"We have been working for many years with brands that are consolidated in the markets and which import pineapples from different countries in order to offer continuity in the supply to their customers. We have realized that this is a mistake, since pineapples in Costa Rica develop differently to those from Colombia, Panama or South Africa," says Antonio Montes, partner and International Commercial Director of Frutas Hermanos Montes.
After testing pineapples shipped by air from different Central American countries for several years and analyzing them in search of the highest quality, the Spanish company has chosen to work with the ones produced in Panama in order to market them as a luxury product.
"The pineapples from the Dominican Republic and Panama are the ones we liked the most, although taking also the professionalism in marketing into account, we decided to go with Panama, where we have a commercial partner. We believe that due to its particular climate, Panama has the perfect conditions to produce pineapples for the most demanding consumers. Its Brix (15-17ยบ), texture, fragrance, uniformity of color and freshness of the crown make the overall quality of these pineapples superior to those of other origins," he says.
Frutas Hermanos Montes distributes pineapples under the Froutique brand in Spain and Portugal, as well as in southern France, where they want to continue growing. "After carrying out commercial tests with a few pallets, we soon saw this product's success and decided to pack it under our best brand, Froutique, with which we label the highest quality products we find around the world. We are loading between 10 and 15 pallets a week, which is all the supply we can get in the calibers we are looking for at the moment."
"Our commercial partners do a commendable job in the production and selection process, guaranteeing the supply of a top product with continuity throughout most of the year, although with a limited production, since the customers we work with ask us for sizes 5 and 6, and finding fruit of these sizes is the greatest challenge. Our productions are also more limited in the rainiest months, when the selection process becomes more complicated," says Antonio Montes.
The company's prospects are very good, after much work devoted to develop this product. "Customers are already becoming loyal and we are getting more and more demand. We have even managed to consolidate our position above very well-known brands in the markets. The speed in the production and marketing processes means that we always work with a super-fresh product. There's a smooth rotation and nothing is left in stock," says Antonio Montes.
For more information:
Antonio Montes
Frutas Hermanos Montes
M: (+34) 605 612 065
T: (+34) 91 785 01 01
antonio@hermanosmontes.com
hermanosmontes.com