It is a tricky time of year for pineapples due to sluggish demand at the end of October. "The school holidays are over, and consumers tend to have less money to spend at the end of the month. This year, the school holidays came later in the month and fruit consumption inevitably suffered as a result," explains François Moran, manager of Tropibana, a company present at the Rungis market.
© Tropibana
Massive promotions in supermarkets
Faced with this drop in consumption, supermarkets are trying to boost sales with promotional actions. "For a week now, French supermarkets have been clearing volumes, with destocking operations on pineapples, bananas and mangoes, which is not always good for the value of the product." In terms of prices, the market remains mixed. "A box currently sells at €10 to €12 [11.48 to 13.78 USD], but we can reach €12 to €15 [13.78 to 17.22 USD] for more colorful goods. Ideally, the market should stabilize on this high base. It is a fair price, both for the producer and the consumer. At this level, there is something in it for everyone."
Good taste, but not always available in all sizes
Tropibana's supply currently comes from three origins: Costa Rica, the Ivory Coast, and Cameroon. While demand remains mixed, quality is very good. "We have a Brix level of 12 to 14, even on fruit that is still a little green. Gustatively, customers recognize that. The ripeness is good, the batches are regular, and the feedback is positive." However, the volumes available are not always sufficient to meet the demand. "We sometimes run out of certain sizes. We tend to favor sizes 6, 7, and 8, but sometimes we have more than 5, 6, 8, or 9, which can complicate our sales. In any case, we hope that the upturn in November will breathe some life back into the market."
For further information:
Tropibana
François Moran
Phone: +33 (0)6 20 17 20 13
[email protected]
