The market for table grapes is globalized: the produce reaches European markets all year round. At the moment, table grapes comes from overseas: South Africa, Chile, India, California and Peru. That is to say, all table grapes producers sell their products on the European markets.
Seedless grapes are the most imported type. All producer countries have relied on these patented hybrid red or white varieties in the last 20 years.
If we analyse the markets as well as consumer needs, we can see how people want to get to know the product, not only by an organoleptic point of view, but they also want to identify its origin.
Alfio Messina from Agrimessina (Puglia), a company specialised in the production and commercialisation of seedless grapes, says that, "even abroad, they tend to connect the product to the territory. In Puglia, the first producer of table grapes in Europe, we have been trying to create a connection between the product and its origin for years. We are now getting the first feedback."
"Of course, in addition to the quality and knowing the origin of the product, consumers want the grapes to be healthy and to comply with specifications and residual limits. Lately, they have also been looking at nutritional aspects, a sign that people are making their choices more carefully."
Agrimessima exports grapes mainly to the United Kingdom, but it also trades with Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Russia, Poland, Czech Republic and other Eastern countries.
Following "direct sourcing", the company has created the first Italian logistics structure in the United Kingdom and, in 2012, it as managed to be the first supplier in terms of value among all other direct suppliers of a famous English supermarket chain.
"Last year, we have distributed approximately 10,000 tons of Italian produce. I stress 'Italian' because, unfortunately, Italy helps launching grapes coming e.g. Morocco or Egypt, which reaches European markets through our Peninsula."
Rather than widening the range of its destination markets, Agrimessina aims at specialising in additional services for mass retailing: "We want to become the main partners of distribution chains, so we can programme production better and guarantee the Italian origin of the fruit on sale, expanding our exports."
Agrimessina has suggested becoming a strategic partner for those farmers and operators in Puglia who want to export to the United Kingdom. "Any interested farmer or operator can become our partner. Together, we will check the quality of the product and find the most suitable strategies to place it. The collaboration between us and the production section must be tight."
"We are flexible in the sense that we can supply our clients with various volumes, from a single platform, with up to 10 trucks per week, and we can do it directly." Agrimessina has handled up to 500/600 tons of grapes per week during peak periods.
According to Messina, during such moments of crisis, the only way to overcome difficulties is the tight collaboration between the agricultural, commercial and distribution world. "The consumption crisis depends on the general economic crisis. But it is precisely now that we have to be flexible and take opportunities that derive from the crisis itself. We need to create packaging that meet the needs of our clients in the different countries and of mass retailing. Consumers today want to buy fruit portions with a set weight and price, so they know how much they are spending and they are encouraged to buy fruit and eat it on the same day. This way, we also avoid refrigerated stocks and waste."
Contacts:
Alfio Messina
Agrimessina Srl
Rutigliano (BA)
Email: isabella@agrimessina.com