"Timing and weather is everything in the Polish market. Once the weather changes, consumers will switch back to fruit such as citrus, which is usually around October. Polish consumption is very driven by the seasons, along with weather conditions. Consumers here prefer domestic fruit when in season and are not interested in peaches or nectarines from Spain when their own stone fruit is available. They stick to their own strawberries, cherries, peaches, nectarines because they miss them. However, demand for fresh orange juice stays strong which is why I am currently sourcing oranges from Greece for juicing." said Marawan.
Although the citrus season has finished in the northern hemisphere, Mazafruit has been working very closely with Greece and recently made a large deal with a Greek source to buy all of their remaining supply of oranges for juicing.
"Due to this recent deal, we are the only company in all of Poland who currently has Valencia oranges for juice. We supply all of the juice bars in Warsaw for juice and we are also sending around 3 trucks a week to a Swedish juice company. We have been selling every shipment that we receive within 2-3 days and then the next truck comes to repeat the process. Our oranges have been in good demand."
Orange prices have been rising as they are now out of season, but customers have been willing to pay because there is no other source. This will continue through to October when the Spanish season will resume.
"I am still looking for credible suppliers in the Southern Hemisphere that we can work with so we are able to offer citrus year round. We will be present at this years' MacFrut in Italy, Fruit Attraction in Spain and Fruit Logistica in Berlin and I believe that these events will provide us with a great opportunity to meet some new contacts." continued Marawan.
For mor
e information: Mohamed Marawan
Mazafruit
Tel: +48 22 354 3983
Fax: +48 22 354 69 84
Email: office@mazafruit.com
www.mazafruit.com