Ecuadorian pineapples go to Europe

"2014 has been really good to us; we have grown, we have learned a lot and we have expanded our acreage," affirms Ana Lizette Avilés Simpson, of Agroeden.

Exclusively a producer and exporter of MD2 pineapples, Agroeden is based in Santo Domingo, Ecuador, where it harvests pineapples of all calibres grown on 650 hectares of plantations 365 days a year. "This makes us one of Ecuador's largest producers. We have focused especially on the Southern Cone and the U.S., but since last year we are shipping to the UK, as we have established a very good connection with Compagnie Fruitière and we are working closely on the technical side."

Ana Lizette emphasises that Ecuador has very good transit times for the ports of Dover, Rotterdam or Antwerp, since the fruit arrives in just 15 days. "Our goal at this coming Fruit Logistica is to expand; we want to find good customers and promote Ecuadorian pineapples. It is normal for Costa Rica to come to mind when one thinks about this fruit, but in Ecuador we have very good quality fruit and we are confident European customers will really like it."

In addition to GlobalGAP, Agroeden also holds the Rainforest Alliance certification. "We are the only growers in Ecuador with this certification, which makes us stand out when it comes to caring for the environment and our communities," explains Ana Lizette.