Stone fruit and melons from the Mediterranean and elsewhere nowadays arrive in large quantities in Germany's major wholesale markets. This also applies to the Hamburg wholesale market area on which Helmuth Ehmann Fruchthandels GmbH is based. The presence of plums, nectarines and peaches has a significant impact on demand in other product areas, especially on the exotic business, said manager Ugur Özkök.
Supply gap
At the sales booth of Helmuth Ehmann GmbH you will find a variety of tropical fruits and tropical products which set the company apart from neighbouring trading companies. As with their competitors, melons are also part of the day-to-day business. "We are currently marketing large quantities of melons, mostly cantaloupes and honey melons from the new Spanish crop. The supply of melons from Costa Rica is coming to an end soon.”
La Reina melons are currently much in demand
The prices for Galia melons of sorts 5 and 6 are currently quite standard. Nevertheless, the current supply is hampered by slight shortages, says the manager. "With the overseas season coming to an end and Spanish products currently only available in limited quantities, we are currently seeing a small supply gap of about two weeks. On the other hand, demand in the melon area is currently very good.”
The prices for Galia melons of sorts 5 and 6 are currently quite standard. Nevertheless, the current supply is hampered by slight shortages, says the manager. "With the overseas season coming to an end and Spanish products currently only available in limited quantities, we are currently seeing a small supply gap of about two weeks. On the other hand, demand in the melon area is currently very good.”
Declining demand
In addition to the melon business, there are various exotics within the range of the company, which are exclusive, but have a good and constantly flow. An example of one of the exotic products are the mangoes, which are currently sourced predominantly from the Ivory Coast and Mexico, as the Peruvian season has already expired. “The Kent mango is by far our most important, although we also complement our range with the Palma variety. Because of the increased sales of stone fruits, the need for exotics is generally lower than before."
This is true not only for mangos, but also for papayas and pineapples, one of the specialties in the assortment. These fruits are coming in from Costa Rica and Ghana. “Today's prices are stable and remain at a high level. I think that will remains the case until mid-June, after which prices will drop off.”
The Helmuth Ehmann company is one of the long-established companies on the Hamburg sales area. For many years it was run by the Ehmann family. At the start of this year, the company was taken over and since then the trading business has changed completely. The product range was expanded gradually with a variety of exotic and tropical fruits, and the clientele grew accordingly. Although many Turkish retailers and restaurateurs are finding their way to the company, the majority of regular customers are German professionals and marketers, according to the management.
For more information:
Helmuth Ehmann Fruchthandels GmbH
Großmarkthalle, Stand 354
Banksstraße 28, 20097 Hamburg
T: +49 (0) 40 33 62 88
F: +49 (0) 40 32 68 13
Mail: info@ehmann-frucht.de