Having large volumes helps secure a foothold in export markets, but not every company plays that game. "We're not chasing high-volume exports. Our strategy is built on quality, variety, presentation, and strong business relationships," says Edgar Medina, owner and commercial director of Tropifoods, a company that has agility and innovation in its DNA.
Yuca, particularly the Valencia variety, remains the company's top product by volume. Tropifoods is currently developing new packaging that replaces paraffin with natural wax, a meaningful step toward more sustainable post-harvest technology.
Second on the list is taro malanga, a product Edgar clearly has a soft spot for. "With its purple-speckled flesh and distinctive nutty flavour, taro is already a staple in Asian cuisine—ice cream, desserts, bubble tea, and pastries. In Europe, there's enormous untapped potential, especially among consumers eager to explore global flavours." It is currently exported to France, among other markets.
© Tropifoods
The catalogue doesn't stop there: purple malanga, white malanga, yam, squash, chayote, yampi, and sugarcane bundles for juicing at home round out a remarkably diverse range. New additions are on the way too: papaya—sourced from two farms operating to Tropifoods' quality and residue standards—will begin shipping this year, by sea to Northern Europe and by air to Canada. Whole polished coconuts, complete with a straw for drinking the water straight from the shell, are also coming soon. On the processed side, the company is already in talks with a major European client about launching a line of frozen exotic products.
Early days and the European bet
Tropifoods was founded in the late 1980s by Edgar's parents and is based in Pital, in northern Costa Rica. For its first fifteen years, the company exported exclusively to the United States — at one point, to a single customer.
© TropifoodsEdgar recognised the risk of that dependency early and began looking further afield. Europe appealed for one specific reason: its demanding quality standards. His first foray into the European market came around 2000 at Fruit Logistica in Germany, and it was anything but a triumphant debut. "Honestly, I was full of doubt. I didn't know anyone there. I remember flying back to Costa Rica with an enormous box stuffed with brochures." Even so, that trip lit a fire that never went out. The first European clients came from the Netherlands, and by 2005, Valencia yuca was being exported to Spain.
Owning the process
In 2010, Tropifoods built its own packing facility on the Pital farm. Until then, the company had essentially operated as a commercial distributor, renting third-party premises. "It was very difficult before; we were just middlemen. Once you're handling the packing, cleaning, and washing yourself, everything gets more complex."
Today, the operation runs on a lean but finely tuned team of 30 people: the 'Tropifoods family', as Edgar proudly calls them. "We're highly efficient. We get a lot done with very few people, and we're confident we spend less to produce the same output as a much larger facility."
The Esencial Costa Rica mark
Twelve years ago, Tropifoods obtained a licence to use the Esencial Costa Rica country brand, managed by Procomer, Costa Rica's trade promotion agency, and has featured it on all its export packaging ever since. "Exhibiting at international trade fairs under the Procomer and country brand umbrella has also proven to be a smart move. For a small company trying to make a name for itself abroad, that kind of institutional backing is worth its weight in gold," Edgar says.
Partners, not just customers
When COVID-19 hit, many companies scrambled to find alternative buyers. Tropifoods did the opposite: it stayed focused on its existing partners. "For every potential client knocking on our door looking for volume, we told them: go buy from our European distributor," Edgar recalls.
© Tropifoods
That loyalty is no accident; it reflects a clear business philosophy. "We don't want customers; we want partners. If you only have customers, they buy from you today and from your neighbour tomorrow. We believe in long-term relationships: through the good times and the bad, they're with us and we're with them." He's equally clear-eyed about what lies ahead: anyone who wants to stay relevant in this industry over the next decade will have no choice but to commit to genuine, long-term alliances grounded in shared values, not short-term economics.
Brand building and consumer education
Convincing European consumers to cook with yuca or taro malanga doesn't happen overnight. Tropifoods invests heavily in consumer-facing communication, with its French Instagram profile (Tropifoods France) at the forefront, posting entirely in French: recipes, peeling tutorials, cooking instructions, and field-to-table stories. An Italian-language expansion is already underway.
© TropifoodsTaro malanga
For Edgar, this is a long game. "It's centimetre by centimetre. You have to win the market over, bite by bite." The company also maintains a consistent visual identity across its entire range, with the Tropifoods brand and the Esencial Costa Rica seal on all packaging. Coconuts — previously sold to hotels like the Hard Rock Café in the US — will from now on be packaged and marketed under the Tropifoods name.
Innovation as a way of life
From being one of the first Costa Rican exporters to use corrugated cardboard pallets, to developing natural wax packaging for yuca, to adopting innovative disinfection methods that have sharpened the packing process, at Tropifoods, innovation is simply part of how things get done.
© TropifoodsCassava
Within the next three months, part of the company's car park will be converted into a state-of-the-art cold storage facility using cutting-edge treatments to extend shelf life and improve product preservation. "Anything that gives us better quality, we do it," Edgar says.
For more information:
Edgar Medina (commercial manager)
Tropifoods
Escazú, San José, Costa Rica
Tel.: +506 4001 4622
[email protected]
www.tropifoods.com
