Citrus

Year 2014 sees the market launch of new packaging for oranges and clementines with a vintage feel, called “Classic Edition” and available both for the Monna Lisa® and Unicorn® brands. A smaller than conventional box, with a net weight of approximately 5 kilos for clementines and 4 kilos for oranges. A practical format designed to become a sales unit aimed at the final consumer. The “Classic Edition” concept will be available all year round and maintains the same quality and flavour features of the Super Extra and Special Selection packagings.
In addition, to diversify its product origins, Hispalco now includes grapes and cherries produced and packaged in Italy – La Gioconda® and Unicorn®. For the coming campaign we will have Moro and Tarocco variety Italian oranges, as well as kiwis, apples, nectarines, peaches and apricots produced and packaged in France – La Joconde® and Unicorn®. Hispalco will be introducing all these products at stand B-8, Hall 11.2 of the Fruit Logistica trade fair. Hispalco mainly operates in European markets, including Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe, as well as the United States, Canada and Persian Gulf countries. Nevertheless, the company’s policy at these latest destinations is caution, where “growth has two take place gradually and securely”, explained its managers.
In reference to their quality certificates, in 2013 they achieved the High Level acknowledgement, becoming one of the few Spanish companies to achieve this rating. Hispalco’s main aim is that the Premium quality of their products should match their flavour. The company’s future plans include introducing new fruits of non-Spanish origin and coming up with new designs to surprise us all. The company has been working for three years now with their organic brand Hispalco® Bio, which maintains the same Premium quality and great flavour as the rest of their brands.

Although Brazilian fresh produce is facing challenging times due to the weakening of the Real, Brazilian lime sales represented via ABPEL, the Brazilian Association of Fresh lime producers and exporters, are still in good shape. Brazilian Tahiti lime exports have increased by nearly 15% over these last 3 years. The variety is known as being a juicy, tasty fruit, which is easily combined with many drinks and recipes.
The south of Brazil contributes largely to the production of Tahiti limes (65%), although the north (35%) has been continuously increasing production in recent years. Distribution of Brazilian limes is managed by wholesalers that distribute the produce to retailers and small distributors.
Following ABPEL´s international expansion strategy, some market research is being done to introduce Brazilian limes in Arabic countries, in association with a company member of ABPEL.  Although this exotic fruit’s exports are in good health, the local market moves considerable volumes, too, once the fruit has been harvested at the beginning of the year. The Brazilians very much appreciate a few drops of lime in appetizers and snacks such as sausages, salami, etc. The lime production chain is basically in the hands of small family farm producers who are aware of the sustainability of their business. These families respect the environment, forest and rivers, since they are working for future generations (children and grandchildren) who will inherit the family´s land as the whole family’s main asset and income.  
To get the fresh produce into Europe, ABPEL exporters have been through the entire quality control process (such as GlobalGAP and others) and homologations in order come into line with EU food policy.  With the aim of raising their popularity among European consumers, mainly in the UK and Germany (the main importing countries), ABPEL has been promoting limes over the last year in partnership with APEX (Brazilian Agency for Export and Investment Promotion) through social networks. As a result, nearly 5,000 users in Facebook UK and almost 1,500 in Germany now follow Brazilian Limes and some competitions have been carried out with prizes for some followers. Another initiative is also having an effect, which has been carried out in the social networks. Some gift boxes were sent to 10 food bloggers in the UK and Germany.

The family group’s supply comes to 35,000 tons of prepared produce, including 25,000 tons of citrus, 6,000 of peppers and 4,000 of melons. While the citrus supply is mostly made up of about 20,000 tons of lemons, there are also oranges, clementines and grapefruit, which account for another 5-6000 tons. Added to this, there are around 20,000 t of other vegetables from growers associated with the group, adding to the group’s product range with more tomatoes, lettuces, cucumbers, zucchini and watermelon. They have also started to produce their own tomatoes as of this season, having acquired 17 ha of greenhouses in the Nijar area.  
Germany is their biggest market, accounting for 60% of their exports. Then comes Austria with 15%, then the Nordic countries with 20%, and then France with 5%. They also operate their own transport fleet of about 20 trucks so as to control the entire supply chain. They meet the quality protocols required by customers in the field, the warehouse and in terms of the workplace, with the IFS, GlobalG.A.P., QS and GRASP certifications.
They also take part in the “Bayer Food Chain” program in order to minimize the risks of pesticide residues. “Our goal is to cultivate as safely as possible, with a minimum of waste, optimizing the comprehensive management of our crops,” Daniel and Jose Antonio Rosero explain. “We intend to continue expanding our range, ensuring the utmost safety for our products.”

Four years after its launch, the sweet and seedless easy peeler brand, ClemenGold, is enjoying an enviable position on the shelves of selected Canadian, European and Chinese retailers. Quality, innovation, strong partnerships and sustainability lie at the heart of this easy peeler brand.

Sun ripened and hand-picked by selected growers from South Africa and Spain, as well Australia, Peru and even Morocco; this bright orange citrus fruit, with its lovely peel, has a special taste profile with a well-balanced acid to sugar ratio. ClemenGold also has an excellent shelf life.

“The core value of this easy peeler brand is ensuring that only consistently good eating quality fruit is marked and supplied as ClemenGold. To ensure this, quality inspections are conducted on three levels: at source, on arrival in the marketplace and in-store,” says Michelle Kruger, Global Brand Director at ClemenGold.

With the Citrus Black Spot issue in the EU breathing heavily down the neck of some ClemenGold supply countries, new markets are being explored, and securing the supply of good quality, ‘healthy’ fruit is crucial.

The ClemenGold brand has thus far only included the Nadorcott variety, and the original raison d’être for the trademark was to differentiate and protect the value of good quality for Nadorcott in the face of a growing volume of varied quality.

But to stay ahead of the curve, businesses have to take risks and innovate. New varieties that fit the ClemenGold profile are currently being experimented with and some are already beyond the trial phase.