Fresh Focus Tropicals 2023

EUROF RUIT

TIME FOR TROPICALS

As importers plan ahead for peak demand later this year, we speak to some of the key players about major trends in tropical fresh produce

At Port of Antwerp-Bruges, we have only one rule when it comes to serving fruit: fresh is best. That’s why we focus on short transit times and short intraport stays. With a strategic inland location, experienced sta and convenient at-the-port handling, we guarantee you won’t lose time (or nutrients) along the way. Now isn’t that cool?

Mangoes, avocados, and limes have all entered Europe’s fresh produce mainstream alongside their tropical forerunners bananas and pineapples

New kids on the block take it step by step

Tropical fruits and vegetables are the focus of this, a special edition of Eurofruit that ties in with our first-ever Global Tropicals Congress. The event takes place in The Hague, Netherlands, on 14 September and we are delighted to have some really big names involved, among them Dole, AMFresh, Westfalia, Olympic Fruit, Wealmoor, and Blue Skies. In August, I attended Prognosfruit to hear the new-season European forecasts for apples and pears. In short, both of those crops will be shorter than usual. Which begs the question, will there be more room to sell the kind of fruit we once regarded as niche products, but which are now much less exotic in the true sense of the word? Mangoes, avocados, and limes, for example, have entered Europe’s fresh produce mainstream alongside their tropical forerunners bananas and pineapples. Imports in to Europe continue to grow, and step by step other new kids on the block – like passion fruit, dragon fruit, papayas – are managing to hang tough in the market too. That is the result of growth not only in northern Europe, but also in Mediterranean countries like Spain and Italy, where interest in new products supports new demand, But there are challenges too: not least from a trend towards more local produce and examples of a move away from airfreight. As always, plenty to discuss when we meet with the trade at Global Tropicals Congress! E

Fruitnet Media International GmbH, Lindemannstrasse 12, 40237 Düsseldorf, Germany

©2023 Market Intelligence Limited, part of Fruitnet Media International. All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form, including photocopies and information retrieval systems, without the prior permission of Market Intelligence Limited. Published monthly, except for the July/August and November/December issues, by Market Intelligence Limited. Eurofruit Magazine is a registered trademark of Market Intelligence Limited.

Market Intelligence Limited The Food Exchange New Covent Garden Market London SW8 5EL, United Kingdom tel +44 20 7501 3700 info@fruitnet.com fruitnet.com

Advertising Manager: Artur Wiselka

Chief Editor: Mike Knowles

Printed by D+L, Bocholt, Germany

Events

globaltomatocongress.com

The Global Tomato Congress brought together central players in the fresh tomato category to connect and share in-depth experience and expertise, whilst exploring new ideas.

Photo Blog

instagram.com/fruitnet

Follow Fruitnet's Instagram page for regular photos and updates from the Fruitnet team.

fruitnet.com/eurofruit eurofruit's news website provides regular updates on all the top stories from the European fresh fruit and vegetable business. News

Eurofruit App

https://desktop.eurofruitmagazine.com

Download the new Eurofruit app onto your smartphone or tablet from the App Store or Google Play. Stay informed of the latest fresh produce industry developments, and enjoy our magazines in new user-friendly digital formats.

linkedin.com/showcase/eurofruitmagazine

Expand your network of professional contacts and join the fresh produce conversation by visiting the eurofruit LinkedIn account. LinkedIn

twitter.com/eurofruit Keep up to date with news, opinions and developments from around the European fresh produce trade by following our dedicated Twitter account. Twitter

Fruitnet Daily News

fruitnet.com/freenewsletter

Fruitnet Daily News is the fresh produce industry's leading source of news, information and insight. Available free to all, it is essential reading for those who need to keep track of developments and trends in the international fruit and vegetable business.

https://anchor.fm/fruitbox

Listen to Fruitnet's podcast series hosted by managing director Chris White in London. The Fruitbox podcast features conversations and interviews with leading industry experts. Fruitbox

Call your citrus sales representative at 661.778.1458 or email Amanda.Meneses@wonderful.com

EDITORIAL

managing director, fruitnet europe

Mike Knowles

+44 20 7501 3702 michael@fruitnet.com

managing editor

Maura Maxwell

+44 20 7501 3706 maura@fruitnet.com

deputy editor

Carl Collen

+44 20 7501 3703 carl@fruitnet.com

news editor

Tom Joyce

+44 20 7501 3704 tom@fruitnet.com

staff writer

Fred Searle

+44 20 7501 0301 fred@fruitnet.com

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

design manager

Simon Spreckley

+44 20 7501 3713 simon@fruitnet.com

senior designer

Qiong Wu

+61 3 9040 1603 wobo@fruitnet.com

middleweight designer Magdalena Witecka

+44 20 7501 3721 magdalena@fruitnet.com

middleweight designer

Mai Luong

+44 20 7501 3713 mai@fruitnet.com

EVENTS & MARKETING

head of events and marketing

Laura Martín Nuñez

+44 20 7501 3720 laura@fruitnet.com

events executive

Poppy Bowe

+44 20 7501 3719 poppy@fruitnet.com

MANAGEMENT

commercial director

Ulrike Niggemann

+49 211 99 10 425 ulrike@fruitnet.com

managing director

Chris White

+44 20 7501 3710 chris@fruitnet.com

ADVERTISING

sales director

Artur Wiselka

+44 20 7501 0309 artur@fruitnet.com

senior sales manager

Giorgio Mancino

+44 20 7501 3716 giorgio@fruitnet.com

account manager

Josselyn Pozo Lascano +44 20 7501 0313 josselyn@fruitnet.com

us & canada

Jeff Long +1 805 448 8027 jeff@fruitnet.com

italy

Giordano Giardi +39 059 786 3839 giordano@fruitnet.com

germany, austria, switzerland, middle east

Heike Hagenguth +20 100 544 5066 heike@fruitnet.com

morocco, france, tunisia Cristina Delof +34 93 000 57 54 cristina@fruitnet.com

south africa Fred Meintjes

+27 28 754 1418 fredmeintjes@fruitnet.com

asia pacific

Kate Riches

+61 3 9040 1601 kate@fruitnet.com

ADMINISTRATION

finance director

Elvan Gul

+44 20 7501 3711 elvan@fruitnet.com

accounts receivable

Tracey Haines +44 20 7501 3717 tracey@fruitnet.com

finance manager

Günal Yildiz +44 20 7501 3714 gunal@fruitnet.com

subscriptions +44 20 7501 0311 subscriptions@fruitnet.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Gerry Kelman

freelance journalist

Fred visits Zahra Food Industries in Uganda as the jackfruit supplier begins to unlock the financial potential of the country’s ‘ancestral’ trees. tropicals–p32-33

Liam O'Callaghan asiafruit

Liam looks at Indian agtech start-up Superplum, which has unveiled a new pre-packed lychee across the country to help reduce post-harvest waste. tropicals–p37

Gerry says Israeli exports of pitayas and mangoes have fallen due to Covid and greater competition, but pomegranate exporters remain optimistic.

tropicals–p35

John Hey

asiafruit

John hears that modernising production methods and managing growth of the Chinese market are key for Vietnam’s exports. tropicals–p38-39

Fred Searle fresh produce journal

Europe expects fall in apple and pear production

The EU apple crop will be 3.3 per cent lighter than last year, while pear production is down 12.9 per cent, it was revealed at Prognosfruit.

by Maura Maxwell & Carl Collen @carlfruitnet

@maurafruitnet

Apple production in the European Union is set to decrease by 3.3 per cent in 2023 compared with last year to 11.41m tonnes. This puts the crop in line with the average of the previous three years (+0.3 per cent).

The forecast was announced by Philippe Binard, secretary general of the World Apple and Pear Association (WAPA) at the start of Prognosfruit 2023, which took place in Trentino, Italy, and gathered more than 300 delegates from the apple and pear sector from Europe and beyond.

Regarding the main varieties, Golden Delicious is set to increase by 11.7 per cent to 2.167m tonnes. Gala, the second-biggest variety, is expected to grow by 4.8 per cent to

“Climate change will be the most important challenge for the survival of agriculture, especially for apples and pears”

1.5227m tonnes. Production of Red Delicious and Idared, on the other hand, are set to fall by 10 per cent and 6.1 per cent respectively.

The EU pear crop for 2023 is estimated to be down 12.9 per cent at 1.746m tonnes. Binard said the decline was due to the stark decrease in Italy’s production (down 63 per cent on 2022) as well as a reduction in the French and Dutch volumes, which have fallen by 28.6 per cent and 3.1 per cent respectively.

In 2023, the production of Conference pears is forecast to grow 8 per cent to 928,081 tonnes. William BC pear production, on the other hand, is expected to decrease by 36.8 per cent while Abate Fetel’s production is forecast to plummet to 52,846 tonnes, a drop of 69.3 per cent on 2022.

SIMILAR TRENDS

WAPA said the European trends were similar to those seen in other Northern Hemisphere countries such as China (whose apple crop will remain stable at 37.2m tonnes), and the US where production is set to dip 3.6 per cent to 4.5m tonnes.

India’s apple crop is also expected to decrease by more than 30 per cent to 1.9m tonnes. Pear production in

the US is forecast to decline by 3.7 per cent to 502,000 tonnes, while China’s is projected to increase by 10 per cent to 17.6m tonnes.

Binard commented: “The season is starting on a positive background based on a relatively low crop, no overlap with the Southern Hemisphere, empty stocks from the previous season, and the ongoing renovation of orchards. We will need to continue monitoring the climatic conditions, as well as mitigating pests and diseases, while dealing with geopolitical and market access issues.

“There will be great opportunities to stimulate apple and pear consumption in the upcoming season, while raising the prices to match the quality and the environmental, nutritional and health benefits of apples and pears.”

UPCOMING PRIORITIES

In his closing remarks at the event, Luc Vanoirbeek of Copa Cogeca highlighted the upcoming priorities for the sector.

“First, climate change will be the most important challenge for the survival of agriculture, especially for apples and pears,” he outlined. ”Regarding the volumes,

the low stock figures of the last season combined with the lower production for the upcoming crop are a reason to be moderately optimistic.

”Quantity aside, we should focus on quality and how to communicate effectively to increase the consumption of apples and pears, which are excellent products that align with the sustainability and health ambitions of the EU Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy,” Vanoirbeek continued. “On this background, the value and price return of the production should be uplifted to cover the rising costs while raising return for growers.

”Based on its health, nutritional and environmental benefits, the sector should focus on quality to secure enough space for marketing and storytelling on the shelf of the shops,” he added. ”Quality is stable compared to other products and consequently consumers are never disappointed.”

At the end of the conference, Péter Kelemen of FruitVeB announced that the next edition of Prognosfruit would take place in Budapest in August 2024, returning to the Hungarian capital for the first time in 18 years. E

ABOVE—Philippe Binard of WAPA addresses delegates OPPOSITE—More than 300 people came to Trentino for Prognosfruit

Pink Lady secures value in tough market

Around 180,000 tonnes of Pink Lady and PinKids apples were sold in Europe this season, an increase of 3 per cent.

by Carl Collen @carlfruitnet

Pink Lady says its sales have held up well amid the “unprecedented context” of double-digit inflation throughout Europe’s food sector. Sales of Pink Lady and its PinKids sub-brand in Europe came in at 180,000 tonnes, up 3 per cent on last season.

The apple brand said this volume allowed it to maintain stable or slightly declining market shares, while ”consolidating its position as leader in the premium segment”. Penetration also held up well, at almost 50 per cent in Ireland and over 20 per cent in Denmark, Belgium, France, Germany and the UK, it noted.

”These results have been made possible by the solid partnerships forged with the retail sector and the efforts made by the association and its network to keep boosting the category,” Pink Lady Europe outlined.

BELOW—European sales were up despite the tough economic market

”With 742 promotional campaigns, Pink Lady has reached similar figures to those of 2020/21, a historic year in terms of both volumes and promotions,” it continued. ”These campaigns covered 12 per cent of total volumes (up 18 per cent on the previous year) and focused not just on price but also on commitment, transparency and proximity, all values shared with its European consumers.

”So despite a season affected by the current economic climate, Pink Lady Europe has been defending its positions and is still creating value for the entire network, right through to consumers,” it added.

Looking ahead to the 2023/24 season, Pink Lady said that to date, fruit size and load had been good, and the potential volume of Pink Lady brand orchards was estimated at 225,000 tonnes. ”From now on, growers will be keeping an eye on the arrival of high temperatures in order to manage their water supply as effectively as possible.” E

“Pink Lady Europe has been defending its positions and is still creating value for the entire network”

Washington apple harvest estimate released

The Washington State Tree Fruit Association has released its forecast for the 2023 Washington state fresh apple harvest, with the full crop estimated at just over 134m cartons (18kg) of fresh apples.

This total represents a 28.8 per cent increase over 2022’s 104.3m cartons, which was a much smaller crop than normal, the result of a very cold spring, with snow that inhibited pollination during bloom.

This year, however, moderate weather helped growers deliver a healthy crop much closer (5 per cent above) to the previous six-year average production. This return to historic norms is also seen in growers’ reports of good size distribution and expected high quality across all varietals.

The forecast also illustrated the continued trend of varietal diversification, including Honeycrisp, Ambrosia, Envy and Cosmic Crisp, with these four alone representing more than a quarter of forecast production.

Karastergiou Bros braced for harsher climate

Soaring temperatures represent an additional challenge for the Greek pear and stonefruit supplier, which is already managing the impact of the spring’s hailstorms and rainfall.

by Tom Joyce @tomfruitnet

As large parts of Greece swelter under 40Cplus temperatures, and as wildfires rage in the south of the country, it’s easy to neglect the continuing impact of the spring’s hailstorms, not least for the country’s stonefruit crop.

“This season was one of the most challenging ones for stonefruit, especially for apricots,” says Paris Karastergios, import-export coordinator at Karastergiou Bros. “April’s hailstorms affected most Greek production regions, leaving only a very small percentage of undamaged apricots behind.”

However, due to a lack of production in Italy and Spain, early and mid-season varieties were easily absorbed by European markets, according to Karastergios.

“At the moment the demand for late varieties is not that high,” he says. “Hailstorms also left their mark on plums too, affecting mostly the early varieties. Large, high quality plums are in demand at the moment, while smaller fruits have been exported to North African countries at low prices.”

Karastergiou Bros’ main product is pears, for which the season is currently in full swing, with the company offering the Coscia, Santa Maria and Blanquilla varieties worldwide. However, Karastergios admits to

being a little underwhelmed by this year’s quality.

“We were hyped for this season's pear campaign, as all of our clients are interested in increasing their volumes,” he says. “But a few days before the beginning of the harvesting period, the quality in the majority of the fields was disappointing.”

Hail damage is the biggest issue this season, he says, affecting a significant percentage of Greece’s total acreage, while cold temperatures in May and June resulted in smaller sizes compared to the previous season.

“In addition, heavy rainfall in June kept washing away necessary pesticides, so there are quite a few fields where pears have rusted skin,” reveals Karastergios. “It’s harvesting time at the moment, which means that extreme temperatures may speed up the ripening process inside the fruits. As a result, we will have to be twice as careful to calculate the harvesting time for each field, measuring and documenting the Brix levels of the fruits in order to avoid early maturity during coldstorage.”

Given the conditions, it is understandable that sustainability is increasingly becoming a priority for the company. “We are planning to invest more and more time and resources on such projects,”

says Karastergios. “This spring, we installed a 100kW solar plant on the roof of our premises, in order to produce and consume electricity in a more eco-friendly way.”

The biggest challenges, however, remain the high costs associated with labour and energy. “Not only is it really hard to find trained personnel for picking and packing the fruit, but also salaries have risen by 20-25 per cent, and the insurance fees we pay to the state remain high,” he says. “In Greece, energy costs have doubled over the past two years, increasing the costs of electricity and packaging materials.”

Every year, the company aims to keep its equipment up to date with newer hardware and software. “We installed a state-of-the-art sorting line from Unitec two years ago, and this year we adopted a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool to manage our clientele more efficiently, as well as a brand-new remote monitoring system for the temperature and the humidity levels in our coldstores,” says Karastergios.

As for exports, Karastergiou Bros currently has a good presence in Israel with Coscia, Santa Maria and Blanquilla pears, and supplies consistent volumes of smaller sized Coscia and Santa Maria to Jordan.

“This season, we would like to ship bigger volumes to other markets like Saudi Arabia, Oman and the UAE, where we will enter the market with Coscia,” states Karastergios. “We would also like to expand our presence in northern European markets with Santa Maria. We are also in discussions to expand our portfolio with a pear variety that is new to Greece. When the plantations are ready, we believe there is going to be a revolution in our sector.” E

TOP—Hail damage is the biggest issue for Karastergiou Bros’ pears this campaign

Nets may prove worth in Serbian orchards

Severe storms in Serbia have ravaged multiple crops in the past two weeks, but investments in protective nets by the country’s apple growers may limit the damage.

by Tom Joyce @tomfruitnet

Asecond major storm in the space of just two weeks swept through the Balkans in July, bringing high winds, heavy rain and hail as it passed through Slovenia and Croatia before reaching Serbia and Bosnia.

“There have been several massive storms in Serbia in the past two weeks, including hail,” said Julka Toskić, CEO of AgroBrand and manager of the Serbia Does Apples association. “Lots of areas with agricultural production have seen crops damaged. This is also the case with apple and pear orchards, as well as stonefruit.”

According to Toskić, there is no official data yet available to illustrate the full extent of the damage that has been sustained in Serbian orchards. However, she says she expects the country’s apple growers to be the best protected thanks to recent investments in protective nets.

“The apple crop in Serbia is the best protected with anti-hail networks, so I believe the damage will be smallest in apples,” she says. “Apple producers with orchards covered by nets will consider the cost less significant if their whole harvest is saved in one production year.

She continues: “As always, small-scale individual farmers will pay the highest price, as they lack anti-hail networks and full insurance of their orchards. Such extreme weather shows again how important it is to use state-of-the-art technology in fruit production.” E

Israel expands lychee production

Israel currently boasts just 250-300ha of lychee production, but an increase in the planted area is expected to lead to significant growth in volumes, according to Yossi Knop, marketing and sales manager at Galilee Exports.

“We see demand for lychee increasing in EU markets, as it is perceived as a very refreshing fruit in the increasingly hot summer months,” he said.

Israel exports around 300 tonnes per year, over half this quantity by Galilee Exports, the rest by Mehadrin and Miriam Shoham. This year’s exports will be down by about 30 per cent because of lychees’ cyclical production trend.

Growers are reportedly looking for early harvesting lychees with large fruit, primarily produced for the local market. After many years of Mauritius being virtually the only variety grown in Israel, the leading variety is now Hong Long, a variety from Vietnam. Israeli researchers have also developed a variety with a smaller seed and therefore more flesh. The seed weighs around 4g compared with 23g for the Mauritius variety.

LEFT—Serbia’s apple producers expect less damage due to the use of nets

Turbulent times for Iranian banana imports

Since Donald Trump backed out of the JCPOA deal with Iran, the country’s banana importers have faced familiar hurdles in sourcing fruit.

by Tom Joyce @tomfruitnet

Since the unilateral abandonment of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action by the US in 2018, and the return of crippling sanctions on Iran, imports of bananas into the country have once again experienced major turbulence, with volumes from key origins like the Philippines and Ecuador severely affected.

The JCPOA had been agreed in July 2015 between Iran and the so-called P5+1 (made up of China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and the

US), allowing inspectors to closely monitor Iran’s nuclear energy programme. Following US president Donald Trump’s move to bin the deal, “everything screeched to a halt in Iran”, according to Alireza Emami, CEO of Iranian trader Zarrin Group. “Shipping lines like Maersk and CMA CGM stopped their services,” he explained.

“Direct exports of Ecuadorian bananas to Iran rose every year in 2015-2018, but since 2019 they have been shrinking”

As a result, exports of bananas from Ecuador and Philippines have dropped dramatically since 2019. “Direct exports of Ecuadorian bananas to Iran have risen significantly every year between 2015 and 2018, but since 2019 they have been shrinking,” said Emami.

Meanwhile, imports from Turkey, which re-exports Latin American bananas, mostly Ecuadorian, to Iran across the

countries’ land border, have increased considerably three times in the past ten years, in 2015, 2016 and 2021.

“Imports from India have also grown markedly twice over the last decade, in 2016 and 2021,” said Emami. “There were some sporadic banana imports from other origins like Mozambique, Somalia, Guatemala, Colombia, Vietnam and Indonesia, but after 2018 they almost all stopped.”

Import volumes from the Philippines have also been falling since 2019, according to Zarrin, as have reshipments from the country through the UAE.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has started to supply bananas to Iran since 2020. How supplies will develop in the coming years, however, is evidently hard to foresee.

In 2014, Emami delivered a speech at the International Banana Symposium in Davao, Philippines, on the global and Iranian banana market. There he predicted that Ecuador would significantly develop its share of the Iranian banana market at the expense of the Philippines.

According to Iranian customs data, Philippine banana exports to Iran fell by 11 per cent in 2015, while Ecuador recorded a 206 per cent rise.

Emami had been right. What he hadn’t predicted, like most onlookers, was the arrival of Trump. E

LEFT—Zarrin Group’s CEO, Alireza Emami

Enza Zaden kicks off Vitalis project

Dutch vegetable seed specialist begins construction of production location for Vitalis organic seeds.

by Carl Collen @carlfruitnet

Vegetable breeding company

Enza Zaden has given the green light to the construction of its sustainable 8ha production location in Luttelgeest, in the Dutch province of Flevoland.

Enza Zaden confirmed that the new site would see Vitalis organic seed produced for sales to professional organic growers worldwide. This will involve mostly organic sweet pepper and cucumber seed, but organic le uce and leek seed will also be produced, with the first seeds expected to be sown from April 2024.

Allison Thomas, chief operations officer, and Dirk Neelis, chief financial officer at Enza Zaden, revealed the construction sign in the company of invited guests and the construction partners involved, formally marking the start of construction work on the organic production location.

“As the world’s population continues to grow, so does the need for healthy food,” said Thomas.

“This is in line with our goal: breeding to feed the world and creating value for sustainable life and living”

Enza Zaden offers Bremia resistance

The International Bremia Evaluation Board for the EU (IBEB-EU) has announced three new Bremia races, Bl:38EU, Bl:39EU, and Bl:40EU, and said that tests by Enza Zaden have found a significant portion of its lettuce portfolio showed high or intermediate resistance to these races. The IBEB-EU also announced on 1 July the removal of BI:16-28.

After the test following IBEB-EU protocol, Enza Zaden concluded that its lettuce portfolio offered a wide range of solid varieties with ”excellent field performance, outstanding post-harvest quality, and high or intermediate resistance to Bremia”.

In combination with the usual preventive treatments, these varieties ensured a high level of protection, leading to successful lettuce production, the group said.

”We’re also seeing the demand for organic seed increase for, among others, sweet pepper and cucumber.

”This is why we’re building this new, sustainable production location for Vitalis Organic Seeds in Lu elgeest,” she explained. ”This is in line with our goal: breeding to feed the world and creating value for sustainable life and living.”

Construction of three hectares of greenhouses will begin first on the eight-hectare site. As well as greenhouses, there will be a seed production building, a seed extraction building, a large basin and a helophyte filter, or biofilter, for purification of waste water.

In order to produce vegetable seeds as sustainably as possible, the family company will be installing over 900 solar panels on the roofs. In the 7,000m2 basin, with a capacity of nearly three Olympic-size swimming pools, rainwater is collected and this is expected to be enough to meet the site’s total water needs. E

ABOVE—An artist’s impression of the new facility RIGHT—Allison Thomas and Dirk Neelis of Enza Zaden at the construction site

Striving for the sweet spot

Dole says it aims to raise the bar in the supply of tropicals, as evidenced by its focus on fragrance and flavour in the launch of the ‘sweetest pineapple ever’.

by Tom Joyce

This year’s launch of Dole’s ‘sweetest pineapple ever’ is a fine example of the efforts being made in the tropical fruit and vegetable business to grab consumers firmly by the tastebuds. Perhaps more than any other category in the entire fresh produce business, flavour is non-negotiable when it comes to tropical fruits like pineapples and mangoes, often shipped from far away and consumed almost purely for pleasure.

Dole says its Golden Selection Pineapples, grown in Costa Rica and sold at select supermarkets in the US and Canada since April, have “a deeper golden colour, more aromatic fragrance and sweeter and juicier tropical flavour”.

“In the 122 years that Dole has been cultivating pineapples in Hawaii, Central and South America and throughout the tropics, we’ve learned what it takes to grow the world’s best, most beloved fruit,” says Dole director of corporate communications William Goldfield.

For Dole, the launch is an ideal response to consumer demand for a sweeter pineappleeating experience. “While all Dole pineapples are tender, sweet and packed with nutrients, healthy enzymes and Vitamins B6 and C, these new Golden Selection Pineapples glow and taste just a little brighter,” Goldfield adds.

Sustainably grown exclusively in Costa Rica, Dole says the fruit has been cultivated to taste sweeter and offer a more vibrant tropical flavour that ”balances the pineapple’s customary sweet and tart sensations while elevating the indulgent taste experience”.

According to the group, less than 6 per cent of all Dole pineapples possess the taste and appearance qualifications necessary to be tagged a Dole Golden Selection pineapple.

DOLE CHINA WELCOMES FIRST PHILIPPINE DURIAN

Earlier this year, Dole China celebrated the first shipments of Philippine durian to China with an official launch for its Dole

@tomfruitnet

OPPOSITE—The extra-sweet Dole Golden Selection pineapple

RIGHT—Sustainable packaging for BE Exotic mangoes

BELOW—The Letaba Pakkers facility in South Africa

Golden Puyat offering. The first batch of Dole Golden Puyat durian arrived by air on 7 April and the first sea shipment arrived on 20 April. To mark the arrival of the first sea shipment, Dole China held an official launch ceremony for Dole Golden Puyat durian at the Shanghai Huizhan Wholesale Market.

At the ceremony, Dole China also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for sale of Dole Gold Puyat durian in 2023 with its long-term partner Shanghai Wonong. The annual transaction volume is expected to reach 2,000 tonnes.

General manager of Dole China Yang Zhenyu spoke at the ceremony and welcomed the arrival of Philippine durian to the China market.

“We are full of confidence in the sales of Philippine durian in China. We believe that Dole Gold Puyat durian will soon become a new choice for domestic durian lovers, driving a new round of durian consumption boom,” Yang said.

BE EXOTIC

Dole Europe kicked off the year showcasing its consumer brand, Dole BE Exotic!, at Fruit Logistica, specifically the company’s new suite of packaging for avocados and mangoes.

“As an established market leader with an extensive global presence in exotic produce, Dole has long recognised the potential for growth in this exciting category,” the company said. “In Berlin, visitors were invited to embrace their inner adventurous selves by getting to know this new, innovative BE Exotic brand, its eye catching, sustainable packaging and the fresh proposition it presents to consumers.

“In doing so, we sought to emphasise our intent to raise the bar in the provision of exotic fruits, highlighting our global supply chain strengths and our capacity to deliver new, best-in-class category solutions to retailers and a truly unique point of difference to these product ranges. The response was overwhelmingly positive.”

SOUTH AFRICA FACILITY

Dole this year secured its own packing facility for avocados, lychees and mangoes in the north of South Africa. Letaba Pakkers, a joint venture partnership between Dole South Africa and producer-exporter

Allesbeste Group, will supply fruit mainly into Europe via Netherlands-based Dole Exotics and sell it under the BE Exotic brand.

Dole said the move underlined its intention to expand in the global market for avocados and other tropical fruits by investing in vertically integrated supply chain operations.

Previously known as Afrupro Packers, the joint-owned packhouse is situated in Tzaneen, part of Limpopo province. “We are excited to now have access to our own facility that will expand the opportunity to pack and market our own avocados and lychees from South Africa,” said Hannes Nieuwoudt, managing director of Dole South Africa.

EYEING EL NIÑO

Dole recognises the potential for disruption in certain areas as a result of the expected arrival of El Niño conditions, but say that it is well placed to handle any issues.

”As we look out into the second half of the year and towards 2024, there is the potential for disruption in many of the key growing regions in Central and South America due to the onset of El Niño climatic conditions,” Dole states.

”However, we are monitoring the changing weather patterns closely and believe we are well placed to deal with potential challenges using our diverse sourcing network and due to our advanced farming practices,” it adds. E

SanLucar adds Canary Island papayas to tropicals line-up

Premium Sweet Sense papayas cultivated in the Spanish islands are now on sale in Germany and Austria.

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

SanLucar has introduced papayas grown in the Canary Islands to its expanding fresh produce line-up.

Consumers in Germany and Austria can now buy tree-ripened Sweet Sense papayas, characterised by their natural sweetness, juicy and firm orange flesh and distinctive aromatic flavour, which SanLucar describes as being “reminiscent of mango and orange with a hint of melon”.

With temperatures ranging between 18oC and 28oC, the Canary Islands have an ideal subtropical climate to grow premium quality papayas all year round. The high humidity and warm temperatures, combined with the islands’ fertile soils, contribute to the fruit’s particular sweetness – which is guaranteed to be above 11o Brix – and ensure an abundant

harvest. Sweet Sense papayas are medium-sized, ranging between 800-1,100g in weight and with a diameter of around 23cm. The peel is initially green and turns greenish yellow a er a ripening period on the tree of about 10-12 months, depending on the variety.

The islands’ sustainable and environmentally friendly cultivation methods are fully compliant with GlobalGAP, Grasp, IFS and Canarian Integrated Production certifications. Furthermore, the delivery route within Europe shorter than papayas coming from Latin America. The papayas are sold loose and in SanLucar boxes of 4kg.

“At SanLucar, we are proud of having found a cultivation partner in the Canary Islands that has been specialising in the exotics sector for years: the family-owned company SAT Fruta Tropical,” said SanLucar CEO Armin Rehberg.

“Our papayas incarnate the essence of the tropics, and we are delighted to share this exceptional fruit experience with our valued clients. We will support the product launch with many promotions and secondary placements. Let yourselves be surprised.” E

Westfalia Fruit welcomes new chair of the board

Avocado multinational Westfalia Fruit Group has appointed Dr Khotso Mokhele (pictured below) as the new chair of the board of Westfalia Fruit International and its parent company, HMH Group. Mokhele joined the HMH board as a non-executive director in 2013 and is the founder of the Academy of Science of South Africa and the National Research Foundation.

He is also president of the Hans Merensky Legacy Foundation, which was established 74 years ago to promote and assist in the development of natural resources within South Africa and its neighbours through research, experimentation and demonstration supported by scientific knowledge.

Mokhele’s role in science is recognised internationally, having served as a special advisor to two ministers of science and technology in South Africa and represented South Africa on the executive board of UNESCO.

Mokhele commented: “I would like to thank HMH Group and Westfalia Fruit International for their confidence in appointing me as the new chair of both boards. We have ambitious plans for the future, to continue positively developing the global avocado industry for the long term supported by research, innovation and commitment of our Westfalia colleagues”.

ABOVE—SanLucar’s Sweet Sense papayas

citrosol postharvest solutions for avocados:

AVO

Thanks to the Citrocide® AVO System and the PlantSeal® Tropicals coating, the shelf life of the avocado is significantly increased, allowing operators to reach more distant markets. In addition, end distributors see an increase in the shelf life of the fruit thanks to the maintenance of firmness after ripening.

Orsero Group ensures sustainability effort does not go to waste

The company’s recent report highlights different initiatives that are designed to help it achieve its environmental, social, and corporate governance goals.

by Mike Knowles @mikefruitnet

Italian fresh produce distributor Orsero Group, a major importer of tropical fresh produce, says it prevented 856 tonnes of fruit and vegetables going to waste last year. That result came after it donated more than 4m portions of produce to partners including the European Food Banks Federation (FEBA), as well as to

domestic operators Recup and Too Good to Go.

The savings are part of an expanded sustainability strategy, and were revealed in the company’s recent fourth Sustainability Report. They mean it was able to avoid wasting 3km2 of soil, almost 160 tonnes of CO2 already emi ed, and over 300m litres of water.

“In a dynamic group like ours, this approach requires shared awareness and sensitivity,” explains Raffaella Orsero, the group’s vice-president and chief executive officer. “To support everyone’s efforts and the gradual local management of the issue, we have defined our sustainability governance system, identifying coordinators at group level for industrywide themes, and country leaders for each country in which we are present.”

That commitment was made public recently when the group’s board of directors decided to disclose the annual ESG targets set out in its sustainability plan to the market. The most recent report provides a transparent and detailed overview of Orsero’s activities and performance on the corporate social responsibility front. For clarity, it has split that plan into four commitments.

First of these is to recognise the value of people, which it describes as “the first ingredient of the group’s success”. With an emphasis on personal and professional development, it says it aims to offer staff stability – 84 per cent of its more than 1,700 employees have a permanent contract – and training courses, of which it provided more than 14,200 hours in 2022.

It has also launched local community projects, such as its Spanish subsidiary Hermanos Fernandez Lopez’s new partnership with the Gasol Foundation, commi ed to reducing and preventing childhood obesity.

Orsero’s second commitment is to develop what it calls responsible supply chains. These are based on relationships of trust with over 1,800 suppliers based in more than 90 countries, it says, and foster careful use of natural resources. In 2022, the group joined the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange, Europe’s largest sustainability performance platform.

Third is a bid to reduce the company’s impact on the planet. According to Orsero, energy consumption at its warehouses fell by 9 per cent during the last five years. Meanwhile, 98 per cent of F.lli Orsero-branded packaging is now made from materials that are recyclable, compostable, biodegradable or reusable.

Finally, Orsero wants to promote a healthy and sustainable diet. That means traceability, quality and food safety, made possible through more than 7,000 product inspections each day across Europe. And it inspired a five-day, immersive real-world and digital experience called Reflection which explained the food waste challenge to more than 3,000 people in Milan as well as 15,000 online visitors. E

The world of fruit, with one name within.

At Orsero, we select and distribute the world’s finest fruit, with quality at the core. This has been our commitment for 80 years, and today, with a network of over 1,800 suppliers in 90 countries, we are the leading distributor of fresh fruit and vegetables in the Mediterranean region of Europe.

Fresh Del Monte remains alert to change

Mohammed Abbas, Fresh Del Monte’s chief operating officer, says the company is always on the hunt for new and better products, as well as technologies to boost growers’ resilience to extreme conditions.

by Tom Joyce @tomfruitnet

Are there any exciting new products in your exotics range?

Mohammed Abbas: We are always looking for ways to create be er products that our consumers will love. At the beginning of 2023, we launched the Del Monte Zero, a carbon-neutral certified pineapple that takes into account all activities from farm to market. This fruit is available in select North American and European markets.

Our Pinkglow pineapple has been steadily growing in popularity. Demand is currently outpacing supply and sales have doubled over the last year. A er years of R&D, we were able to create a pink pineapple that only we can produce.

Honeyglow is seeing similar popularity. This extra-sweet, golden pineapple continues to increase in demand. In North America alone, sales were up more than 50 per cent in the second quarter of 2023, compared with the same period last year.

Is climate change becoming an increasing worry for exotics producers?

MA: These climate issues are not going away, and we’re seeing atypical weather pa erns at the farm level. Sustainability and growing responsibly have

always been our north star as growers, producers and marketers of fresh produce. As the global temperature continues to rise and we deal with extreme weather conditions, we have begun to rely on technology and smart farming more and more. We use drones to create stress maps of fields to more accurately and efficiently apply organic fertilisers and curative treatments. Our scientists and researchers are working diligently to improve and uncover farming methods to help optimise our yields while preserving and protecting our soil. We believe collaboration with other large growers can help the industry more quickly adopt changes and find new solutions to common problems.

What other challenges are you facing?

MA: Since 2020, we’ve been hit with various pandemicrelated challenges that resulted in shortages of raw materials and shipping availability and culminated in unprecedented inflation and higher interest rates. To lessen the impact of these challenges, we are focused on optimising our use of capital and our operating assets in all areas of our business.

Like everyone, we’ve also experienced rising costs over the last few years. We’re working to efficiently optimise our resources through the use of technology and data. Robust, real-time data helps us be er anticipate pricing, supply and demand, allowing us to make be er-informed decisions.

Are you looking at any new sources?

MA: We always are, especially for exotic fruits and specialty crops. Recently, we developed a local fruit supply in Europe for categories like kiwifruit and melons, which we plan to develop in the future. Del Monte Korea successfully launched a Vietnamese

RIGHT—Del Monte’s carbon-neutral pineapple

banana programme. This same source has supplied us with dragon fruit and young coconuts too. New source development is always the top priority for us as a fresh produce supplier.

What about new export markets?

MA: Our focus is worldwide, but we recently increased our presence in Switzerland and Greece, while China is growing fast. In North America, we are driving further expansion with various new tropical fruits.

We market our proprietary exotic products, like Honeyglow and Pinkglow, through various always-on campaigns, ranging from in-store activities to new usage education and integrated consumer campaigns. Del Monte Korea recently began its “Sweet & Different” campaign for Honeyglow pineapples, with online ads on an e-commerce platform and promotional pop-up shops. E

A life in produce

Produce pioneer Néstor Gutiérrez has been supplying the European market with exotic fruit from Latin America for more than 35 years. His company, FLP, was recently named by Albert Heijn as one its ‘super suppliers’. He looks back on a life in produce with Eurofruit.

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

What motivated you to pursue a career in the fresh produce business?

Néstor Gutiérrez: It all began when I attended the Green Week Fair in Berlin in 1987. We arrived with our goldenberries packed in 100g baskets. The Colombian stand was right in front of the Egyptian stand, which also offered goldenberries. Our sale price was two Deutschmarks per basket, while the Egyptians were offering their goldenberries at two Deutschmarks per kilo. We managed to sell all of our goldenberries, despite the huge price difference.

After the fair, we had our first business meeting with an import company. The meeting was with Paul Van Pelt, director of Bud Holland, who explained to us the importance of selling at fixed prices. Consignment sales offered no future, he said.

These two experiences were the door to our entry into the fresh fruit export business.

When you started out, the availability of exotic fruits in the European market must have been very limited…

NG: At that time, the main buyers of exotic fruits were restaurant chefs, who were served by wholesalers in the main European capitals. Initially we focused on developing ready-to-eat exotic

fruits, such as goldenberries, passionfruit, tamarillo, curuba (banana passionfruit), pitahayas and the like, and in parallel, the development of a portfolio of clients that would distribute them. In the early years we were focused on serving wholesalers. Supermarkets were reluctant to give space to fruits that nobody knew about and generated high levels of rejection in the gondolas. But the willingness of consumers to try healthy food began to motivate supermarkets to expand the range of exotic and tropical fruits in their stores. Demand began to grow due to consumer interest in new flavours, which came hand in hand with the development of gastronomy in the European market.

What would you say are the biggest changes in consumer demand for tropical and exotic fruit that you have seen in Europe over the decades?

NG: One of the most exceptional cases in terms of growth has been the avocado. Offering a wonderful combination of flavour and health benefits, the consumption options offered by this fruit are enormous. Avocado is consumed today in a wide range of ways – be it in juices, dinners, desserts, salads, soups or in delicacies such as Peruvian ceviche. Astronomical quantities of guacamole are consumed at events like the Super Bowl in the

US. Today the avocado is an integral part of the daily diet, from breakfast and lunch through to late-night dinners.

Today, exotic and tropical fruits are a great way to introduce new flavours into a healthy diet for consumers throughout the world. Globalisation and the great expansion of European tourism have contributed to the discovery of flavours that, upon returning to their home country, people want to enjoy again and share with friends and family.

How has the availability of exotic fruit in Europe evolved, and what impact has it had on market growth?

NG: Year-round availability is now a reality for most of these fruits, which has fuelled market growth. Cultivation methods have become professionalised, facilitating the increase in production volumes. At the

same time logistics have improved, which now means shipments can be undertaken by sea for the vast majority of tropical and exotic fruits. This combination of year-round availability and containerised logistics handling has had a very positive impact on the growth of the market.

For example, in 2002 Europe imported less than 150,000 tonnes of mangoes while ten years later, in 2022 imports exceeded 500,000 tonnes.

Now that fruits like mango and papaya have crossed into the mainstream, what other products

do you think have the potential nowadays to become the next big thing?

NG: Yellow dragonfruit could become one of the new stars of the exotics world once seafreighted shipments become a reality. I think we’ll also see significant growth in sales of baby bananas, purple passion fruit, limes, and pomegranates, among others. These are all beginning to reach very significant sales volumes. However, it will be the avocado that breaks all growth records, due to its versatility, reputation for being a very healthy product, and advances in how it is managed logistically.

What are the main challenges faced by European importers and retailers when it comes to sourcing and distributing exotic fruit?

NG: Meeting the sustainability requirements of the European retailers is the biggest challenge for the tropical and exotic fruit sector. They are each developing their own food safety and social and environmental sustainability protocols that we are obliged to follow, even though they are often more difficult to implement in short-cycle crops, such as some exotic fruits.

The retailers that are most efficient in their operating costs are capturing the largest market share in these fruits. Then there are inefficient retailers that seek unsustainable margins – they aspire to very low prices at source, trying to compete with cost-efficient retailers, who pay better prices to producers and exporters, and who sell them at reasonable prices in their stores.

Do you think that the supermarkets have changed their mindset when it comes to exotic fruits and are much more open now to stocking more niche product lines than in the past?

NG: Undoubtedly. Supermarkets today are more interested in maintaining and offering a good portfolio of exotic and tropical fruits. However, high inflation and the conflict in Ukraine have affected sales of niche products.

We all hope that these difficulties will be overcome, and that the supply of exotics will continue. Consumer education and a growing interest in gastronomy will continue to put pressure on supermarkets to maintain a broad portfolio of products, and of fruits and vegetables that allow consumers to enjoy more and better options when pursuing a healthy diet.

Finally, what would you say are the key factors that contribute to a successful fresh produce business?

NG: As well as the obvious things like quality, competitiveness, availability and reliability, both environmental and social sustainability are going to be the determining factor in the fruit and vegetable market in the immediate future. E

OPPOSITE PAGE—Néstor Gutiérrez, FLP

TOP—FLP offers a broad range of tropical and exotic fruit ABOVE—Baby bananas are one of the products Gutiérrez has singled out for sales growth

“Promising” season ahead for Nergi kiwi berries

Both volume and quality look promising for the new Nergi kiwi berry season, according to Sofruileg.

by Tom Joyce @tomfruitnet

The first harvest of the new Nergi kiwi berry season was scheduled for early August, according to Jean-Pierre Caruel of Sofruileg, marketer of the Nergi brand, with volumes expected to soar this year.

“The first orchards planted in France, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Ukraine are now in full production,” said Caruel. “Provided the weather conditions remain favourable right up until harvest, 10m 125g punnets are expected to hit European shelves this season. In the orchards, the quality currently observed bodes well for a successful 2023 season.”

The expertise of the growers is developing each year, according to Caruel, thanks to the advice of field technicians and the use of innovative varieties.

“Harvesting is initiated once the quality criteria meet the brand’s specifications,” he said. “Production control, preservation processes, fruit maturation, and logistics are all crucial steps toward offering consumers high-quality, affordable berries. In order to be commercialised, these fruits must meet all the specifications of the Nergi brand, namely overall skin appearance, flavour and firmness.”

LEFT—Volumes of kiwiberries are set to soar this year

BELOW—The perfect choice for health-conscious consumers, says Caruel

case in Germany and Scandinavia, and to a lesser extent in France and Italy. Consumers of berries are showing a growing interest in healthy, sustainable products, and Nergi fits perfectly into this trend.”

Sales start on 20 August and are expected to last until the end of November. This year, Nergi will benefit from a sustained communications programme aimed at raising brand awareness through social media and influencers in target markets, with marketing initiatives in-store to bring the brand closer to consumers.

A study carried out by Sofruileg revealed a large crossover between consumers of Nergi and consumers of berries.

“Consumption trends that started several seasons ago are positive,” said Caruel. “The main European countries where berries are consumed are showing greater demand for Nergi. This is particularly the

“They are natural, nutritious snacks, rich in vitamins and fibre, making them the perfect choice for health-conscious consumers,” said Caruel. E

Special Fruit appoints Ann Celen as CEO

The Belgian exotics importer has revealed that Ann Celen will replace the outgoing Bert Barmans as chief executive officer of the company.

by Tom Joyce @tomfruitnet

Belgium’s Special Fruit has announced that Ann Celen will become the new CEO of the company, following Bert Barman’s decision to depart. Celen has years of

the likes of Chiquita, Capespan and Unilever.

“Ann brings a wealth of experience in the food industry,” the company said in a statement to announce the change. “She has fulfilled roles in general management, sales and marketing, both in Belgium and internationally, for organisations such as Milcobel, Mondelez,

Chiquita, Capespan and Unilever. It added: “Ann brings drive and commitment to further professionalise Special Fruit and prepare the organisation for a successful future.” E

ABOVE—Ann Celen boasts a wealth of experience in the food industry

Blue Skies celebrates 25 years of ‘people, profit and quality’

Adding value at source, employing local people, and transforming communities has been central to the supplier’s approach since sending its first fruit to the UK in 1998.

by Fred Searle @fredfruitnet

Prepared fruit specialist Blue Skies has notched up 25 years of supply, marking a quarter century since the socially minded company sent its first consignment of fruit to Sainsbury’s.

Company chairman and founder Anthony Pile said the journey so far had been “huge fun” and vowed to preserve the supplier’s culture of “people, profit and quality”.

On 26 February 1998 the business airfreighted around 50kg of pineapple from Ghana to Sainsbury’s – a shipment that was transported by Pile to Accra airport in an RKN container loaded onto the back of a pick-up truck.

Fast forward 25 years and the company is now airfreighting pots of fresh-cut fruit to a global customer base – including supermarkets in the UK and across Europe – most notably in France, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Blue Skies employs over 5,000 people in 10 factories spanning Ghana, Egypt, South Africa, Brazil, Benin and the UK, and is proud to have more women than men in

senior management positions.

In Ghana alone, Blue Skies’ biggest production country, the company employs 2,500-3,000 local people (depending on the time of year), paying up to three times the national minimum wage. As such, it has played a pivotal role in transforming the economic fortunes of Nsawam, the town where its three Ghanaian factories are based.

ADDING VALUE AT SOURCE

The Blue Skies ethos is to add value at source, which means that, wherever possible, fruit is cut, prepared, and packed in the same community that it is grown.

This allows Blue Skies to

return a higher margin to the communities that produce the fruit, and to harvest the produce at its optimal maturity, helping to ensure the best possible nutrition and flavour.

“Adding value at source is hugely important to the countries we operate in because instead of taking their raw materials – the diamonds, the gold, the oil – and then processing them elsewhere, we do everything in situ,” said Pile. “And that has gone down very well.

“On top of that, we always use indigenous people. For example, we have a Ghanaian woman as the general manager of our large operation there. Di o in Brazil. I think that has been our secret, particularly in Africa, where there was inevitably suspicion about why that white man has turned up to set up a fruit business. ‘Is he just a er us and our money?’ But we’ve said: ‘No, this is yours – you run it.’”

CHANGING LIVES

Blue Skies produces and prepares a range of fruits from its bases in Africa, Brazil and the UK –most notably pineapple, mango, pomegranate, melon, passion fruit and coconut.

The company celebrated its 25th anniversary at a special ceremony in Nsawam, Ghana to coincide with the launch of its collaborative project to develop strategies to reduce plastic pollution in food supply chains in Africa.

The project is being organised through the Fresh Produce Impact Hub (FRESHPPACT), which brings together retailers, food manufacturers and agribusinesses involved in the supply of fresh produce sourced from Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia. E

ABOVE—Fruit is harvested at optimal ripeness to maximise nutrition and flavour

West Africa growers bless the rains

Concerns over changeable climatic conditions are very real across West Africa, but pineapple and mango growers say this year’s ample rainfall has been good for yields.

by Tom Joyce @tomfruitnet

The unpredictability of the climate is of increasing concern for growers across Africa, but pineapple and mango producers in West Africa have experienced no such issues this year, according to Samuel Owusu Amankwaa, sales and marketing manager at Ghanaian producer YO Amankwah & Sons.

“Pineapples and mangoes are doing well, as the rains have been good over the past year and this has impacted positively on yields,” he says. “In general, the weather has become very unpredictable and we never know what the future will hold, but this year the rains came at just the right time.”

The company’s mangoes and pineapples are grown in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire and exported under its Fruit Brothers name, and

Amankwaa is keen on reaching more European markets.

“Currently we are shipping decent volumes of pineapples to Morocco and sending some small volumes by air to the Middle East,” he says. “For mangoes we are waiting for the minor season to begin later this year.

“We did a good volume of mangoes to the Maldives this year and we see good opportunities in that market. We are still eager to get our fruits to Europe, as pineapples from Ghana have a much be er quality and flavour than other countries.”

The company is also moving into less exotic items including apples and grapes. “We do good volumes of apples from South Africa to Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Togo,” says Amankwaa. “South

African apples will be short in supply this season so we are looking for other options from Europe into West African markets later in the year. But we have had a very successful grape season from South Africa and Egypt, and we are currently planning programmes from Italy and Spain and searching for suppliers in Chile and Peru.” E

BELOW—Amankwaa sees good opportunities for mangoes in the Maldives

Kenya’s Keitt welcomes better climate

Keitt Exporters is a grower, packer and exporter of fresh produce from Kenya to markets in Europe, the Middle East and East Asia. The company’s signature product is avocados, but its range also includes mangoes, vegetables and herbs.

“We are currently in the avocado season in Kenya,” says the company’s Kazeela Kurji, speaking in mid-July. “This has been a great season for us so far, despite the delay in the onset of production caused by climatic anomalies towards the end of last year. With our current yields as we approach the end of the peak season, we expect to have a fruitful off-season crop around November that will be better than previous years. Simultaneously, we are gearing ourselves for our mango season which we expect to commence in the third week of September.”

Uganda’s jackfruit journey

Fred Searle visits Zahra Food Industries in Uganda as the up-and-coming jackfruit supplier begins to unlock the financial potential of the country’s ‘ancestral’ trees.

by Fred Searle

@fredfruitnet

In many ways jackfruit is a funny old fruit. This spiky tropical colossus is the largest tree fruit in the world, weighing up to 45kg and measuring as much as 100cm long. It has a distinctive, musky smell and an unusual flavour – said to be like a combination of apples, pineapples, mangoes, and bananas. It is one of the few fruits that is high in B vitamins. And once cut and dissected, its chunks resemble prepared artichoke hearts in their mild flavour, colour, and flower-like appearance.

To fresh produce afficionados, these are all interesting and unusual qualities, but in the West, the way in which jackfruit is prepared and eaten means that most consumers are totally unaware of most of its distinguishing features. What people know it for in Europe and the US is its stringy, meat-like texture. And it is this particular aspect of the fruit that has made it so popular as a meat substitute – for use in a wide range of vegan dishes and value-added products.

Pulled jackfruit, jackfruit burgers, jackfruit curry, jackfruit samosas, BBQ jackfruit, teriyaki jackfruit –these are just some of the inventive ways the fruit

is now consumed by European consumers. And as the trend for meat reduction continues, demand shows no sign of slowing.

Jackfruit is grown in greatest volume in India, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Indonesia. And the fruit is used extensively in South and Southeast Asian cuisines. From various countries such as Thailand and Sri Lanka, a growing volume is now shipped to Europe, generally in canned form. But one business doing things differently is Ugandan processor Zahra Food Industries, which specialises in dried jackfruit and exports to food manufacturers in the Netherlands. The business started venturing into jackfruit supply 18 months ago.

Once processed, the finished product is airfreighted to Dutch

manufacturers and turned into burgers and meatball-esque jackfruit balls, for sale in retailers such as Albert Heijn. But as production expands, Zahra wants to reach additional markets, particularly the UK, the US, and France.

Jackfruit production in Uganda is far less commercialised than in some Asian countries, but that is not to say it isn’t widespread. The fruit is grown across almost all regions of Uganda and, on average, each farmstead in the country has 3-5 jackfruit trees – to help feed that particular family and its livestock. Historically, the Buganda Kingdom, which represents Uganda’s largest ethnic group, has encouraged its subjects to plant jackfruit trees as a source of food they can always fall back on.

But now Zahra is trying to help these Ugandan farmers unlock the economic potential of their jackfruit trees by offering them a route to export. The company’s strategy is to source small volumes of fruit from smallholder farmers – currently 300 of them – in the regions surrounding its processing facility in Kampala. And rather than encouraging farmers to plant new trees, the focus is on making the most of the many ‘ancestral’ trees already in the ground. Some of these trees are up to 50 years old.

“There isn’t a single commercial jackfruit farm in the country,” says the company’s CEO Quresh Fidahusein. “In some communities in Uganda there’s a bit of a taboo against commercially engaging in activities to do with the fruit, since there’s a mindset that jackfruit is your own food and not to be sold. But we’re trying to change that and make people realise that selling it can actually bring their families much more.”

Last year, Zahra Food Industries harvested around 140 tonnes of jackfruit, which translated to an

Adding value

Zahra also processes and packs a range of dried fruits and nuts. The products, which include mango, pineapple, banana, papaya and macadamia, are sold by premium retailers in Uganda and exported regionally and to the EU. The packs’ creative and unusual names include ‘sassy pineapple’ and ‘snobby papaya’.

average income of approximately $100 per farmer. This has allowed some families to increase their annual income by 20 per cent, according to Fidahusein.

The task of training growers in remote rural locations with very little prior experience of commercial agriculture is not always easy. But Zahra Foods has a team of so-called ‘extension workers’ to assist growers with various tasks, not least plant husbandry and harvesting the fruit at exactly the right moment to ensure it is perfect for processing.

Since Uganda already has widespread – if disparate and fragmented – jackfruit production, supply has not been an issue. But ensuring the correct quality has been a challenge. Zahra’s quality

control managers encourage the growers to improve their agronomy practices and track their yield, fruit weight, skin colour and other data using the company’s grower app.

“Farmers upload their data offline, and then I check the dashboard to see what has been done in the field and what needs to be corrected and recommunicated to the farmer,” explains Museke Yekoyada, who heads up Zahra’s quality control team.

One of the cooperative’s farmers is Kintu Mwanje, who has been growing jackfruit since 1973 when he inherited his father’s fouracre farm. He lovingly calls it Fruit Forest. Located in the village of Bukujju, 40 miles northeast of Kampala, the farm produces jackfruit, coffee and apple bananas. This year, Mwanje wants to increase his jackfruit production from 42 to 100 trees.

“After a visit to my grandfather’s place, I came back with some jackfruit seeds,” recalls Mwanje. “I got motivated because my village was growing. I thought, let me plant for the future. Now, with jackfruit being used for [plantbased] meat, I’m looking forward to growing more of the fruit because it is a big market.”

Through research, trial and

More than a snack

In a separate project, Zahra has partnered with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Uganda to source ingredients for cereal bars from the country’s refugee communities. The aim is to improve refugees’ livelihoods in a sustainable way while raising awareness of refugee issues globally. Ultimately, Zahra wants to find an export market for the cereal bars. Uganda hosts 1.5m refugees, the thirdhighest total in the world.

error, Fidahusein has worked out that only young jackfruit – harvested after roughly six weeks on the tree – is well suited for drying and gives consumers the ‘meaty mouthfeel’ that is considered the holy grail for meat substitute manufacturers. The dried jackfruit expands in volume by eight times when rehydrated and has the environmental and commercial advantage of taking up less space and weight when shipped dry.

Zahra currently exports 6-12 tonnes of dried jackfruit a year, but with major investment on the way this could increase to over 100 tonnes in the next few years. “We’re at a very advanced stage of getting an investor in, and we’re scaling up to 20 times more than the volumes we’re currently producing,” says Fidahusein, preferring not to name the potential partner.

Given the nature of the end product, this supply chain will remain largely invisible to the end consumer. But the social benefits of Zahra’s sourcing model are beyond question. And demand for dried jackfruit looks set to grow as the trend for plant-based eating continues. E

OPPOSITE—Zahra works with around 300 smallholder farmers who log their production in an app ABOVE— Grower Kintu Mwanje sees big opportunities in jackfruit and plans to double his production BELOW—Quresh Fidahusein (centre) and his production team at Zahra’s processing plant in Kampala

Turkish exporters turn focus to figs

Turkish fig exporters report high quality for the upcoming Black Bursa season, with weather conditions currently remaining favourable.

by Tom Joyce @tomfruitnet

As the cherry season in Turkey draws to a close, the attention of many Turkish exporters turns to figs.

According to Yigit Gökyigit of Alanar, the first crop of Black Bursa figs, the most popular variety in Turkey, grown in the Bursa region, is expected to start in the third week of August.

“Some early varieties have already started,” he says at the start of August. “However, the very well known Turkish fig is the Black Bursa, and we have another three weeks before the first crop starts. So far, we expect a great season.”

Alanar is not just an exporter but also a grower of figs. After the company was acquired in 2018 by Tekfen Holding, one of the largest conglomerates in Turkey, huge investments have been put into new plantings, including of Black Bursa figs.

“We expect to harvest over 2,000 tonnes of figs annually from our own orchards after 2028,” says Gökyigit. “This year, we will produce approximately 150-200 tonnes of figs in our own orchards, which makes Alanar the biggest black fig grower in the country. We expect great quality

this season, both in our own orchards and in the Bursa region.”

So far, Alanar’s orchards and those across Bursa have been unaffected by any unfavourable climatic conditions. Last year, however, some villages in Bursa were hit by bad weather after the season had started. “We hope to have perfect weather until the end of the season,” says Gökyigit.

“Everything looks good at the moment, and the conditions have been fantastic for fig production,” says Akin Söyleyen of exporter Aksun. “If the weather continues to be like this, we would expect the first harvest from the Bursa region to start around the same time as last year in mid-August. That being said, the weather has been unpredictable in the past few years and that poses a challenge to the whole industry. In light of this, we cannot talk about the future too soon.”

Söyleyen says that the quality of the company’s figs over the past year has been exceptional thanks to cooler nights than the previous season. “Supplies have been keeping up with demand throughout the season, keeping prices steady and quality at a high level,” he says. “If the weather is similar this year, we would expect the same result.”

In East Asia, Aksun has seen the fig market build up from nothing in Hong Kong and now hopes to develop other markets in the region.

“We have spent years building up customer knowledge for figs in the Hong Kong market,” says Söyleyen. “When we first started more than ten years ago, fresh figs were kind of a myth and we struggled to move a tonne in a week. Now we sell that amount every hour.”

However, each market in the region has its own dynamic, he says. “If a product is in demand in one country, that may not be the case in another,” he explains. We have to build up the knowledge of figs in other markets in order to expand further. I think some other markets will start picking up this year and next year since we have a good marketing campaign structure planned for the summer.”

For many years, Alanar’s main market has been Europe and East Asia, with expectations of reaching over 20 countries this campaign. “We expect to deliver our world-famous Turkish figs all over the world, including Germany, the Netherlands, Hong Kong and Singapore.” E

TOP—Conditions have been “fantastic” for fig production in Turkey this season, say exporters

Exotic evolution for Israeli exports

Israeli exports of pitayas and mangoes have fallen due to the impact of Covid-19 and heightened competition, but pomegranate exporters remain optimistic.

by Gerry Kelman

PITAYAS

Prior to Covid, 60 per cent of Israeli pitayas were exported, but that figure has collapsed since the pandemic. Fortunately, the local market has learnt to love the fruit – at a good price for growers. Although there is demand from France, the UK and Germany, it is only later in the season that some fruit is expected to be exported.

Annual production of Israeli pitaya stood at 500 tonnes last year and is expected to rise this season. This year, about 60-70 per cent of the summer crop should arrive between mid-September and December, while the winter crop, with the Desert King variety, is harvested from January to March.

The leading Israeli variety –the Bilu series developed by Yossi Zaphrir of Eden Fruits – has a purple flesh and a distinguishable taste much favoured by consumers. Eden Fruits has attained a license to export pitaya to the US, but that channel has yet to be exploited.

MANGOES

Israeli mango exports, mainly targeted at Europe, used to enjoy a three-month window, but that has slowly shrunk to around one month, as larger volumes of fruit from West Africa head to Europe in the early part of the season and Brazil and Spain dominate during the later period.

There are about 2,500ha of

mango production in Israel, with close to 90 per cent of orchards located around the Sea of Galilee in the north. Producers face a dilemma between growing highyield varieties like Kent and Keitt, and varieties with colour that generate higher market prices. Shelli has good colour and a reasonable yield while Omer has excellent colour but is less fruitful. Maya is the leading ready-to-eat variety, a segment that is increasing in demand.

In addition to traditional markets in Europe like the UK, France, the Netherlands and the Balkans, Israeli mangoes have found new growing export markets in eastern Europe and Russia.

According to Yossi Knop, marketing and sales manager at Galilee Exports, there will be a

slight decrease in export volumes this year, mainly due to the large fruit size, a quality less desired in the EU. Israel’s share of the European mango market stands at around 20 per cent.

POMEGRANATES

Israel has around 2,500ha of pomegranate production, of which 20 per cent is located in the north, 25 per cent in the Shomron region and 56 per cent in the south and the Negev. Growers are optimistic thanks to increased global interest in pomegranates, with early Israeli-bred varieties and locally-developed post-harvest and storage technologies extending availability.

Production totals around 70,000 tonnes, of which 10,000 tonnes is exported. Galilee Exports is responsible for around half of that export volume, the rest shared by Edom, Miriam Shoham and some private packhouses.

Wonderful is the dominant variety with about 60 per cent of fruit-bearing trees. Early Israeli-bred varieties such as Acco, Shani and Emek are now grown on 30 per cent of the area while the remaining 10 per cent is used for newer, experimental varieties. Harvesting of the early varieties starts in July, midseason varieties at the end of September and early October, and the peak harvest season runs from October to January.

Half of exports go to western and central Europe, 40 per cent goes to eastern Europe, primarily Russia and Ukraine, and the remainder to destinations including Canada, Jordan, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka.

Pomegranates are increasing in popularity worldwide due to their marketing versatility, being sold as a whole fruit, as arils extracted and packed and as a fruit juice. E

RIGHT—Wonderful continues to be the dominant pomegranate variety in Israel

All change for Peru’s avocado markets

Chile enters the top three destinations for first half of 2023, displacing the US market.

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

Peruvian avocado exports to Chile grew 91 per cent in volume and 62 per cent in value in the first six months of 2023, pushing it into the top three destinations for this fruit.

According to the latest trade data, reported by consultancy Fresh Fruit Peru, shipments to the US registered a 62 per cent fall in volume and 51 per cent drop in value during the same period.

“Since the beginning of the year, various factors have affected Peruvian agricultural production, especially climate change due to the El Niño Phenomenon,” the consultancy reported.

“This has brought with it a be er environment for the spread of pests, including excessive rainfall, which has had a negative impact on the production of different products, affecting not only local consumption, but

also exports. Curiously, the fresh avocado seems not to have been affected as much as, despite all these obstacles, it has been able to maintain its rise. At least this campaign.”

Peru shipped a total of 467,359 tonnes of avocados worth US$835m in the six months to June 2023. This represents an increase of 39 per cent in volume and 57 per cent in value compared with the same period last year.

Fresh Fruit Peru said the sharp fall in shipments to the US this year was down to increased supply from Mexico and California.

“The loss of space in the US market was compensated by new opportunities opening in markets such as Spain and Chile,” it said.

“The lack of water in the la er has affected its internal production and increased reliance on Peruvian avocados to meet its growing local

China welcomes Ecuadorean pitahayas

China this year became the 59th country to grant access to Ecuadorean pitahayas after years of negotiations, according to Ecuador’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. Patricio Almeida, executive director of Ecuador’s plant health agency Agrocalidad, praised the “intense work between the two phytosanitary institutions and the commitment of the pitahaya producer-exporter sector” in securing the deal.

Ecuador exports around 23,000 tonnes of pitahaya a year worth US$99m. The US is the main destination market, taking 84 per cent of shipments, followed by Canada, Colombia and Singapore. Ecuador has 7,217ha of pitahaya production and there are 1,891 producers that are registered to the export the fruit. The provinces with the highest production of this fruit are Morona Santiago, Pichincha, Manabí and Guayas.

demand. Spain and Chile have experienced exponential rises in their consumption of Peruvian avocados, increasing their volumes purchased by 86 per cent and 92 per cent respectively.”

The consultancy said production forecasts for the second half of the year in many key crops will have to be revised downwards because of the impact of El Niño. But avocado shipments are forecast to remain steady at around 630,000 tonnes. E

LEFT—Chile has seen an exponential rise in avocado consumption

Superplum rolls out fresh lychee packs

Indian start-up Superplum has unveiled its new packaged fresh lychee with the aim of reducing post-harvest waste.

by Liam O’Callaghan @liamfruitnet

Superplum has announced the launch of a new packaged fresh lychee offering as India’s season kicks off. The Indian ag-tech start-up uses innovative cold chain technology to keep its lychees fresh for up to 15 days, giving consumers all over India the opportunity to enjoy the fruit without the associated expense of airfreight.

Superplum works at farms across India’s lychee growing regions to enhance supply chains for the benefit of growers and consumers alike.

While popular, lychees have traditionally been a highly perishable product in India, with the fruit plagued by post-harvest losses. The FAO estimates over 40

per cent of India’s lychee harvest is wasted.

Superplum’s new fresh packs employ innovative technology to ensure the fruit retains its natural flavour, aroma, and nutritional value for an extended period, allowing consumers to enjoy the fruit’s exquisite taste over several days.

The fruit is also tested for pesticide usage and consumers can scan the packs to view pesticide test reports, providing further peace of mind.

Superplum lychee fresh packs are available now at select retailers, including Amazon and BigBasket, as well as several neighbourhood stores across Bangalore and Delhi/ NCR. E

Bella Exofruita sees breadfruit growth

The high cost of airfreight has not prevented Mauritian exporter Bella Exofruita from increasing its export volumes to the European market, especially the UK, according to director Vickram Meghu (below). “We are experiencing high demand for premium fruits transported by air,” he says.

“Since Covid, we have been doing very well thanks to our commitment to keeping our promise of supplying premium fruits and vegetables to the international market.”

Although the UK has been facing high inflation, Bella Exofruita is witnessing strong demand for breadfruit in the market, says Meghu. “Volumes to the UK have doubled compared with the last three years,” he explains. “This year we have already exported 70 tonnes of breadfruit by air, and we are expecting to reach around 120 tonnes by the end of this year.”

Bella Exofruita’s breadfruit is 100 per cent organic and the company is converting unused land into new orchards for breadfruit. “Our imports are also going well,” adds Meghu. “We import mangoes from India and now we are looking at increasing that volume, while also importing mangoes from other countries such as Egypt and Pakistan.”

TOP—Indian ag-tech start-up Superplum’s fresh lychee packs

Great potential for Vietnam exports

Modernising production methods and managing growth of China market are key for Vietnam’s fresh fruit exports, attendees heard at a recent Asia Fruit Logistica seminar.

by John Hey

@johnfruitnet

An expert panel discussed some of the key challenges and opportunities to Vietnam’s fast-developing fresh fruit exports at a seminar hosted by Asia Fruit Logistica in Ho Chi Minh City on 18 May.

The seminar – ‘Exporting fresh fruit and vegetables to Asia and Europe: requirements and trends’ – was organised by Asia Fruit Logistica and the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association (Vinafruit) – together with Asia

Fruit Logistica’s local partner

AHK Vietnam and media partner

Asiafruit Magazine

The panel discussion featured Vinafruit secretary general Dang

Phuc Nguyen; Jennifer Karla Briones, export sales manager of The Fruit Republic; and Thao Nguyen of leading dragon fruit exporter, Hoang Phat Fruit.

Vietnam’s fruit plantings have boomed over the past decade to top 1.3m ha, presenting great potential to capitalise on growing demand in both domestic and international markets.

Nevertheless, the panel agreed that much work was required to modernise and upgrade the industry – from bringing in new varieties and disease-free plant materials to training farmers to manage their orchards and crops – especially as production remains

fragmented and dominated by small-scale farmers. Hoang Phat Fruit’s Nguyen also highlighted the need to import and adopt foreign technologies and expertise. “We have applied vapour heat treatment machine technology from Japan and we’re using a customised irrigation system from Israel for our dragon fruit plantations,” she said. “They’ve made a real difference to our business.”

The Fruit Republic is one of several foreign companies operating in Vietnam which have been offering advanced farming technologies and systems to make production more efficient and sustainable.

Briones said a key challenge is to build “awareness, support and cooperation” among the farmers themselves to accept and implement modern and professional farming systems – and to move away from traditional ways of operating.

“The understanding of doing more with less should be well accepted by growers and the community to make these programmes successful,” she pointed out.

CHINA: OPPORTUNITY AND CHALLENGE

The discussion also looked at how the rapid growth of China as an export market was shaping Vietnam’s fruit industry. Despite the risk of becoming overreliant on China, Vinafruit’s Dang Phuc Nguyen said Vietnam’s proximity was a competitive advantage that was impossible to ignore. “We can get our fruit into the market in just one to two days, whereas it takes Thailand seven to eight days,” he noted.

He also highlighted the competitive strengths of Vietnamese fruit varieties, citing the example of the Ri6 durian, which is highly sought-a er in China.

China has become a stricter market in terms of plant quarantine and food safety standards. Since 1 January 2022, exporters are required to source from registered growing areas and packing facilities with codes issued by China Customs.

Hoang Phat Fruit’s Thao Nguyen said her company has focused its exports on Japan and Korea because China is traditionally a more volatile market, with prices fluctuating, but she noted that requirements are changing. “Now China is becoming more demanding on standards and certification, so we see an opportunity for a professional company like ours to build a presence there,” she said.

While acknowledging the huge consumer market opportunity in China, Briones pointed out it also represents a significant supply competitor to Vietnam. “We only need to look at dragon fruit –it’s been a major export product to China for Vietnam, but trade has been declining over the past

few years as China has begun to develop local production of the fruit,” she said.

Briones warned against overdependence on China, noting that it could be “volatile” and “short-term market-driven”.

“It would be more strategic for Vietnam to maintain distribution to other markets such as Japan, Korea, and Australia. The challenge is on the capacity of growers to align and comply with the tightening quality and quarantine requirements of these markets.”

Thao Nguyen also highlighted the need for the Vietnamese industry to ramp up investment and capabilities in plant breeding to stay ahead of the growing competition.

“Vietnam used to be one of the only major dragon fruit producers and exporters in the world, but now dragon fruit is being planted in many places – in China, in India, South America and South Africa,” she noted. “So we need to breed superior varieties with a point of difference from the competition.” E

Refined retail formats

Asia Fruit Logistica and Asiafruit Magazine checked out some examples of premium fresh fruit retail in Ho Chi Minh City on their visit to Vietnam.

Annam Gourmet is a high-end chain of food stores similar to Whole Foods in the US. Most of its handful of stores are located in Ho Chi Minh City, with one in Hanoi. This store in the upmarket Phu My Hung area of Ho Chi Minh City stocked a wide range of premium imported fruit brands as well as an impressive selection of locally grown fruits and an extensive organic fruit and vegetable offering.

Farmers Market is another upmarket fresh food format. The company started out as an online retailer during the Covid pandemic and has since opened brick-and-mortar stores. This store in District 1 stocked an impressive array of imported fruit varieties and brands, particularly in apples and grapes. It also had dedicated zones for organic fruit and vegetables and offered online delivery.

OPPOSITE—(l-r): Asiafruit’s John Hey chairs the discussion with Dang Phuc Nguyen of Vinafruit, The Fruit Republic’s Jennifer

Karla Briones and Thao Nguyen of dragon fruit exporter

Hoang Phat Fruit

LEFT—Hoang Phat Fruit has focused its exports on Japan and Korea but it is now eyeing opportunities in China too

South American citrus campaign brings mixed fortunes

Shipments from Peru are down on last season, but much needed rains in Chile herald a return to form.

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

Acontraction in Southern Hemisphere citrus supply and slower-than-expected start to the harvest have limited the availability of fruit in the main consumer markets and helped maintain reasonable price levels so far this season. The situation was compounded by the early finish to Northern Hemisphere production, which left the market relatively clear for the first arrivals of citrus from South America and South Africa.

According to Sergio del Castillo of Peruvian industry association ProCitrus, Peru’s late start was due to the warm winter delaying the time it took fruit to colour. “Volume, sizes and quality are all very good, but the lack of colour meant that the harvesting of late varieties got underway one month later than usual,” he told Eurofruit

“As of mid-July, mandarin exports were 23 per cent lower than last year at 87,838 tonnes and Tangelos were 45 per cent lower at 3,761 tonnes. Lemons and limes, however, were showing a positive trend – as of 15 July shipments of Persian limes were 22 per cent higher than in 2022 at 21,599 tonnes, while lemons were up 7 per cent at 2,237 tonnes. Overall, Peru’s shipment volume was down 16 per cent on last year at 118,560 tonnes.”

Peru is one of several citrus producing countries in the Southern Hemisphere that have been beset with climatic and pest issues this season and this has curbed expectations of increased arrivals in the main consumer markets.

Heavy rains in South Africa’s Western Cape during May and June delayed harvesting by more than three weeks, reducing the volume of early Navels and clementines available for export.

The country has also been hit by new EU pest controls regulations requiring exports to undergo enhanced cold treatment, which the Citrus Growers Association warned could cut orange exports to

Europe by up to 20 per cent this year.

In Chile, however, the industry has fared better, with much-needed rains having a positive impact on the size, colouration and quality of the crop. “Chile has experienced a prolonged drought for more than a decade that has affected several production areas, but this winter the rains have helped bring peace of mind to growers,” said Monserrat Valenzuela of the Chilean Citrus Committee. “There in enough water supply for this season and we hope that the reservoirs will be refilled and the snow reserves will be replenished in the high mountains.”

According to the latest estimates from the committee, Chile is on course to export around 348,000 tonnes of citrus this season, an increase of 30 per cent on 2022. This has allowed it to increase its shipments of clementines and Navels to the US in a bid to make up the shortfall from Peru and South Africa.

As of mid-July, Chile had exported 61,109 tonnes of clementines, 55 per cent more than during the

year-earlier period, of which almost all (98.3 per cent) was bound for the US. Orange exports to week 28 were running at 36,157 tonnes, an increase of 17 per cent on the same period of 2022, while lemon shipments were 8 per cent higher at 30,587 tonnes.

In the case of Peru, the US remains its biggest citrus market, however shipments to mid-July were down 42 per cent on last

OPPOSITE—As of mid-July, Peru’s shipment volume was down 16 per cent on the yearearlier period

LEFT—Sergio del Castillo of ProCitrus

BELOW—Chile has benefited from the production shortfall in Peru and South Africa

year at 46,920 tonnes. By contrast, exports to the UK – its second biggest market – grew 20 per cent to 17,010 tonnes. The Netherlands, in third place, was broadly similar to 2022, taking 14,992 tonnes as of mid-July.

“To date, the markets that have benefited from the contraction of the US market are China, Canada and Central America, all of which have registered significant growth,”

Asoex and Fedefruta come together to tackle industry challenges

Representatives of Chile’s fruit producer and exporter associations, Fedefruta and Asoex, have agreed to work together more closely for the benefit of the country’s fruit industry.

The management of both organisations met at Asoex’s headquarters recently to define a strategic agenda to tackle the most pressing issues affecting the sector.

“We have agreed to define a joint work strategy that allows us to address the issues that concern us as an industry, such as greater competition in the destination markets, national and international logistics, climate change, drought, and the phytosanitary requirements that we are facing at home and in our export markets, amongst other matters,” said Asoex president Iván Marambio.

Welcoming the “positive meeting”, Fedefruta president Jorge Valenzuela commented: “We have always stated that the issues facing our industry must be addressed jointly in order to reflect the different perspectives, but with a common goal that is to improve problems, where issues of productivity, costs and returns are important. Working with an established strategy will also allow us to address opportunities.”

The two organisations will meet again in August to begin working towards establishing a common position on public policy issues that affect the sector, as well as well as in research and development matters to boost competitiveness, increase productivity and improve fruit quality.

Del Castillo noted. “In the case of China, shipments are up 53 per cent at 14,072 tonnes, for Canada the increase is of 31 per cent (to 9,177 tonnes), and for Central America, exports are up 67 per cent at 6,706 tonnes.”

At the time of going to press, del Castillo was hopeful that Peruvian exports would rally during the latter stages of the season, allowing shippers to recoup some of the shortfall and finish the campaign with a volume deficit of just 10 per cent volume rather than the current 16 per cent. Speaking to Eurofruit in mid-July, he said that if prices continued at current levels the season would close with shipments of around US$280m FOB, a similar total to last year. E

Camposol targets Latin American expansion

The company is already in talks with several retail chains across the region.

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

After focusing for several years on the traditional consumer markets of North America, Europe and Asia, Camposol is turning its attention closer to home. The company has announced that it is seeking to boost in presence in countries in Latin America as part of its ongoing strategic diversification.

As a first step, it is resuming the supply of markets in which it had previously had commercial contacts, such as Brazil, Chile and Costa Rica. At the same time, it is developing new markets like Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay, among others, giving priority to Latin American countries with which Peru already has trade agreements.

Blueberries are one of the main products for market diversification, with shipments to Brazil and Uruguay having already started in April. The mandarin campaign is currently underway, and an interesting volume of avocado

exports will also be destined for new markets.

Camposol said the objective is to offer its entire range of products, from all origins, to contribute to the marketing of the full range of qualities and sizes that it produces. In this respect, talks are already underway with several retail chains in Latin America.

Camposol said it would continue to maintain a strong focus on its core markets in North America, Europe and Asia that together with the new markets contribute to implementing a global commercial presence strategy.

“If in the last five years we have focused on consolidating cooperation with existing customers in the major markets, we must now expand our global footprint into those regions that also contribute to world demand in an important way. Feeding the world is our goal,” said Fiorella Dyer, head of sales LatAm. E

Camposol opens first blueberry packhouse in Mexico

Camposol has built its first blueberry packing plant in northern Sinaloa, Mexico, which will offer the service not only to the company but also to growers in the area who will be able to pack their products efficiently, at a competitive cost and with the highest speed.

José Andrés Renovales, Camposol’s country manager Mexico, commented: “The plant was initially designed to pack blueberries, but it can also be adapted to pack other fruits and vegetables such as mangoes, figs, pumpkins and others and provide pre-cooling services in state-of-the-art tunnels and storage rooms for finished products. Regarding Camposol, we will continue to ship our blueberries to the US in best conditions.”

Camposol said that as volumes increase it hopes the facility will become one of the most important packing plants of northern Sinaloa.

The implementation of this project was supported by FrioPacking, LM Construcciones and architect Flavio Migliora.

TOP—Camposol is seeking new markets for its fast-growing blueberry production

Unisorting brand of UNITEC Avocados Sort 3 and UNIQ Avocados technologies care about your avocados and your business.

At Unisorting we are used to taking care of your future with cutting-edge, intelligent and automated solutions able to ensure important and real results over time.

With Avocados Sort 3 and UNIQ Avocados your avocados have more value.

Nothing is left to chance thanks to an efficient and complete sorting of the qualities: external quality and internal quality, in addition to weight, optical size and color Because your business needs certainties. And a bright future.

Enter the world of Unisorting brand of UNITEC. The future of your business will be on the road to success.

Cosco to launch ESE2 Europe-South America service

New service will include the fastest transit time between ports of Algeciras and Santos.

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

Cosco Shipping is to launch a new weekly service connecting Northern Europe and the Mediterranean with the East Coast of South America. From September, ESE2 will including the fastest transit time of only 12 days between Algeciras, Spain and Santos, Brazil.

ESE2 fully covers the South America East region, radiating to markets such as Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay more effectively. Callings such as Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Paranagua, Itapoa and other major ports in Plata have been included.

The new service will call at various base ports in Europe, including consumer markets such as UK, Germany, Netherlands and Belgium. Cosco said customers will be able to rely on more precise delivery to the European region, while “the calling of Lisbon reflects the diversity of this service and will boast the continuous development for potential market”.

“ESE2 provides a stable weekly service and offers very

competitive transit times from East Coast South America to Europe, for example connecting Santos with Rotterdam in only 18 days and vice versa in 26 days,” Cosco said.

“By using its supply chain products and European feeder network, Cosco Shipping connects all areas in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean area with main economic regions of East Coast South America.

“With the launch of ESE2, Cosco Shipping as a trusted partner and supporter of long-term development demand for customers further strengthens its customer-centric concept with faster transit times, reliable schedules and comprehensive coverage.”

The new branded ESE2 service will commence in Montevideo, Uruguay on 16 September with Cosco’s Xin Nan Tong becoming the first vessel on the new route. In Europe, Xin Chong Qing will start operating on 21 September from Rotterdam.

The rotation is as follows:

Ro erdam – London Gateway – Hamburg –Antwerp – Lisbon – Algeciras – Santos – Paranagua –Montevideo– Buenos Aires – Itapoa – Paranagua –Santos – Rio De Janeiro – Algeciras – Ro erdam. E

WCO signs up first Mexican member

Citrojugo has become the latest company to join the World Citrus Organisation (WCO). The Tecománbased processor and marketer of acid citrus-based juices, essential oils, and dried peels is the first Mexican company to join the organisation and reflects the growing interest in the sector in the Americas in connecting more closely with the global citrus community.

Citrojugo joins over 40 associations and companies working together to promote citrus consumption, improve product placement, and share experiences and best practices amongst the many actors in the sector.

Citrojugo’s membership represents a watershed moment for the WCO, allowing it to establish a foothold in Mexico, a major producer of citrus. By gaining its first Mexican member, the organisation said it continues to push for the broadest possible representation of the diverse nature of the sector.

ABOVE—The first vessel is due to depart from the Port of Montevideo in Uruguay on 16 September

Weather mars Huelva berry campaign

Strawberry, blueberry and raspberry exports all finished down on the previous year due to adverse climatic conditions.

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

Huelva exported 243,310 tonnes of strawberries in 2022/23, a drop of 10 per cent on the previous season according to berry association Freshuelva. It said the campaign was plagued by bad weather, which caused extensive damage at key points in the season. This included a period of excessive heat during planting and a cold snap at the beginning of the year which curtailed production, along with another heatwave in April that impacted fruit quality.

Up to the end of May, prices registered an increase of 0.22 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year, putting the total value of exports to that point at almost €571m.

However, the increased production costs and shorter crop resulted in a drop in profitability

for growers overall.

Raspberry exports fell 4.5 per cent to 47,750 tonnes, in a campaign marked by low prices and strong competition from third countries like Morocco, Freshuelva said. The value of raspberry exports totalled €222.5m, which represents a decrease of 3.65 per cent compared to the previous campaign.

Blueberry exports also finished 10 per cent lower in volume at 53,190 tonnes, as insufficient cold hours during a hot spell in November, December and January delayed the arrival of the harvest and cut production volumes.

“Then the subsequent cold temperatures at the end of February and beginning of March led to a reduction in sizes. And although production recovered in April and May, we faced strong competition from other sources that led to a collapse in prices, followed by a period of lower supply in June during which prices improved,” Freshuelva said. “All in all this has been the most irregular blueberry campaigns of recent years.”

The value of blueberry exports increased slightly (1.27 per cent), reaching almost €219m.

LEFT—Growers also faced increased competition from non-EU countries like Morocco

Finally, blackberry exports remained similar to last season at 2,000 tonnes. However, the value of shipments grew 61.2 per cent to €14.3m. Germany and the UK continue to be the main destination for Huelvan berries, with France and the Netherlands also accounting for a significant proportion of shipments. E

Huelva defends water usage record

Huelva has defended its strawberry production after a German environmental group called for supermarkets in that country to stop selling the fruit. Campact says the water used to irrigate farms is having a detrimental impact on the region’s Doñana National Park.

Andalusian berry interprofessional Interfesa insists that production complies with responsible water management protocols. It says 100 per cent of the berries exported from Huelva to Germany are certified by GlobalGAP’s Sustainable Program for Irrigation and Use of Groundwater (Spring).

Fepex has dismissed the campaign as an attempt by German producers to discredit their competitors.

Guillem Export and Frutas Tono to merge

Together, the two companies have 3,000ha of citrus production and annual sales of €200m.

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

Guillem Export and Frutas Tono, two family-run citrus companies from Valencia, have agreed to merge. The new group will own more than 3,000ha of citrus plantings generating an annual output of around 100,000 tonnes and a turnover of around €200m.

The companies said the new entity would offer improved customer service and quality throughout the year. The deal reflects the ongoing consolidation within Spain’s agricultural sector, fuelled by the entry of private equity funds. Newspaper El Confidencial reported that the founding families will share

management responsibilities of the new entity.

“With more than 70 years of history in the citrus sector, the agreement gives birth to a great family group that will allow the companies to develop economies of scale and greater vertical integration throughout the value chain,” the newspaper said.

The two companies’ citrus portfolio covers oranges, mandarins, grapefruit and lemons grown in the Valencian Community as well as in Seville, Córdoba, Huelva, Murcia and Tarragona.

Founded in 1997, Guillem Export is based in Xeresa,

Spain poised for big rise in Fino lemon production

Spain is anticipating a significant increase in production of Fino lemons for the forthcoming season, reaching levels last seen during the 2020/21 campaign. Releasing its preliminary forecast for 2023/24, Ailimpo said this would give a total volume of 990,000 tonnes.

“This represents a significant increase of 30 per cent compared to the production of this same variety in the 2022/23 campaign, and a return to the levels reached in the 2020/21 campaign, during which Fino lemon production reached 980,000 tonnes,” the lemon and grapefruit interprofessional said.

Ailimpo reported that the abundant rainfall that occurred last May had been “generally positive” for the development of the crop. But sporadic hailstorms are believed to have could have affected some 1,000ha of production across different parts of the Murcia region.

The interprofessional said the current estimate is subject to the evolution of weather conditions, water availability and the impact on the harvest volume of the entry into production of the new plantations.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Spain’s Fino lemon acreage has risen by 5,671ha in the last six years to 31,280ha.

Spain is the world’s leading exporter of fresh lemons and the second biggest exporter of lemon juice, essential oil and dehydrated peel.

Ailimpo will release its next forecast on 28 September and a final estimate of the Fino campaign on 25 January, 2024.

Valencia. In 2021 it registered a net profit of €1.3m on sales of €104m. Frutas Tono was founded by the Vercher family in the 1970s and is based in the Valencian town of Benifairó. Among its clients are large distribution chains such as Mercadona. “The new structure of the group will allow a be er approach to customers, expanding and improving service and quality during the 12 months of the year, aspects in which both companies have been making progress in recent years thanks to their investments in digitisation, automation of the processes and improvements of the facilities”, said the same sources. E

ABOVE—The deal is the latest example of consolidation in Spain’s citrus sector

Taylor Farms to acquire stake in Foodiverse

The companies said the deal will drive innovation and new product development.

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

Taylor Farms has agreed to buy an undisclosed stake in Spanish salad and prepared food specialist Foodiverse. In a statement, Foodiverse said both companies will become partners through a capital increase in cash that will provide Taylor Farms with a significant share in Foodiverse’s capital.

The deal is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks. Foodiverse will continue to be led by its current management team and president, Joaquín Ballester.

The companies said the deal will create synergies, facilitate the exchange of best practices in sustainability, quality, innovation and food safety, and promote innovation and new product development.

Jesús Gómez, CEO of Foodiverse, commented: “We are enthused to have Taylor Farms as a strategic partner and proud that they have chosen our company for this purpose. This operation will strengthen our position for a sustainable growth, keeping our focus on shared values such as the highest quality and freshness of our products, innovation, and sustainability.”

Bruce Taylor, founder and CEO of Taylor Farms, said: “We look forward to partnering with the excellent team at Foodiverse. Joaquín Ballester and Jesús Gómez have created a dynamic company that is focused on creating strong

partnerships with their retail customers.”

Taylor Farms is a leading North American producer and marketer of salads and fresh food whose customers include Walmart.

Foodiverse is made up of a group of companies in the field of agricultural production, readyto-eat salads and vegetables and infant nutrition spread across Spain, Italy, Germany and Switzerland.

Together, Agromediterránea, Comfresh, Thurländer Salate, Jose Müller Gemüse, Jovanatura and Ortoverde operate nine production sites and 17 farms comprising more than 2,800ha. In 2021 it sold €327m of fresh and prepared produce to more than 400 clients in 22 countries. E

TOP—Jesús Gómez, CEO of Foodiverse

Southern Biorefinery wins UAL for best start-up

A company that converts agricultural waste into bioplastics has been awarded the prize for best start-up by the University of Almería’s at its AUL Ideas Fair. The project, created by Jesús Espadas, Antonio Fernández and Eduardo López, takes the stubble left over from harvesting in greenhouses and transforms it into a biodegradable plastic.

“This not only has a lower carbon footprint but is more cost-effective than other bioplastics because our raw material is not a cost but an income,” explained Espadas. “In Almería we are lucky that there is already a fully formed logistics chain for waste management.”

The stubble is transformed into bioplastics through the use of an enzymatic combo developed in-house along with bacteria. The resulting bioplastic can be used as a more sustainable replacement for soft plastics.

“It can replace any single-use plastic that we use every day, but with the difference that it does not need to be recycled, it is compostable and biodegradable,” Espadas said.

The start-up, established in March 2022, is now looking for financing to build a pilot production plant.

AgroFresh beefs up post-harvest portfolio with Tessara acquisition

The deal marks a move into table grapes and berries for AgroFresh’s food waste reduction and freshness solutions.

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

AgroFresh Solutions has acquired post-harvest solutions provider Tessara from global investment firm Carlyle. The deal, which remains subject to clearance by the South Africa competition authorities, expands AgroFresh’s footprint in food waste reduction and freshness solutions for table grapes and berries and bolsters the organisation’s presence in growing regions in South Africa, China, Australia, and South America.

“Completing this transaction with Tessara creates significant opportunities for AgroFresh to build upon our diversification strategy and further support our customers in their efforts to grow and distribute an abundant supply of sustainable fresh produce around the world,” said AgroFresh CEO Clinton Lewis.

“The acquisition is a perfect fit given Tessara’s and AgroFresh’s alignment on leveraging sciencebased solutions to advance freshness across the global produce industry and we look forward to bringing the innovative team at Tessara onboard.”

“This deal is an opportunity for AgroFresh to build upon our diversification strategy”

Citrosol goes greener

Plans to reduce the use of chemical pesticides by 50 per cent by 2030, under the European Union’s Farm to Fork strategy, create opportunities for providers of post-harvest solutions to develop more natural solutions for producers, according to technology company Citrosol.

“At Citrosol we have been working for years on ‘green chemistry’ solutions based on natural products, with a low toxicological and ecotoxicological profile, and which are just as effective as conventional chemical products, as well as being compatible with an organic farming model, and which are authorised for use,” says Jorge Bretó, CEO of Citrosol.

“Examples include our BioCare by Citrosol range, Citrocide disinfectant wash, and PlantSeal vegetable coatings which are certified for use in organic farming. We also continue working on new projects that will allow us to expand this range of products in the coming years.”

Established in 1988 in South Africa, Tessara has become a leader in post-harvest preservation solutions, which it provides to fresh produce growers worldwide. The company is a leading provider of SO2 solutions for table grapes, berries, and flowers, protecting more than US$3bn worth of fresh produce annually in more than 30 countries.

“We are proud of the Tessara team and our distinctly South African roots and culture,” said Jaco Smit, CEO of Tessara. “We are also humbled and excited to be part of AgroFresh, the leader in the postharvest AgTech space and, together, we will leverage our combined network and innovation resources to build a world-class market leader.”

AgroFresh pioneered postharvest technology more than 20 years ago with the launch of its SmartFresh Quality System, which is now used across multiple crops in over 50 countries worldwide. Recently, the company has expanded its portfolio to include plant-based coatings, antimicrobial solutions, equipment, and digital platforms that help improve quality and reduce waste across the supply chain from harvest to home. E

ABOVE—Clinton Lewis, CEO of AgroFresh

Asian opportunities for Rijk Zwaan

With Asia Fruit Logistica taking place this month in Hong Kong, Eurofruit speaks to Jan Doldersum about Rijk Zwaan’s priorities when it comes to the Asian market.

by Carl Collen @carlfruitnet

What advancements are you seeing in the Asian market right now?

Jan Doldersum: What we are seeing now is what we call a leap towards more professional cultivation, from low-tech to mid-tech and from mid-tech to high-tech. We are seeing bigger investments in the Asian horticulture business from private equity and professional parties, something that some Western companies had been a bit reluctant to do previously.

Where is Rijk Zwaan’s focus when it comes to Asia?

JD: The day before Asia Fruit Logistica we are hosting an event

for around 60 to 80 customers, investors and technology companies to discuss the market for hydroponically grown leafy greens in Asia. The event will consist of a seminar with experts from Rijk Zwaan and external speakers as well. A few of our customers will talk and we have technology companies providing the latest developments in hydroponic lettuce.

So hydroponic leafy greens is one exciting area for us, and the second is the melon category, where there is big potential. I was recently in India and in China, and in both countries we see the opportunities for, let’s say, more Asian types of melons. We have invested in the development of varieties more suitable for local conditions, and we now have a nice

Hydroponic leafy greens is one exciting area for us, and another is the melon category, where there is big potential

portfolio to help us compete in Asia.

Are there any specific products that are really exciting you?

JD: We have three new melon varieties specifically for the Asian markets, and one of them, Fujisawa, is particularly exciting. It is a quincy-type melon with attractive netting and orange flesh and is quite unique in this market. It has extremely high sugars of 14 to 16 degrees of Brix, so it is very sweet. Thanks to the Brix, flavour

and texture, we can surprise our customers and create a ‘wow’ taste experience.

We also have the Sagami melon, which is a Japanese type with green flesh inside and is also netted – that is an attractive proposition.

What developments are critical to Asia trade?

JD: In terms of a more general view of the Asian markets, you have to look at China, which I visited recently. The economic recovery after Covid is still quite fragile. There has not been the governmental support that other countries have had, so the recovery is more steady. We’ll also see a big impact from the trade barrier between the US and China. On the

positive side we are seeing more and more investment in China, particularly in fruit bearing crops.

When looking at consumers, what factors are influencing their purchasing decisions?

JD: I think the main concern is still food safety. In Europe we are preconditioned when it comes to this, but in Asia I think a lot of consumers are still worried about their health, especially after Covid. They also want to know that they are eating food without residues, and I think this is still an important concern.

We must also consider the economy. It is slowly recovering, and because of this consumers are more open to trying new things.

Dole champions Fujisawa RZ

Rijk Zwaan’s quincy melon Fujisawa is helping Dole to move ‘freshly forward’, says Vivian Wang, marketing director at Dole China.

“We have been monitoring this quincy melon for more than three years,” Wang explains. “The stability of the Brix, the flavour and the size of the melon match with the upgraded needs of Chinese customers.

“Because of the very bright orange flesh, we are marketing this quincy melon as ‘Red Flesh’, to differentiate it from the other melons,” she adds. “We are focusing on midand high-end consumers.”

Consumers want to be surprised and delighted, and they expect good eating experiences when they go out.

We are returning to Hong Kong for Asia Fruit Logistica this year. What are you hoping to get out of the event?

JD: It seems like a long time since we were in Hong Kong doesn’t it? Four years – 2019, I think? So we are already very happy to be going back there. We are back to the normal schedule after Bangkok in 2022, and we are very excited to be present in Hong Kong. We are looking forward to meeting with our customers and interacting with them once more, because we have been really far from the market for many years. We are lucky that we have a local team, so we do have a presence in the market and we can solve issues quickly. There is definitely a positive feeling around the Asian horticultural industry and that positivity is growing. We are looking to continue this and improve our sales further in the region. So we really hope that Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong can add further impetus to our business in Asia, and that is what we are aiming for. E

OPPOSITE—Hydroponically grown lettuce ABOVE—Jan Doldersum at Rijk Zwaan’s 2022 Bangkok event

Behind the scenes at BayWa

Benedikt Mangold, CEO of BayWa Global Produce, discusses global market challenges and newly launched brands ahead of Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong.

by Carl Collen @carlfruitnet

How is 2023 shaping up for BayWa? How are your key markets faring?

Benedikt Mangold: It is an open secret that inflationary pressure and difficult economic conditions in many markets, especially in the UK and Europe, and reduced consumer demand have affected our industry well into 2023. Premium products in particular have been affected by this development.

To boost consumption, food retailers in Germany, for

LEFT—Benedikt Mangold OPPOSITE

TOP—Tutti was launched at Fruit Logistica in Berlin OPPOSITE

BOTTOM— Mangoes being packed at TFC Holland

We

are continuing to invest in growing our premium brands, such as Envy, and are further developing our berry category

brands Jazz and Envy. China has gradually regained momentum after Covid-19-related hurdles. We are very pleased about these developments as this year’s Southern Hemisphere apple season is clouded by the circumstances caused by severe weather events in New Zealand.

What developments have you seen at BayWa this year?

BM: Despite the current challenges we are positive for a fruitful future of our industry and have heavily invested to increase the resilience and efficiency of the operations of our subsidiaries BayWa Obst, TFC Holland and T&G Global.

Our German fruit business has just completed its first season in the extensively modernised and extended organic packhouse in Ravensburg, underlining our high-quality standards for an efficient and forward-looking organic fruit business.

In January, our exotics specialist TFC Holland moved into its newly built 26,000m² facility in Waddinxveen, which significantly expands its storing, ripening, and packing capacities and provides sufficient room for modern and efficient processes.

example, have focused heavily on promotions, especially in apples, which has led to an unsatisfactory price situation which does not meet the increased production costs of suppliers and growers. Looking at the European apple season to come, we expect to see a much more friendly market resulting from a smaller forecasted crop and cleared 2022 stocks.

In most Asian countries, including all of Southeast Asia, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong, we see a good consumer climate for our premium apple

And at T&G, the first section of the new, stateof-the-art apple packhouse was successfully commissioned in May. The highly automated facility, with 1.7ha of roof space, will be able to pack more than 125m kg of apples per season once its two phasedconstruction is complete – twice the volume of apples currently packed.

Have there been any additions to your product range?

BM: We are continuing to invest in growing our premium brands, such as Envy, and are further developing our berry category, particularly in blueberries.

Two new brands have been released this year which was made possible through a close collaboration of T&G’s genetics and variety management business VentureFruit and global research and breeding partners. Following 20 years of breeding and scientific development, VentureFruit commercially launched

Tutti, the world’s first specifically bred hot climate tolerant apple variety, at Fruit Logistica – the first branded variety from the Hot Climate Partnership, helping the horticultural sector to adapt to changing climatic conditions and to build increased resilience.

In June, T&G launched Joli, a new global premium apple variety. The productive, large, full-flavoured bright red juicy apple is the result of a close collaboration between VentureFruit and innovation company Prevar and Plant & Food Research in New Zealand.

Let’s talk about Germany…

BM: BayWa Obst mainly focuses on apples and pears, but also offers berries and stonefruit from integrated and organic farming. Working as a sales partner for the growers in our growing regions, it is our aspiration to find the ideal markets for the different apple varieties and qualities.

Our focus lies on the German market, this is where our roots are and where we are a strong partner for our retail and wholesale customers. But we see great potential in export destinations in Asia with its growing interest in high quality and safe produce.

Despite the great efforts we

have taken to gain access to different markets for German apples, a lack of protocols to highly performing markets is still limiting us. We’ve successfully supplied our existing customers in different Asian regions and are closely working together with our colleagues at T&G, who have an extensive footprint across Asia.

Your Dutch business TFC Holland has strong ties with Asia, doesn’t it?

BM: With TFC we are sourcing exotic produce from more than 50 countries worldwide. Asia is an

important origin for us, especially when it comes to pomelo, ginger and dragon fruit. We see a strong local demand for exotics in several producing countries.

In this environment, we profit from our longstanding relationships with our growers, focusing on shortest possible supply chains to secure volumes for our European customers. Vertical integration of our main products like mangoes and avocados allows us to guide both variety selection and cultivation according to our customers’ demand.

We are directly involved in Africa and South America as owners and financing partners, and we are committed to extending our activities at the origins of our produce to secure supply. We will further invest in our processes along our value chain.

What other important trends have you noticed in Asia?

BM: The global fresh produce trade is recovering from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic which resulted from lockdowns, and disrupted supply chains and logistics. The situation has improved, and we see strong economic and consumer sentiment especially for premium qualities and brands in most of Asia.

Looking at trade flows, fruit shipments to growth markets in Asia are growing and so are fresh fruit imports in different Asian countries. India, for example, has doubled its fresh fruit imports in 2021, and we see similar developments in countries like China and Indonesia. We are looking forward to participating at Asia Fruit Logistica where our shared BayWa Global Produce brings together our colourful global portfolio. E

David Hughes talks grapes

LEFT & BELOW—

by Fred Meintjes

Table grape growers will receive advice from keynote speakers on how to progress amid tough times for consumers and global economies, at this year’s 10th International Table Grape Symposium, which will be held in South Africa in late November.

One of these speakers is David Hughes, emeritus professor of food marketing at Imperial College London and visiting professor at Royal Agricultural University in the UK. Also known as ‘Dr Food’, Hughes has over the past two decades brought his specialist views to the fresh produce sector on consumer and retail trends.

Offering a glimpse of what symposium attendees can expect, Hughes paints a picture of an environment which has changed radically for grape growers in recent years.

“Since Covid-19 emerged four years ago, consumers and their

countries’ economies have been through acutely turbulent times, exacerbated by the Russian invasion and tragic war in Ukraine and compounded by increasingly extreme climate events which is throwing farming production cycles into chaos,” he explains.

Income-stretched consumers have changed their shopping behaviours, Hughes notes, and in many markets fruit and vegetable sales are under pressure, especially across Europe and in the US.

“Yet, there is ample evidence of continued strong demand for premium produce,” he says.

There is also good news for grapes. “During turbulence, however, consumers show hearty appetites for food products that are tasty, convenient, snackable, affordable, healthy, liked by their children, and fun when they are eating it. Table grapes tick most of these boxes, so onwards and upwards.”

“During turbulence, consumers show appetites for products that are tasty, convenient, snackable, affordable and healthy”

Hughes will share detailed information at the Symposium, including the fact that shoppers, often unreasonably, perceive fruit as “kind of expensive” –yet they are willing routinely to spend more on three or four coffees per week than they are on fresh fruit.

“Survey results clearly show that, through the past four years, diets of lower income households have suffered with a concomitant impact on their health –obesity problems have worsened in many countries, not least in lower income families,” he continues.

“Governments will seek to ‘improve the national diet’ through greater regulation of, for example, high sugar foods. This may create challenges for table grapes, with nutri- and enviro-scores probably being introduced on food products by the end of the decade.”

Organisers say similar powerful keynote speeches will bring all issues affecting the world of table grapes to the forefront and lead to lively discussions during panel sessions. “The symposium undoubtedly will lead to discussions that are uppermost in the minds of the world’s table grape growers,” says Schalk Reynolds, chairperson of the 10 ITGS organising committee. E

The man dubbed ‘Dr Food’ will be one of the keynote speakers at the International Table Grape Symposium in Cape Town.

David Hughes is a renowned and popular speaker when it comes to the food business

Showcasing

Experience

Panel

ClemenGold marks 20th

anniversary

After two decades, leading citrus brand ClemenGold says celebrations are the order of the day at Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong.

by Fred Meintjes

The ClemenGold premium mandarin brand is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

From its humble beginnings in South Africa, where it is available exclusively at high-end retailer Woolworths, citrus lovers in more than 45 countries can now purchase the fruit with its distinctive black teardrop-shaped sticker.

In the world of fruit cultivar

development, 20 years may not raise eyebrows considering how long the breeding process takes. However, in the life of a citrus brand, two decades represents a definite milestone.

“When the ClemenGold mandarin brand was established in 2003, branding fruit was still in its infancy,” says Abs van Rooyen, whose idea it was to name and trademark the Nadorcott variety at

“As the brand’s presence grew and consumers came to ask for it by name, we moved it into the lifestyle space”

a time when fruit was still mostly sold as a commodity.

“Marketing is all about storytelling, and I just knew that the Nadorcott had a story to tell,” he notes. “But a story needs to be backed with something substantial to gain the consumer’s trust and earn their loyalty. For ClemenGold, this is its consistent quality promise.”

For a consumer brand like ClemenGold, providing consistently good eating quality fruit is the cornerstone in the growth and sustainability of its business model.

“Adhering to this principle creates long-term consumer loyalty, and in return, some stability in the value chain,” says Van Rooyen. “Crops vary from year to year for many reasons but adhering to a minimum quality standard ensures that the consumer is never left with the proverbial ‘bad taste in their mouth’.

When we first approached growers to plant the Nadorcott and buy into the branding and marketing approach, most were sceptical – and rightly so,” he recalls. “Issues concerning quality and flavour, and ease of peeling, were mostly hit-and-miss with the range of easypeelers/soft citrus available at the time and seedlessness wasn’t even a consideration to consumers.”

Marketing manager Adéle Ackermann says that it made sense to initially focus on the physical attributes of the fruit. “As the brand’s presence grew and consumers came to increasingly ask for it by name, we’ve strategically moved the brand into the lifestyle space.” This means the focus shifts onto showing how the product solves everyday challenges, like having little time to prepare healthy lunchboxes, providing healthy on-the-go snacks, or creating inspiration in terms of time spent in the kitchen cooking and baking.

The success of a fruit brand also creates a sense of pride amongst those growing and packing it. Indigo Fruit Farming, ClemenGold’s largest supply partner, prides itself in its ability to successfully produce, pack and match available fruit to the different markets and the various countries’ consumer needs. E

LEFT—

Indigo Fruit Farming, ClemenGold’s largest supply partner

EU to bow to chemical industry

A key element of the EU’s Green Deal could be dropped, as leaked document points to climbdown on hazardous chemicals ban.

by Tom Joyce @tomfruitnet

Leaked documents suggest the European Commission is set to renege on its commitment to “ban the most harmful chemicals in consumer products, allowing their use only where essential” and bow to pressure from the chemical industry.

Thousands of hazardous substances were expected to be prohibited as part of Europe’s

Green Deal, including so-called “forever” chemicals that build up in nature and humans over time.

However, one EU official told the Guardian, “We are being pushed to be less strict on industry all the time” in reference to the pressure being exerted by Europe’s chemical industry, as well as rightwing political parties.

“A leaked legislative document seen by the Guardian proposes

LEFT—Restricting “forever” chemicals was meant to be a key part of the EU’s Green Deal

three options that would restrict 1 per cent, 10 per cent or 50 per cent of products containing hazardous chemicals currently on the market,” the newspaper stated. “The EU typically selects the middle option.”

An anonymous EU official added: “The feeling in the commission is almost like it’s a given that we cannot create too much trouble for industry – irrespective of the public health benefits – and that companies suffer a lot from our regulations on chemicals, so we should try to make it easier on them.”

The leaked 77-page impact study is part of a revision of targets in the EU’s Reach regulation on chemicals law, dated 13 January 2023 and due to be launched by the end of the year.

The dra analysis estimated annual health savings of €11bn-€31bn from chemical bans as a result of reduced illness from cancer and obesity, while the cost to industry was estimated to be €0.9bn-€2.7bn a year.

With EU elections looming in spring 2024, campaigners had long been concerned that European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen would seek to mollify her political base in Germany by showing leniency to an industry so important to the German economy.

In October, German giant BASF revealed it would scale back its operations in Europe permanently, citing rising energy costs and regulation concerns. E

UN calls for transformation of food systems

The UN has launched an initiative to accelerate the transformation of global food systems and get the SDGs back on track.

by Tom Joyce @tomfruitnet

Amina J Mohammed, deputy secretary-general of the UN, says that transforming our food systems must be a priority as the world struggles to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Nearly half of the SDGs are “moderately or severely off track”, according to the UN, with 37 per cent of targets showing no change.

“Transforming our food systems is one key to ge ing the world back on track and reversing these worrying trends,” Mohamed said at the UN Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment in Rome. Access to financing for transforming food systems was identified by the UN as the “single most urgent need”, and Mohammed said the launch of the Food Systems Window investment strategy would help address the lack of resources and “turn the situation around”.

She said the new initiative would “catalyse the

Climate change a “pandemic”

Alain-Richard Donwahi, a former Côte d’Ivoire defence minister and president of last year’s UN Cop15 summit on desertification, told the Guardian that the effects of drought were being felt more rapidly than anticipated.

“Climate change is a pandemic that we need to fight quickly,” he said. “See how fast the degradation of the climate is going – I think it’s going even faster than we predicted. Everyone is fixated on 1.5C, and it’s a very important target. But actually, some very bad things could happen, in terms of soil degradation, water scarcity and desertification, way before 1.5C.”

Food security, he said, was being jeopardised by rising temperatures, heatwaves and harsher droughts and floods.

“[Look at] the effects of droughts on food security, the effects of droughts on migration of population, the effect of droughts on inflation. We could have an acceleration of negative effects, other than temperature,” Donwahi said.

rapid and system-wide action needed for food system transformation under the UN Food Systems Hub”.

Mohammed also spoke about the use of space technology in transforming agrifood systems. “If we can effectively harness its potential,” she said, “space technology could become among the most significant new technologies for agricultural and agrifood systems and ultimately lead to more sustainable, resilient and efficient agri-food systems.”

Space technologies, the UN says, can help to boost sustainability, increase farmers’ yields, cut down on costs of fertilisers, fuel and pesticides, protect land from degradation and improve soil quality. E

ABOVE—The UN’s Amina J Mohammed wants food system transformation to be a priority

19|20.9.2023 DÜSSELDORF

THE LEADING EVENT FOR THE GERMAN FRESH PRODUCE BUSINESS

> Meet key people in the business and discover valuable new ideas

> Listen to top-level speakers sharing insights and analysing the latest trends

> Connect, network and advance your business

400+ delegates expected among them many high-level retail representatives

Simultaneous translation in plenary sessions in German and English LAST CHANCE - BUY TICKETS NOW

registration link www.dogkongress.de/anmelden

Need more information?

Contact our team: events@fruchthandel.de, tel. +49 -211-99104-10

www.dogkongress.de

Tesco: “Growers need certainty to plan for future”

Tesco’s Dominic Morrey stressed the importance of long-term certainty for producers at a Lords horticulture inquiry, naming fair pricing and a workable seasonal worker scheme as priorities.

by Tom Joyce @tomfruitnet

The UK’s Seasonal Worker Scheme is “not currently fit for purpose”, according to Dominic Morrey, commercial director for fresh food and commodities at Tesco, speaking to the House of Lords Horticultural Sector Committee.

“I think the number of countries that it draws from makes it hard to administer and potentially leaves it open to poor practice, such as fees being sought in advance of people coming,” he explained. “And any time you spread that out, it does make auditing and keeping to the standard that we would all want to be adhered to hard to deliver.”

Asked how growers could be assisted during this period of high costs, Morrey stressed the need for certainty so growers could plan accordingly.

“Our suppliers want certainty,” he said. “So, you know, the seasonal workers scheme – being unclear as to whether it’s going to get extended or not, is not helpful when they’re planning. Increasingly, planning permission for things like glasshouse structures can be challenging. We’ve talked about climate impacts, the ability to plan and have reservoirs of water storage.”

He said the company’s policy of offering longer-term contracts was part of that effort. “I talk to everyone about Branston, our potato packer who supply us from 130 Tesco sustainable farm groups,”

he said. “We’re in a five-year contract with them, and what these types of contracts do is allow certainty that the volumes and business will be there for the long term and allows them to plan their investments. If it’s a potato facility, it may be storage or grading equipment. If you’re talking about so fruit it could be about laying down new glass.”

Along with long-term certainty, he said, it was essential to have “fair and transparent” prices. “Clearly, if people aren’t paid a fair price then the industry isn’t sustainable,” he stated. “Fair pricing is fundamental to offering people long-term certainty around the investments they’re making. Short-termism doesn’t have any place in supporting this particular part of the industry.”

Morrey said that Tesco sought to support local growers by always choosing sustainably produced domestic produce over imports.

“Vegetables is a very good example,” he said. “Twothirds of what we would sell in Tesco would be UK sourced and about one-third imported. Clearly,

in-season our aspiration is to always have 100 per cent of that product UK-sourced and produced. So April to October, areas like broccoli, cauliflower, iceberg le uce, at the moment it’s all fully UK-supplied and sourced. The longer British seasons, things like kale, would go on for longer than that.

“In the UK season, we’re fully commi ed to being 100 per cent UK-sourced where we can do so. For products like tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, we increased our tonnage last year by 20 per cent year on year. Currently we’re the only supermarket that’s got peppers in stores that are 100 per cent UK, so that is always our focus.”

For apples and pears, Morrey said Tesco intended to increase its support for local production, including in areas like storage to extend the selling season.

“We are the UK’s biggest seller of British apples and pears, and our volume increased by 35 per cent last year,” he said. “Apples and pears is an area where we feel we have a strong commitment to the UK grower base, we’re the number one seller of those products by tonnage, and we’re looking to grow that further.” E

ABOVE—Morrey said Tesco always prioritised local when in season

Webfleet helps Riverford reach EV goals

The organic veg box company is using Webfleet’s management solution to maximise the efficiency of its electric vans.

by Tom Joyce @tomfruitnet

UK organic supplier Riverford is making use of Webfleet’s EV fleet management solution to help delivery drivers of its vegetable boxes “overcome EV range anxiety, manage routes better and navigate efficiently to charge points”.

The so ware enables Riverford to track vehicle location, ba ery health, remaining driving range and real-time energy consumption on its 65 electric delivery vans, directing drivers to the closest charging location when low on fuel.

Nearly a third of Riverford’s fleet is now electrified, and the company said it was “on track to become a 100 per cent final mile electric delivery fleet by 2025”.

“Riverford has always had sustainability at its heart, and the health of people and planet is a top

priority for us,” said James Welton, fleet manager at Riverford. “With Webfleet, we’re pu ing this into action by helping to take the stress out of anticipating charging needs for our drivers.”

Webfleet’s integral OptiDrive functionality provides drivers with direct feedback on speed, steering and braking before, during and a er each trip, helping them to drive more safely and efficiently.

“We find OptiDrive really useful as it gives us a clearly illustrated breakdown of our drivers’ performance, so we can offer specific coaching and support where it is needed,” Welton said.

The integrated Mantis live camera system gives Riverford access to video footage to be able to constantly review and improve safety for its drivers.

In addition, Webfleet’s open integration capabilities means the system is future-proofed. “Looking ahead, it’s great to know that the system allows for integration of other solutions too, without us having to worry about switching to a new platform,” Welton added.

“We’ve built a bespoke infrastructure to help Riverford raise the bar in fleet safety, efficiency and compliance,” said Andy Bu , installation manager at In Car Technology. “The solution is already delivering on these business objectives in spades.”

Beverley Wise, Webfleet regional director for Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, added: “Innovation and a progressive mindset are vital for successful transport decarbonisation. Riverford have grasped the baton, bringing us another strong example of how data-driven mobility solutions can help us pivot towards a more sustainable future.” E

ABOVE—Nearly a third of Riverford’s delivery fleet is now powered by electricity

Throughput down at Antwerp-Bruges

The port said it limited the impact of economic instability as container demand fell in the first six months of 2023.

by Carl Collen @carlfruitnet

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has revealed that total throughput stood at 139m tonnes during the first six months of this year, a fall of 5.5 per cent compared with the same period of 2022. While the global economic situation caused a drop in demand for container transport, other cargo flows showed a “mixed picture”.

”In the current unstable economic conditions, the port is holding up well and is also gaining market share in container handling compared to the other ports in the Hamburg-Le Havre range,” it stated.

Operational challenges and congestion at the container terminals were resolved after two difficult years, with deviated cargo returning. This resulted in an

“In the current unstable conditions the port is holding up well and is gaining market share in container handling”

improvement in the second quarter (-4.6 per cent in TEU) compared to the results after the first quarter of this year (-5.8 per cent in TEU).

However, the uncertain economic situation, decreasing industrial production and low consumer confidence led to a global slowdown in demand for container transport of as much as 9 per cent in the first quarter of this year. This meant a decrease in container handling at Port of Antwerp-Bruges of 5.9 per cent in tonnes and 5.2 per cent in TEUs, compared with the first six months of 2022.

However, Antwerp-Bruges said that, compared with the other ports in the Hamburg-Le Havre range, its market share increased by 1 percentage point to 30.6 per cent in the first three months of 2023.

FRUIT DRIVES REEFER GROWTH

In contrast to the overall decline in container throughput, the number of reefer containers grew by 10.6 per cent compared with the same period of 2022. The port said that an important part of this was down to fruit such as bananas, kiwifruit, pineapples, melons, citrus and lychees.

”Handling these perishables requires the necessary expertise and specialisation, which specialised terminals, coldstores and logistics service providers take care of,” it said. ”They make Port of AntwerpBruges the most important fruit port of Europe.”

Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of Port of AntwerpBruges, confirmed that the economic situation continued to pose “major challenges” as it had around the world, and this was reflected in the figures.

”But in these volatile conditions, the port is holding up relatively well,” he said. “The fact that, in addition, our market share is increasing is a confirmation of our resilience and strength as a merged port.” E

ABOVE—Port of Antwerp-Bruges gained market share in the first half of 2023

RIGHT—Fruit such as bananas drove greater reefer container volumes

South African fruit industry welcomes new Durban port deal

Observers ask port operator Transnet to extend private sector involvement to other ports in the country.

by Fred Meintjes

The South African fruit sector has broadly welcomed the announcement of private sector involvement in the container terminal at the Port of Durban, South Africa’s biggest export port, with many exporters claiming the country’s logistical woes will only be resolved if similar action is taken in other export ports.

South Africa’s transport authority, Transnet, recently announced that an international terminal operator, International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), has been selected as its equity partner at Durban’s Container Terminal Pier 2, Transnet’s biggest container terminal, handling 72 per cent of the Port of Durban’s throughput and 46 per cent of South Africa’s port traffic.

Port users in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape have now said similar steps should be taken in Coega, near Port Elizabeth and in Cape Town. They point out that all South African ports consistently suffer from logistical inefficiencies which need to be resolved. The export industry in the Western Cape again this year experienced disruption and delays which it believes can only be resolved by private sector involvement in the management of the port.

The Cape Town Container Terminal has its own unique set of problems, of which the positioning of the port in Cape Town’s notorious wind belt is one. Once

again this year, wind caused delays to operations and vessels entering and leaving the port, affecting fruit quality.

Durban is the most important port for South African citrus, while Cape apple and pear exporters, as well as table grape exporters, also use the port for shipments to the Far and Near East. This is because they simply do not have enough direct shipping opportunities via the port of Cape Town.

The citrus industry has described the Transnet announcement as good news all round. “It’s good news for labour, business and government,” said the Citrus Growers’ Association (CGA) CEO, Justin Chadwick.

“In the short term, DCT Pier 2 employees will be seconded to the new entity – with no retrenchments and the same terms and conditions as before. It is especially good news for port labour in the long term, as the new partner will help reposition and implement best practice performance, ensuring growth in volume throughput.”

Chadwick said increased volume throughput would result in more employment, not only at DCT but also for ancillary goods and services. “It is also good news for the Durban economy which relies heavily on a wellfunctioning port to boost business.”

He pointed out that a well-functioning Durban port also benefits people employed in the sectors that use the port to export and import cargo – an effective and efficient port is essential for export sectors such

as vehicles, mining and agriculture. “It is good news for business as the present trajectory of port performance was concerning,” he said.

Chadwick noted that there had been concerns about cargo moving to ports in Mozambique and Namibia. According to the CGA CEO, Durban port is now poised to continue as the gateway to Africa because the port has so many advantages over other options, especially now that the main freeway to Gauteng has been upgraded.

Observers said pressure will continue on Transnet to take similar steps at other ports. At the same time pressure is also mounting on Transnet to improve its rail network. The CGA has already asked the government to address the matter. E

TOP—Container Terminal Pier 2 handles 72 per cent of Durban’s throughput

Albert Heijn continues down road to net zero

The retailer has committed to using only electric vehicles in three more Dutch cities after the successful roll-out of its pilot scheme in The Hague.

by Mike Knowles @mikefruitnet

Dutch retail chain Albert Heijn has started to convert all of its home and store delivery transport in central Rotterdam to electric vehicles, and plans to do the same later this year in Amsterdam and Utrecht.

This follows the successful rollout of a similar EV scheme in The Hague, The company said the move would improve local air quality for customers and residents. By the end of 2024, all customers and shops in Ro erdam will be delivered emission-free, with the other two locations following suit soon a er.

“Making transport more sustainable is an important pillar for us,” says Constantijn Ninck Blok, director of logistics and chain at Albert Heijn. “With more electric kilometers in our cities, we can deliver quieter and cleaner. With this we improve the impact of transport on noise and local CO2 emissions.”

Compared with a diesel truck, each electric truck apparently saves 75,000kg of CO2 per year, while an electric van saves 13,000kg per year compared with a diesel equivalent.

Key to Albert Heijn’s plan is its Pijnacker distribution centre.

Situated just to the north of Ro erdam, this facility is home to the Netherlands’ largest fast-charging centre for electric trucks. Much of the electricity it uses is generated by more than 10,000 solar panels on the roof.

ENVIRONMENTAL CHARGE

Albert Heijn’s clean transport plan is part of a wider effort to reduce its environmental impact. Earlier this year, it revealed that it now sources more than half of its fresh fruit and veg from within the Netherlands.

That’s because the retail chain no longer sells fresh fruit and vegetables that have been transported by air. All products – including sugar snap peas, green beans and passion fruit – are now only stocked if they arrive by sea or road.

The decision, which was first announced in 2022, is part of the company’s strategy to source fresh produce from within the Netherlands whenever possible and to use more sustainable modes of transport for the items it imports.

“From 1 June 2023, all our unprocessed fruit and vegetables will be transported via sea container or road transport,” says Henk van Harn, director of merchandising and sourcing at Albert Heijn, who added that such a policy cannot be implemented at the drop of a hat.

“You don’t make a choice like that overnight,” he explains. “We also have a responsibility towards our suppliers with whom we have been working for decades.” E

LEFT—Albert Heijn’s new electric trucks and vans will cut CO2 emissions

Aldi partners with Ifco

Ifco completes roll-out as the exclusive provider of RPCs and pooling services for Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd across Europe.

by Carl Collen @carlfruitnet

Reusable packaging container (RPC) specialist

Ifco completed the European roll-out of RPCs for Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd at the beginning of May 2023. Ifco is the exclusive provider of RPCs for fresh fruit and vegetables across the Aldi supply chain, meaning the discount retailers have “secured long-term higher logistics efficiency and even more sustainability”.

”From a logistics perspective, the flat design of folded Ifco RPCs optimises the capacity of shipments, which reduces the cost and carbon footprint of transporting empty RPCs, while the sturdy nature of the RPCs ensures a more stable and protective palletisation and transportation of fresh products,” Ifco outlined.

Following the principles of the circular economy and to minimise the environmental impact of the switch, the discount retailers and Ifco worked together to ensure containers from the original Aldi Süd proprietary pool would not go to waste. Specifically,

ABOVE—Ifco is the exclusive provider

old containers were granulated and re-manufactured into new robust Ifco RPCs and incorporated in to the Ifco SmartCycle pooling system, closing the loop and avoiding waste.

“Our priority was to ensure the switch to Ifco RPCs across the Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd European operations would be as sustainable as possible,” said Christoph

Chiquita increases PrimeLine investment

Chiquita Brands company Great White Fleet has announced that it has increased its investment in Carrier Transicold PrimeLine container refrigeration units.

The ocean carrier added 800 PrimeLine units to transport bananas on routes from Central America to North America, a decision based on what it called ”the solid performance and energy efficiency of its existing PrimeLine units”.

“Energy conservation is vital to Great White Fleet’s green transportation initiatives, and we are pleased that PrimeLine not only reduces fuel consumption related to shipboard power generation but also reduces emissions proportionately, helping us to shrink our carbon footprint,” said Stefano Di Paolo, president of Great White Fleet..

Trixl, vice-president North and Central Europe at Ifco.

“This complex project was a success thanks to the close and innovative collaboration between the teams and our shared objectives,” he explained. ”Together, we have achieved a very positive result. We’re proud of the customercentric outcome, which sets sustainability benchmarks for circular models in packaging for the fresh grocery retail landscape.” E

of RPCs for fresh fruit and vegetables across the Aldi supply chain

Posted by Tom Joyce

Postponing the delays

One question every Brit must get used to when venturing abroad these days is how Brexit has impacted the country. The truth is that Brexit hasn’t even really started yet, as border controls appear set to be delayed for the fifth time. The responsibility for inflicting the real “impact” of that 2016 referendum will clearly have to be passed on to whoever’s barmy enough to actually go through with it.

Ever since Boris Johnson, seemingly on a whim, decided to support the Brexit cause (“What’s the most you’ve ever lost on a coin toss?”), this particular can was likely to be kicked and kicked again, preferably to be forgotten in some lay-by. Yet as recently as April, UK ministers were forecasting the commencement of a new import regime this autumn. Since his installation as PM, however, Rishi Sunak hasn’t appeared especially enthusiastic to make himself even more unpopular, while Liz Truss simply wasn’t given enough time to do any more than crash the national economy. The reason given for the postponement this time around is to control price pressures on consumers as inflation bites.

Of course, British goods exported to the EU already undergo full checks, as those facing lengthy waits at the border will attest to. The food industry has warned that plans to charge a flat-rate inspection fee of up to £43 on each consignment of food coming from the EU would drive up prices, with the government estimating total extra costs of £420m a year.

Clearly the implementation of such a policy will have to wait on the arrival of someone unafraid of taking the difficult decisions. Arise Sir Keir “Prepared-to-take-the-tough-decisions” Starmer. With Labour consistently far ahead in the polls, and the Conservatives continuing to oversee the decline of virtually everything, it’s hard to see what could stop the Labour leader. But predicting what such a government might do in power is no easy task, given Starmer’s penchant for changing his mind. Famous as the man who pushed Labour to adopt the disastrous position of holding a second EU referendum during the ‘Get Brexit Done’ election of 2019, Starmer now considers the debate over and, as the likely next prime minister, might well be the only person now prepared to enforce the Hard Brexit nearly everyone had vowed to avoid. But hopefully he’ll change his mind. E

Fruit Attraction Special

With two major trade fairs coming up this month, our bumper Eurofruit October issue is the ideal place to share your company’s news and raise your brand’s profile. Distributed at Fruit Attraction and the Global Produce and Floral Show in the US, we’ll make sure you reach your target audience. If you want to reinforce your presence in one – or both – events, or if you simply wish to reach as wide an audience as possible on both sides of the Atlantic, don’t miss the chance to be part of this publication.

We bring you a preview of both fairs, and take a look at what’s in store for the forthcoming Southern Hemisphere berry and Northern European citrus campaigns. Our category focus highlights brassicas, peppers, pumpkins and squash, while Greece, Argentina and Peru are the stars of our supplier spotlights

STORE CHECK

REWE

DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY

A few years ago, we published photos from a supermarket in the arrivals hall at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. For this correspondent, not used to seeing such a wide array of fresh produce at a major air transport hub, the store was a revelation. Here in this branch of Rewe, at Düsseldorf International Airport, we found a similarly impressive outlet with a tidy, ample assortment of fruit and veg on display. Should this be a surprise? Not really. But it's certainly a rare thing in an airport. And yet, what a wholesome and heartwarming way to welcome visitors and returning travellers. E

Goodfarmer ranked the first in the volume and sales among China's self-operated imported banana enterprises in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.（Data sources: CFNA)