Try to be excellent in a limited number of products, rather than supplying as many products as possible. That is Anjamar Fruit's motto in a nutshell. Oscar van Reisen, from the Netherlands, started at this company in Malaga last year. He is this Spanish exotics producer's Commercial Director. "People must know us as organic exotics specialists."
Oscar, on the right, with Marcelo, Anjamar Fruit's owner.
Avocados are the company's number one priority. They have 30 hectares in Malaga and affiliated growers also supply the company. These farmers have a total acreage of 50 hectares. Anjamar Fruit has Spanish Hass avocados on offer from November until April. The company imports avocados from Morocco, Peru, Mexico, and Kenya too. "Our retail clients want to work with specialists year-round. We play into this," says Oscar.
The Spanish avocado season is about to begin. "It is again a completely different year from last year. Prices have been stable and very high for some time. There is very limited availability of the large sizes, in particular. The Spanish harvest is expected to be 10-14% lower than last year. The weather was not so severe here. However, the wind has caused considerable damage."
According to Oscar, there is still a lot of potential in the avocado market. "The market has grown incredibly in recent years. Avocados have developed from a niche product into a commodity. The consumption in Europe, however, is only 1,2kg of conventional avocados."
"This is still lower than in other countries. These include Mexico and Israel, as well as the United States. The Spanish market, too, is still lagging behind countries such as the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. Even though there is an increased demand from channels like the hospitality and foodservice industries in that country," he explains.
Anjamar Fruit is, therefore, investing heavily in avocado production. "For example, this producer has embarked on an overseas project. This project entails 200 hectares of organic avocados. It is going to become a real gem," promises Oscar. "We have a lot of ideas on how to further stimulate avocado consumption. In the US, avocados are, for example, offered at different ripening stages in store. Europe still has a lot to learn in this area."
This Spanish importer supplements its avocado assortment. This is done with exotic products such as mangos, ginger, and flown-in pineapples. Then there are bananas - from its Moroccan location - limes, and sweet potatoes. "The goal is to supply these products year-round in the future. Where possible, we offer these products as organic. However, some crops are still transitioning into organic cultivation. We, therefore, also offer conventional products," says Oscar.
He predicts good growth opportunities for organic production. "Look at the German retail sector. There, organic ginger is currently replacing the conventional variety. In some Spanish products, like tomatoes and cucumbers, the organic supply has surpassed demand. This oversupply will not happen readily with exotics, given the rising demand."
Anjamar Fruit focuses on the European market. They have clients in several countries. These include the United Kingdom, Germany, and Scandinavia. They also supply the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, and Poland. And do not forget the local market. "We really try to fulfill our clients' wishes. This is what distinguishes us."
"We are, for example, innovative when it comes to packaging and logistics. We look for new ways to do these things. So, we will use cardboard boxes instead of wooden pallets. We also import and market flown-in mangos in an entirely compostable box. We are not looking into whether we can use them for pineapples and avocados, too," Oscar concludes.
For more information:
Oscar Quirinus van Reisen
Anjamar Fruits
31 Calle Carabela, Pol. El Viso,
Málaga, Spain
Mob.: +34 (0) 667 218 555
Tel: +34 (0) 951 081 278
oscar@anjamarfruit.com
www.anjamarfruit.com