The American avocado specialist, Mission Produce, exhibited again this year at Asia Fruit Logistica, Hong-Kong. Both Tommy Padilla, Mission Produce Asia Sales Manager and Martin Napper, Marketing Manager for Avanza, met their Asian customers and commented on strong avocado growth in the region.
Mission Produce is a global company with operations in the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Canada and the Netherlands. This organisation ensures a stable supply of Hass avocados all year-long.
The company has partnered with the New Zealander Avanza company since 1997, and so they were both on the same stand to meet Asian customers. Avanza, a joint venture between three North Island produce exporters and marketers, manages 65% of New Zealand’s avocado supply to export markets outside of Australia. New Zealand with its 10,000 producing acres of avocado plantations, benefits from the same micro-climate as California.
During 2015, Mission Produce completed three major construction projects, adding to its global sourcing, ripening and distribution network. The company opened state-of-the-art packing facilities in Oxnard, California and in Chao, Peru, in addition to doubling its capacity in New Jersey. Another brand-new ripening facility has just opened in Shanghai, China.
As Steve Barnard, President & CEO points out, the objective is to continue to develop sourcing and production capabilities around the world, with the goal of providing full vertical integration. Mission's year-round availability of Hass avocados, coupled with a large and expanding customer base, create a win-win-win situation for growers, trading partners and consumers.
When we met in Hong-Kong, Martin Napper, Marketing manager Avanza said:
“Avocado is a great and trendy product with strong development all over the world. Last year we saw an incredible growth of the Asian markets with +200%, Japan was up to +30% and even USA: +25%.”
“The market in Asia is developing very quickly with e-commerce sales. We can also see fruit sales on TV channels, this is the case in Korea now. Asian markets are very dynamic and innovative.”
For more information:
Tommy Padilla, Asia Sales Manager
Mission Produce
USA Mob: +1 805 797 4268
Martin Napper, Marketing
Avanza
NZ, Mob: +64 21 444 226