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New features for Fruit Attraction 2015

FA15

An ‘Organic Hub’ showcasing organic horticultural products will be among the new features at this year’s Fruit Attraction, being held October 28–30 in Madrid.

Other new highlights are an international caqui congress and an exhibition area dedicated exclusively to distribution and logistics companies in the fruit and vegetable sector.

And according to Fruit Attraction managing director Raúl Calleja, the fair’s popular B2BFruit New Markets Business meetings service  – bringing together exhibitors and buyers from new international markets – will be expanded.

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Raúl Calleja

This year the international trade show for the fruit and vegetable sector Industry will also feature Tech4Fruits, an exhibition area focused on technology that improves production levels and quality and thus increases competitiveness.

And Fruit Attraction will offer three different types of stands – including ones named Gold and Premium –  to ensure exhibitors’ platforms adapt more closely to the needs; an even greater intensity of promotion in Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, and a wider programme of internacionales guests.

Distribution and logistics space

According to organisers, the new area devoted to fruit and vegetables distribution and logistics companies aims to highlight the importance of logistics infrastructure for international trade in fresh fruit and vegetables, and its contribution to the optimisation of efficiency and profitability.

This new space will also encompass product packaging and selection, containers, the cool chain, labelling, traceability, quality certification, loading areas, fruit terminals, warehouses and so on. “Everything needed in international horticultural trade in order to reach new and ever more distant markets,” organisers IFEMA and FEPEX said.

This seventh of Fruit Attraction will be held in halls 7, 8, 9 and 10 at Feria de Madrid and is expected to bring together about 1,000 exhibiting companies and 50,000 professionals from 90 countries.

Preferential registration for Fruit Attraction 2015 (#FA15) is open at www.fruitattraction.ifema.es and closes on April 10.

 

 

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Coop Group focused on sustainability and variety – and online sales

“Sustainability, variety, quality and pricing performance continue to be the attributes by which it positions itself,” Coop says.

Switzerland’s Coop Group says sustainability and variety are its leitmotif for 2015

Despite a difficult environment, total sales for the internationally active retailer and wholesaler last year inched up 1.4% on 2013. And this year it aims to repeat the feat.

“The supermarkets will focus mainly on sustainability and variety in 2015, when the Coop Group again aims to achieve above-average growth through the online formats Coop@home, Microspot.ch and Nettoshop.ch and the numerous other online shops,” the Basel-based group said in its 2014 annual report, published February 17.

“The Coop Group also aims to more closely combine bricks-and-mortar and online trading through cross-channel solutions.”
“Sustainability, variety, quality and pricing performance continue to be the attributes by which it positions itself,” it said.

The report shows the group – which claims to have the densest network of sales outlets in Switzerland – ran about 1970 retail outlets (supermarkets and specialist retail formats) and 199 in wholesale last year.

Strong growth in online business

Coop described its online business as a strong growth market, one in which its net sales exceeded one billion francs for the first time last year. “Online shops in the retail sector lifted sales 52.4%, while online sales in the wholesale business grew 10.4%,” it said.

Wholesale and production business areas: shift from cash & carry to wholesale supplies

The group’s wholesale operations are conducted through the Transgourmet Group, while the Bell Group and the Coop manufacturing companies comprise its manufacturing operations.

“In the wholesale/production segment, the potential for further growth lies in integrating activities across Europe. Political developments in Russia, including the weakness of the rouble, and the difficult economic trend in Romania pose a challenge.

“In wholesaling, the ongoing shift from cash & carry to wholesale supplies continues. The Transgourmet Group is systematically pursuing its chosen multi-channel strategy, i.e. combining cash & carry and wholesale suppliers, thereby further boosting wholesale supplies. Transgourmet continues to expand its market position by implementing a transnational own brand strategy,” the report said.

Retail: ‘greatest product range diversity in Swiss food retailing’

The group’s retail business spans the Coop Cooperative with its supermarkets and specialist formats, plus subsidiaries.

In 2014, growth In the retail segment was driven especially by the Interdiscount and Microspot.ch formats as well as by the 2014 acquirees Marché Restaurants Schweiz AG and RS Vertriebs AG with the Nettoshop.ch und Schubiger sales brands.

Stocking more than 40,000 items, Coop claims to offer “the greatest product range diversity in Swiss food retailing” with “manufacturer brands, affordable own-label brands, sustainable products or articles for people with allergies or for vegetarians.”

Coop ann report.retail food percentages.png

In 2014, Coop expanded its selection of regional and local products – now sold under its new Miini Region quality seal – and numerous sustainability ranges were extended, for instance the own-label sustainability brand Ünique.

Own-label sustainability brands & quality labels include:

Ünique – Comprising high quality carrots, a vegetable mix and now also cucumbers, Ünique has been marketed in Coop supermarkets since 2014 as an own-label sustainability brand, underpinning Coop’s view “that entire harvests should be utilized and not just parts of them.”

Pro Specie Rara – Parsnips were extremely popular among the vegetables in this line sold by Coop last year. Since 1999 it has been working with the Pro Specie Rara Foundation to maintain the biodiversity of Swiss farming.

Swiss no. 1 in organic

Coop says it is the market leader for organic products, with one in two organic products sold in Switzerland purchased at its stores.

Most of its organic food products are marketed under the Naturaplan own label brand, which posted sales of 1.1 billion francs for organic products in 2014, up 2%. For its organic products, Coop uses the Bio Suisse bud emblem.

Hochstamm Suisse: preserving heritage fruit trees

Since 2008, Coop has worked closely with the Hochstamm Suisse association, which is dedicated to maintaining and fostering standard fruit-tree orchards in Switzerland. These comprise a wide range of fruit varieties and provide habitats for endangered animals. Coop currently stocks around 40 products made entirely from Swiss Hochstamm fruit, including apple and pear juices.

Convenience foods

The Betty Bossi brand of fresh convenience foods – which Coop said is Switzerland’s most successful such range – is sold exclusively by it. In 2014, Coop launched around 150 new Betty Bossi products, for the first time including items to consume warm while “on the go”. In autumn, the “let’s cook” line was launched, comprising pre-prepared vegetables, ready-made sauces and pre-cooked side dishes, making “healthy home cooking easy and without any need to chop and peel.” Coop generated sales of 470 million francs with Betty Bossi products in 2014, up 2.2% on 2013.

Primagusto: first-class fruit and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables with particularly intense flavour are chosen for the Coop own brand Primagusto, which now comprises 42 seasonal products. In 2014, it posted sales of 21 million francs and growth of 26.9%.

Exotic fruit ripening

Among Coop’s manufacturing companies is Banana Ripening Plant Services, with activities including the sourcing, ripening and packaging of bananas and exotic fruit.

Last year it stored and order-picked six banana and three pineapple varieties, in addition to mango, avocado and 42 varieties of dried fruit and nuts, delivering a total of 22,870 tons of bananas, 1,569 tons of dried fruit and 4,256 tons of exotic fruit (pineapples, mangoes, avocados).

The share of bananas bearing the Fairtrade Max Havelaar quality label in the overall banana range rose to nearly 90% and the Banana Ripening Plant increased the share of organic items in its total output to nearly 35% in 2014.

source: Coop Group’s 2014 annual report:

Coop Group key figures for 2014

Total sales: 28,174 CHF million (+ 1.4%)
Net sales: 27,163 CHF million
Net sales in Switzerland: 19,821 CHF million
Net sales abroad: 7,341 CHF million (48.7% generated in Germany)
Net sales from online shops: 1,124 CHF million (+24.1%)
Profit: 470 CHF million (1.7% of net sales)
Employees: about 77,000 (46,270 in retail)
Based in: Basel, Switzerland
Parent: Coop Group Cooperative

Number of sales outlets
Retail: 1,971 (+38)
No. of Coop supermarkets: 837
Wholesale/Production: 199

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Coop net sales abroad.png

 

Read the report here.

 

 

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California set new record for table grape crop value in 2014

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California’s table grape growers also harvested second highest volume ever

  • New crop value record of $1.76 billion (€1.62b)
  • Second largest crop ever
  • 110 million 19 lb boxes marketed
  • Export volume & value second highest in history
  • 44.5 million 19lb boxes shipped
  • Exports value $857 million (€789m).
  • 40% of total crop volume exported
  • Top volume export markets included Canada, Mexico & China/Hong Kong

As it gears up for the start of its new season next month, California’s table grape sector has released figures showing the last one was a bumper in both value and volume.

California Table Grape Commission president Kathleen Nave said that overall, last year was a good one for most growers. “The industry was able to successfully harvest and ship a large crop at good prices over a very long season.”

Nave expects this season to mirror that of 2014 in timing, beginning late April and running through January. With the start thus only a month away, the commission is gearing up its global campaign. “The commission campaign focuses on motivating the trade to promote, and consumers to buy, more grapes from California more often,” she said.

According to a commission press release, 2014 saw the state’s table grape growers net their second biggest crop ever – 110 million 19 lb boxes marketed – as well as their second biggest export volume and value – 44.5 million 19 lb boxes shipped at a value of $857 million.

The top volume export markets included (with amount of 19 pound boxes shipped):

  • Canada 11.4 million
  • Mexico 5.7 million
  • China/Hong Kong 5.5 million

Just over 40 percent of the total crop volume was exported.

 

 

 

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Salmonella, pesticide residues, lead and tin caused EU food concerns last week

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Lead, tin, salmonella and unacceptable pesticide residues were among the hazards in fruit and vegetables listed by the EU’s  RASFF – Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed – portal last week.
Frozen raspberries from Ukraine with a high content of lead – 0.38 mg/kg –  were reported by Poland as rejected at border before being placed on the market.
Similarly, the UK refused paan leaves from India for the presence of Salmonella spp.
And red grapes from Peru and oranges and lemons from Turkey – all linked to unacceptable pesticide residues – were among other foods rejected at border within the EU.

Tin in loquats, pesticide residues in minneolas

Tin in loquats from China and Germany provoked an alert after a report from Switzerland and residues of the pesticide carbofuran were behind information notifications issued for foods including spring onions from Thailand and fresh chili and cabbage from Vietnam.

A notification was also issued for minneolas from the US after The Netherlands reported the presence of an unauthorised substance, the pesticide carbaryl at 2.4 mg/kg.

RASFF notification types

According to the RASFF, border rejections concern food and feed consignments that have been tested and rejected at the external borders of the EU (and the European Economic Area – EEA) when a health risk has been found. The notifications are sent to all EEA border posts in order to reinforce controls and ensure that the rejected product does not re-enter the EU through another border post.

Alert notifications are sent when a food or feed presenting a serious health risk is on the market and when rapid action is required. The RASFF member that identifies the problem and takes the relevant actions (e.g. withdrawal of the product) triggers the alert. The goal of the notification is to give all RASFF members the information to confirm whether the product in question is on their market, so that they can also take the necessary measures.

While information notifications are used when a risk has been identified about food or feed placed on the market, but the other members do not have to take rapid action. This is because the product has not reached their market or is no longer present on their market or because the nature of the risk does not require rapid action.

RASFF notifications

Image: Warning sign by penubag via Wikimedia Commons

 

 

 

 

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Patent for Syngenta melons that stay on vine longer

New melon plants whose fruit stays on the vine longer are the subject of a new patent for Syngenta Participations AG.

Melon plants with fruit that stays on the vine longer are the subject of a new patent for Syngenta Participations AG.

The melons produced have high total solids and/or firm flesh, the Swiss agri-business also says in patent documents published by the US Patent and Trademark Office under the title: “Inbred melon lines ME007 and ME009.“

Explaining the background to the invention, Syngenta said many cantaloupe varieties are climacteric, meaning ripening is associated with ethylene production, resulting in abscission (‘slip’) from the vine. “Climacteric fruits may abscise from the vine prior to optimal sugar deposition, which may adversely impact taste. Accordingly, it would be desirable to develop improved melon plants having improved taste, shelf life and/or shipping characteristics,” it said.

In a summary of the invention, Syngenta said that in representative embodiments, its invention provides “novel non-climacteric melon plants that produce fruit that are able to remain on the vine longer (i.e., they do not abscise or “slip” from the vine) than a climacteric melon, which may result in improved taste and/or sweetness.”

It also talked about representative embodiments where “the melon plants of the invention are characterized by two or more of these characteristics: non-climacteric fruit ripening, a fruit having a firm flesh and/or a fruit having high soluble solids.”

And it said that in further exemplary embodiments, “the melon plants of the invention are characterized by fruit having an enhanced sugar (e.g., sucrose) content and/or a sweeter taste and/or having a longer field shelf life and/or post-harvest shelf life.“

The patent was granted last November 4. Read about it here by clicking on ‘full text’.
 

Photo: a conventional melon and slice by Renee Comet via Wikimedia Commons.

 

 

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Spain exporting more fruit, less tomatoes and lettuce

Spanish exports of fruit and vegetables were up 3.6% in volume and 3.4% in value this January compared to the last one, with a volume of 1.28 million tons and value of €1.14 million.

Spain’s orange exports lift 23% this January compared to the first month of 2014

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Spanish exports of fruit and vegetables were up 3.6% in volume and 3.4% in value this January compared to the last one, with a volume of 1.28 million tons and value of €1.14 million. But for vegetables alone, Spain’s exports were actually down 2% in both volume and value – to 620,219 tons and €619.4 million respectively – due to a fall in trade in the country’s main two vegetable exports: tomatoes and lettuce.

Fepex, the Spanish federation of associations of producers and exporters of fruit, vegetables, flowers and live plants, said it was concerned that both the value and volume had dropped for vegetables, “because it affects crops such as tomato and lettuce which are of major social and economic importance for the sector in Spain.”

Using Spanish government figures, Fepex estimates tomato exports were down 12.7% in volume and 6.6% in value to 136,072 tons and €152 million respectively, while lettuce was down 9.4% in volume and 2.6% in value, to 93,906 tons and €87.8 million. And while cucumber was up 11% to 98,257 tons, it was down 26% in value.

Spanish fruit exports

Fepex also reported the following export figures for this January:

  • Mandarin up 3.5% to 272 676 tons
  • Orange up 23% to 243,242 tons
  • Lemon up 12% 61,218 tons
  • Persimmon up 10% to 16,542 tons
  • Strawberry up 24% more to 8,827 tons
  • Avocado up 30% to 8,028 tons

Read Fepex press release (in Spanish)

 

 

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Highlights of EU fruit and vegetable production

Flags_of_European_Union

A recent Eurostat article included a handy snapshot of fruit and vegetable production in the EU. Based on the Eurostat publication ‘Agriculture, forestry and fishery statistics’, the article provides summaries of some of the main crops in the region, as follows:

Tomatoes
The EU is one of the main global producers of tomatoes. In 2013, it grew an estimated 14.9 million tons of tomatoes, of which about two thirds came from Italy and Spain.
Open-air production is typical in southern EU Member States and is complemented by all-season greenhouses production which is typical of countries such as the Netherlands or Belgium.

Carrots
About 5.1 million tons of carrots were grown by the EU-28 in 2013. Carrot production was relatively high in Poland and the UK — together these two countries accounted for a little over one quarter (14.3% and 13.5% respectively) of EU-28 output. Carrot tonnages have remained relatively stable – at around 0.7–0.8 million tons – in these two EU Member States over 2000–13 period.

Onions
The EU-28 produced about 5.7 million tons of onions in 2013.
The Netherlands and Spain are its two main onion producing countries, accounting for just over two fifths (44%) of total EU-28 output in 2013. Since 2006, production in the Netherlands has risen relatively sharply.

Fruit: Apples & Citrus
Around 12 million tons of apples were produced in the EU-28 in 2013. Apples are produced in almost all EU Member States, although Poland, Italy and France are by far the largest producers.
Citrus fruit production in the EU is much more restricted by climatic conditions; the vast majority of citrus fruit is grown by Spain.

Production of fruit and vegetables, 2013

source: ‘Agricultural production – crops’, Eurostat, 2015

image: by Thw1309 via Wikimedia Commons
 

 

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Banana sector logistics and challenges

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Shipping alliances to play a leading role

Shipping companies plying the banana export routes now also have to deal with the challenge of cutting costs in the face of falling ocean freight rates. Forging alliances will be a strong strategy to maintain competitive edge. One of the most important has been put forward by Maersk and MSC, with an alliance likely to move around a third of all banana cargoes through the world’s most heavily trafficked trade routes, which will bring enormous benefits, including a substantial reduction in operating costs.

Maersk proposes merger strategies

“You need to think inside the box”, says Thomas Eskesen, Reefer Ship Managing Director from Maersk Line, one of the leading companies in the sector, operating in 252 ports worldwide, in 75 countries. Eskesen has analysed the challenges faced in an increasingly demanding world, where consumers expect very high standards in terms of the quality and speed with which produce reaches them. In this sense, he noted that in Maersk there is still room for improvement in some areas, while new services and tools need to be incorporated in order to stay competitive, although they do have interesting strategies to achieve this. “It’s not only about defence, but also playing offensively; you need to unite in order to expand.” He explains that this way of “thinking inside the box” means that it is necessary to examine ways to improve the company “from the inside”, considering all the resources available and the information to hand. “Today we are trying to identify the root of the problem, attempting to analyse the data that we have and solve the problem along with the client we provide our services to, working together with a common goal, which is the only way to keep the customer satisfied”, adds Eskesen.

Port of Antwerp is strategic entry point for banana in Europe

The main port of entry in Europe for Ecuadorian bananas is Antwerp in Belgium, located very close to the three major fruit consumer markets on the continent (Rungis, Venlo and Duisburg). Representative Germán Calderón explains how “72 hours before the ship’s arrival, the process of releasing the goods begins and, within 24 hours of unloading, the produce is ready for delivery to any of these three big markets, unlike the Port of Rotterdam, which moreover suffers congestion issues, so much so that this year a significant percentage of vessels which used to dock there had to do so in Antwerp.” He also mentioned that the arrival of the fruit through Belgium allows delivery of the produce between 6 and 12 hours faster than if it was channelled through any other port in northern Europe.

New opportunities in banana route to Russia

On the other hand, Russia, with steadily growing per capita annual consumption in recent years, represented a great opportunity for the Ecuadorian banana sector, which has enjoyed a growing share in this market and is now the leading banana exporter to this country. The fruit is mostly traded and shipped in refrigerated containers and mainly enters through the port of St. Petersburg. Forecasts for 2015 point to 41% growth in banana uptake by Russian traders, equivalent to 10.6 kg of banana annually per capita. Vasiliy Shultsev, Sales and Marketing Manager for Global Ports, notes that “the port of St. Petersburg has special facilities for handling this commodity. We handle all transport of the product, even to the remotest locations in Russia, ensuring that the quality is maintained.”

More routes with the Mediterranean

The Marseille-based company is also strengthening its web of routes between southern Europe/Morocco and northern Europe/Russia, on which it uses 1300 reefer boxes. CGA-CGM already owned MacAndrews, acquired in 2002, and has just bought OPDR – which operates similar shortsea services, particularly from Morocco, the Canary Islands and the Iberian Peninsula – from the German shipowner Bernhard Schulte. “This increases our capacity and our commercial strength,” highlighted Michel, “allowing us to develop services that can compete with road transport. Even if our rotation is less flexible than with HGVs, our ships offer cheaper and more environmentally-friendly solutions.” Sea freight currently accounts for 10% of Spain’s fruit and vegetable exports, for instance. At the close of 2014, OPDR should have carried over 240,000 TEU and MacAndrews over 290,000. CGACGM, which carries 10% of the world’s reefer traffic, will have turnover of $16 billion this year (€13 billion), slightly up on last year “although our margins are lower owing to market pressure,” Michel pointed out. CGA-CGM handles the rotation of 10.6 million TEU (traditional and reefer) around the world, in 1.54 million containers carried by 429 ships, 83 of them owned by the company, serving 450 ports of call in 150 countries.

NV
 
 

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World of food India 2015

Annapoorna World of Food India is a leading B2B platform for food and beverage trade, as well as the catering and retail markets.

The 10th edition of the Annapoorna World of Food India will be held this September 14-16 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre iin Mumbai.

The international exhibition is a leading B2B platform for food and beverage trade, as well as the catering and retail markets. It is organised by Koelnmesse YA Tradefair Pvt Ltd and the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

More than a trade fair

Annapoorna World of Food India 2015 will have series of supporting activities organized concurrent to the exhibition: Ÿ

  • A high level conference focusing on the latest trends and developments in the f&b market. Eminent speakers from across the globe are expected to share their knowledge and experience ,
  • A series of live cooking session will be organized during the exhibition days. Highly reputed chefs from all over India will be invited to showcase their skills Ÿ
  • A series of wine tasting sessions by reputed institutes Ÿ
  • Live demonstration of state-of-the-art food service equipment.

Attendees are expected to come from:

Airlines Ÿ Bakeries ,Ÿ Cash & Carry Markets and Hypermarkets,Ÿ Clubs and Resorts,Ÿ Department Stores,Ÿ Fast Food Chains,Ÿ Food Caterers, Food Manufacturers, Food Service Institutions, Hotels, Restaurants and Bars,Ÿ Importers, Distributors, Wholesalers and Retailers, Packaging and Distribution Centers,Ÿ Supermarkets, Grocery & Convenience Stores.
 

For more information please visit: www.worldoffoodindia.com/

 

 
 
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Concerns about Ecuador’s new tariff surcharges

Imported fresh fruit – including oranges and pears – is now subject to a 45% tariff in Ecuador.

Imported fresh fruit – including oranges and pears – is now subject to a 45% tariff in Ecuador.

This comes under a new system – designed to help the country surmount a drop in oil prices and dollar appreciation – which applies surcharges of 5–45% for a period of 15 months on a wide range of goods.

According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the measure was effective as of March 11 and impacts at least 461 food and agricultural product tariff lines.

A report by the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service said it will have a significant impact on the US. “This measure can potentially transform Ecuador into mere bulk commodity (e.g., wheat and cotton) and intermediate goods (e.g., soybean meal) export destination,” it said.

The Andes news agency reports there are also concerns about the move in Chile, which last year exported nearly 61,000 tons of apples to Ecuador.

 

Sources:
la Agencia de Noticias Andes: Ecuador will explain safeguard measures to Chile
USDA FAS GAIN report: Ecuador Announces Unilateral Safeguards on Food and Agricultural Products
Image: Flag-map of Ecuador by Darwinek via Wikimedia Commons