Cadillo Europe is the European branch of the Mexican company, Citricos Cadillo. The parent company has been operating since 1995 in Martinez de la Torre and is one of the country's biggest exporters to the United States. The European branch of the company was opened this year in February. From its office in the UK, is aiming to expand the European trade in Mexican fruits, opening up new markets, and increasing sales volumes. Marco Barbosa of Cadillo explains, "Citricos Cadillo already sold to Europe for a number of years. We thought by having a presence in Europe we could better explore the potential of the country where we pack. Mexico has a huge potential in several fruits, due to the multiple weather conditions and richness of soils.
The idea was to start with the company's main product line, limes, and then open up other channels.
"The plan was, once the limes are established we talk to growers in Mexico about other products and they can join Cadillo Europe as suppliers. This way we are helping the growers to open new markets as well.
"Take the grapefruit growers for example. We start with the grapefruit in one week and it's the first time any of our suppliers have supplied Europe via Cadillo before."
The grapefruit Marco refers to is due into the port of Rotterdam very soon and will be distributed from there to several destinations across Europe, including the Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain and, in lesser quantities, the UK.
The company’s expansion plans do not end with grapefruit however, as Marco explains. "We are also looking at several other lines. For example, we have Mexican grown bananas being imported as of September - again this is a first for us - and avocados from October, which also represents a new line for us."
There are also plans to bring in a wider range of citrus, though the extent of this Marco says is dependent on market trends. "We are looking at oranges and mandarins from the north of Mexico, but it depends on market activity. South Africa is finishing now and there is a gap. It will be two months before the Mexican produce can come in."
s well as bringing more and more varieties of fruit to Europe from Mexico and generating wider European coverage, the company also has plans to source produce from a wider area within South America. Marco says that, although it is still early days at the moment, plans are on the table to start importing a range of produce from Brazil. For the time being the company's well established product lines are limes and mangoes - Keitt and Kent varieties - with limes being the biggest part of their operations currently.
Mexican limes are available from March or April, depending on the season, right through until December, or even the first week of January. Marco says that there is competition in selling limes in Europe, though at the moment demand is high enough to have enabled the company to increase volumes this year.
"This year we are looking at bringing in between 4 and 5 containers per week. Last year there was generally about 75 containers coming to Europe every week in total, this year it's around 80." “As well as our seasonal limes we also are able to offer limes by air. Our limes have quality certification, both conventional and organic. Cadillo has a vision to maximise quality for its customers and has invested in an electronic sizing machine which gives an excellent control over size, colours and weight.”
The increased volume is not affecting the prices much; Marco says this has been stable for the past two months now, a sign that, despite bigger shipments, demand is still high enough to cope.
With regards to quality, Marco also reports a favourable year. "Quality is good, at least I can say it is for us. There was some rain around three weeks ago, which slowed things down a little, but it's picking up again now."
To sum up Marco said, "Cadillo Europe wants to grow in a very competitive market. We know well that in these type of markets the unique way to do that is to give our partners not huge quantities of containers but to have the best quality of fruits in the correct moment that they need it."
For more information:
Marco Barbosa
Director
Cadillo Europe Ltd
Tel: +44 208 123 2991
or
Tel: +31 103 400 117
[email protected]