At medFEL 2022, the company Santos & Pereira presented its biodegradable trays for the Rocha pears of small calibers (50 to 60) for French supermarkets.
This pear, named after Pedro António Rocha who discovered it in 1836, is unique in the fact that it has never been genetically modified, contrary to most varieties of pears. This asset most certainly helped it seduce the French market that is increasingly interested in natural products.
“We have been producing and shipping this variety for 30 years. Lately, our clientele went from wholesalers to specialized stores. By working closely with some retailers, we were able to identify the expectations of French consumers, who want refined and ready-to-eat products, and to really develop our sales of Rocha pears in France. Our company currently exports 7,000 tons of Rocha pears in France, 80% of which go to supermarkets.”
Vítor Santos
This year, while the French pear production has been severely impacted by the spring frost, the Portuguese volumes of Rocha pears are historically high. “We hadn’t had such high volumes in years. With the French supply being lower than the demand, we expected to have a great season, but we are actually disappointed. We were unable to profit from our volumes. The low prices could not compensate for the strong increase in production, packaging, transport and labor costs, which have severely impacted the fruit and the producers. Thanks to promotional actions that helped boost consumption, we were able to sell our volumes, but at a price that was 30% lower than last year.”
The campaign of Rocha pears will continue for another two months. Besides the biodegradable trays for the small calibers, the Rocha pears of Santos & Pereira are also available in packaging of 2 kg, and in all the traditional packaging, one-row trays of 4 or 7kg, as well as black or green IFCO crates.
For more information:
Vítor Santos
Santos & Pereira
Travessa da Paraventa, n°8
2510-704 Gaeiras
Portugal
Phone: +351 917 814 445
vitor@santospereira.pt