The campaign of Portuguese oranges was in full swing at the start of the holiday season: small oranges for juicing, table oranges, and especially the long-awaited leafy oranges, untreated after harvest. “The campaign of leafy oranges started on November 20th and will end around the end of April. We sell a lot of products during the holiday season, with enough volumes to satisfy our clients,” explains Eric Tastayre, manager of Apifood.
“We have gained long-term clients thanks to the Agrumine brand”
Despite an economic context that is not favorable for consumption, the demand for leafy Newhall oranges of the Agrumine brand has been good. “The market was very calm in November, but the leafy orange campaign had not started yet! Each year, we gain new distributors and wholesalers, which proves that we have succeeded in obtaining the loyalty of a number of clients thanks to the Agrumine brand. For several years, we have worked hard to offer a natural product of premium quality, with an excellent taste. This year, the leafy oranges are once again exceptional. Our clients know it, they trust us and come back, year after year. And we bring them a guarantee in terms of volumes and quality. This is why we sent a large quantity of oranges from the start of the season. Of course, the promotional actions also helped us start the campaign well, even if we have had to cut back on our margins. It is indeed difficult to increase prices in the stores in the current economic context and we must also take into account the producers upstream, who are faced with the increase in production costs.”
“The best products require the best controls”
For the moment, the season is going well. “We had some supply issues caused by the rain in December. We then reinforced our team so all the parcels could be examined thoroughly to guarantee the best quality. Although they are exceptional, the leafy oranges are also a sensitive product because they are not treated after harvest. There is no citrus fruit that is more natural. It is harvested on day 1 from the tree in Portugal when it is ripe and delivered to us on day 3. The best products require the best controls, which is why we reinforced our workforce. We now hope that the weather will be on our side for the rest of the campaign.”
For more information:
Eric Tastayre
Apifood
Bâtiment administratif
Marché Gare
82030 Montauban
Phone: +33 5 63 20 22 50
Mobile: +33 6 07 59 03 75
[email protected]
apifood.com
