The clementine season is already underway in the Valencian Community, although still with limited volumes and with a slight delay in the harvest due to the continuous rain in the provinces of Valencia and Castellon.
"We have started with the first Oronules clementines in week 41, which we consider an acceptable variety to start the season, given its organoleptic qualities and shelf life," says Abel Alarcón, manager of Brio Fruits.
© Joel Pitarch | FreshPlaza.comAbel Alarcón (right), together with his brother Alain, at Fruit Attraction 2025
"The harvest has started a few days later than usual because night temperatures have been too warm until recently. Now there is starting to be a bigger contrast between day and night, which is important for the fruit to acquire the right color," says Alarcón. "However, we are facing several consecutive days of rain, which is delaying the harvest and the arrival of more significant volumes, and that while there are markets that are already keen to start receiving Spanish fruit."
In October, Brio Fruits is working with both the first Spanish clementines and Orri mandarins from South Africa, which also started to be marketed in week 41. With this product, we are replacing early clementine varieties such as the Clemenrubí. The Orri has a much better size, flavor, juice content, and post-harvest shelf life, and is ideal to satisfy our most demanding clients," says the manager of this company based in Real de Gandía, Valencia.
"This year, there will be fewer clementines and oranges, which is why the fruit is reaching higher prices at the source. It is still too early to know how the demand will respond and what direction prices will take in the market," says Abel.
© Brio Fruits
50th anniversary of the Brio Fruits brand
Brio Fruits has just celebrated its 50th anniversary. "My father Abel and my uncle Antonio founded the company in 1975 and created the Brio brand for oranges and mandarins sold in the Paris market. Over the years, we have been diversifying our markets in Europe and developing lines of clementines with leaf, including more special varieties, such as the Sanguinelli orange. We have also started working with other products, such as persimmon, lemon, stone fruit or melon, and watermelon, amongst others, collaborating with partners who are specialists in each product and whose work is up to the brand's standards," says Abel Alarcón.
© Brio Fruits
The company celebrated its 50th anniversary with its entire team and staff, as well as its clients and suppliers, on the first weekend in October. A total of around 200 people attended. "On Friday, we visited the field with our customers and suppliers, and on Saturday, we continued with a visit to the warehouse and finished with a meal and a big party on the rooftop of a hotel on the beach in Gandía," says Abel Alarcón.
For more information:
Abel Alarcón
Agrios Selectos S.L. (Brio Fruits)
Avinguda de Xàtiva, 38
46727 El Real de Gandia, Valencia. Spain
Tel.: +34 962 868 000
[email protected]
www.brio.es
