The Costa Rican pineapple export market remains dynamic despite logistical, climatic, and commercial challenges. In this landscape, NutriFruit, a company within the Algo Ecosystem holding, exemplifies recent efforts to integrate logistics and direct marketing.
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"ALGO is a logistics ecosystem; we operate under our brands in Chile, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. Our value proposition for customers is that logistics should be simple. Nutrifruit serves as the export arm of this comprehensive ecosystem, aiming to turn logistics from an obstacle into a partner in global trade. NutriFruit started operations at the end of 2024. In its first year, it exported 63,207 boxes, roughly equivalent to 50 containers. By 2025, this number grew to about 170 containers, mainly of pineapple, reflecting rapid growth in a short period," stated Mario Ross, the company's general manager.
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Ross explained that the choice to switch to direct exports was driven by the requirements of the group's logistics clients. "Many customers needed to expand the logistics chain we were managing," he stated. He emphasizes that the aim isn't to become the biggest exporter, but to "manage the entire logistical complexity."
The company has shifted its strategy to target less traditional markets for Costa Rican pineapple, including Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Turkey stands out as a particularly demanding destination. Hazel Salazar, the logistics coordinator, explained that the pineapple must arrive green, and only small sizes, 9 and 10, are acceptable. Additionally, transit times can exceed 37 days if a transshipment is missed, posing a significant risk given the fruit's perishability.
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In these markets, the level of product knowledge varies. Turkey is viewed as a more mature market, whereas other Eastern European countries are still growing and establishing consumer habits.
The group's logistical background has shaped their approach. They have opted to develop alternative routes, such as using the port of Manatee instead of Miami for shipments to the U.S., aiming to ease congestion at traditional ports and make inspections more efficient.
They have also gained specific insights, such as avoiding certain transshipment points that create mistrust in some destinations, and adding new coverage options, such as Value Protect, to minimize claim times in case of loss.
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The international market isn't the only factor influencing the business. The weather in Costa Rica has experienced unusual variations. "We have had historic low temperatures," said Salazar, citing record lows of up to 14°C in northern growing areas. These conditions impact natural flowering and crop planning.
Additionally, market pressure from the juice industry has influenced prices. "The orange shortage in Brazil and the United States has driven up demand for processing pineapple, leading to higher prices in the field over the past two years. We expect this year, prices will be 10-15% higher than last year," Ross stated.
NutriFruit projects exporting 170 to 200 containers next season, focusing on market consolidation and process refinement. Ross states, "Our goal is to streamline international trade from beginning to end. In addition to shipping boxes, we aim to expand into non-traditional and logistically complex markets for Costa Rican pineapple as part of our 2026-2030 plan."
For more information:
Mario Ross
NutriFruit Global
Costa Rica
Tel: +1 (561) 884 9706
[email protected]
www.nutrifruitglobal.com
