Honduras: Rambutan exports to continue increasing this year

Founded in 2010 by a family with more than 30 years' experience in the plant sales business, the Honduran company Frutas Exóticas is devoted to the production and export of exotic fruit and vegetables. It owns two packing plants, one in the Atlantic Coast and the other in the heart of the country and its main product are rambutans.

This fruit, considered an ethnic product, is popular mainly within Asian communities. In 2010, when the company started, tests were conducted with the US market and a total of 101,250 kilos were sold; around 45,000 boxes; the following year, this figure more than doubled, reaching 110,000 boxes. The firm currently owns 60 hectares cultivated in stages and expects to increase this acreage by another 25 to 30 hectares.

For this year, the company expects the US market to absorb a minimum of 100,000 boxes, while Canada has placed an order for 25,000 boxes. As for the European market, the firm's Commercial Manager, Mr Angeli, explains that tests were carried out in 2011 with the Dutch importer Nature's Pride, although they did not prosper due to a lack of certifications and efficient logistics connections.

"Luckily, this year we were fortunate to be able to share a stand at Fruit Logistica thanks to the support from FIDE Honduras and the European program All Invest, which allowed us to meet many new contacts in Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and France. In September, we will be audited for the GlobalGAP certification and we are planning a 14 week sales campaign in Europe, between September and December, during which we expect to sell around 25,000 boxes."

Up until now, the company's fruit had been sold exclusively under the brands of its clients, but in September Frutas Exóticas' own brand will be launched, which is to be promoted especially in the Canadian and European markets.

"We wish to be recognised as a company that exports rambutans in excellent conditions, but we also aim to continue providing importers with the opportunity to exploit their own brands. In total, we plan we ship around 25,000 boxes under our own brand and observe how the market behaves."

Thanks to support from the Dutch CBI and Honduras' FIDE, Frutas Exóticas will once again attend Fruit Logistica in 2014, with the goal of consolidating its position in Europe.

For more information:
Frutas Exoticas S de R.L
Jack Cole Angeli
Honduras
Tel +504 2436 11 87
Skype: vitrosa
frutas.exoticas.hn@gmail.com
http://www.hondurasexotics.com/