each last Monday. Fyffes shares were unchanged yesterday on 104p.

The 635,000 shares cost Balkan Investments a total of £641,000 and brings the McCann family holding in Fyffes to 25.8 million shares or 8.7 per cent of the total equity. This consolidates the McCann's position as second biggest shareholder in Fyffes - DCC with a 10.7 per cent stake is the biggest shareholder in the company.