There is currently good demand, as is generally the case on the banana market during the first half of the year. But “if banana consumption has been going up for a few years, it is primarily thanks to the quality of the fruits and a segmentation that gives more options to the consumer,” explains Vincent Omer-Decugis, general director of SIIM.
Bananas from Ecuador: “a premium quality fruit”
In terms of origins, the French market has bananas from the French Caribbean, Africa and Latin America, with Ecuador ranking first as the world’s largest producer of bananas, distributed primarily by SIIM in France.
“We are mostly targeting the premium market with the bananas from Ecuador, which are currently the most regular in terms of quality, taste and ripening quality. The country benefits from excellent conditions when it comes to the weather, production and transportation, as well as having internationally recognized social and environmental practices.
Certified Rainforest Alliance and Carbon Neutral, the Ecuadorian banana we offer is considered high-end, with a constant ability to adapt to the needs of our clients. We offer the banana from Ecuador in all its segmentations. The so-called “Jumbo”, for example, for the customers looking for larger bananas, the “Freycinette”, the Organic, or even the Organic Fair Trade in their respective packagings. We complete our range with the plantains from Ecuador.”
The organic market has been developing strongly in recent years, “which meets the customers’ expectations in their search for trust and taste quality.”
A new ripening platform at the end of the year
SIIM is currently working on an ambitious project which will end at the end of 2019 with “the construction of a new ripening platform at Rungis, that will enhance our position on the French market.” The 129,167 square foot building will house the ripening and packaging activities of SIIM. It will allow for the ripening of more than 80,000 tons of bananas and exotic fruits in one location and will increase the company’s capacities considerably. Located in Rungis, this new building will become the largest site dedicated to the ripening of bananas and exotic fruits in France (more information about this new platform).
For more information: 
Vincent Omer-Decugis
SIIM
16 rue de Perpignan
94642 Rungis Cedex
Phone: +33 1 45 12 29 60
vincent@siim.net
www.siim.net