"Good transition to fruit and vegetable import season expected"

Fortuna Frutos presented its revamped corporate identity at Fruit Attraction. The trade fair in Madrid was the ideal opportunity for the company to meet its suppliers and clients, at what was also the start of the greenhouse season in Spain and the Canary Islands. Marco Slobbe and Stephane Rion are in a positive frame of mind about the start of this season. "Since most of the Dutch fruit and vegetables are on the market earlier, and Spain is slowly getting started, it should be a good transition."

"We have received our first tomatoes from the Canary Islands, as well as a limited amount of courgettes and aubergines. We get two shipments per week, that arrive by container at Rotterdam, from the Canary Islands. The market is good for tomatoes and courgettes at the moment. The cucumber market is also acceptable. It is only the sweet pepper market that is expected to be more difficult than anticipated in the coming weeks. This is because the Netherlands still has a significant volume in production, and Spain is also still bringing reasonable amounts", expects Marco.

"The weather will, of course, be the determining factor again. In the past few months, it has, just as last year, been very hot in Spain. Now we can only hope that we do not encounter the same problems in December as we did last year", says Stephane. Fortuna Frutos' tomato and cucumber acreage on the Canary Islands is a fraction more than last year. They are expecting a volume that is comparably the same from their permanent suppliers in Spain. The company is also expecting a good volume of cherry and snack tomatoes from Senegal, of which the snack tomatoes are all of the Angelle variety.

During a visit to their supplier in Senegal earlier this year, Stephane Rion met an elderly woman. She runs an orphanage that houses 86 children, as well as ensuring schooling for 100 more children. This touched the fruit and vegetable importer so much, that he decided to sponsor the 'La Liane' project. The company pays for all the needed school supplies. They also ask their clients to support the project. "We cannot save the whole world, but I believe if there is a whole lot of bits of help, it can help with that."

For more information:
Marco Slobbe
Fortuna Frutos
Tel: +31(0)180 751 420
marco@fortuna-frutos.com
www.fortuna-frutos.com