While France was hit hard by the recent bad weather, Spain and Portugal were not spared either. Despite the intense rainfall, which weakened citrus production, Apifood - by opting for responsiveness and demonstrating resilience - was able to preserve what was essential: the quality and regularity of its shipments to the French market.
© Aurélie Pintat | FreshPlaza.com
A tightly-knit organization to secure an unprocessed product
At the height of the orange season, when the changeover to the Lane Late variety had just taken place, the orchards experienced two to three weeks of continuous rain, which had an impact on the shelf life of the oranges. "We work with oranges that are not treated after harvest, so the risk of quality deterioration was all the greater," explains Jean Michel Lassabe, the company's managing director. Faced with this risk, Apifood did everything in its power to guarantee the same premium quality that the Agrumine brand is known for. "In order to guarantee optimum freshness and a healthy product, we compressed our entire supply chain, ensuring that the oranges were picked, graded, and dispatched on the same day." The batches were then checked in the monitoring cells of the Moissac warehouses before being sent on to the points of sale.
This ultra-short production flow meant that the freshness of the oranges was preserved right through to the shelves. "Our system has enabled us to continue to deliver a good, healthy product under our Agrumine brand, which only involves PGI citrus fruits, whose specifications prohibit post-harvest treatment in order to guarantee consumers the highest quality product possible. The end customer was therefore not affected by the bad weather that hit the orchards."
© Apifood
Taste quality intact and stable volumes
Despite the climate pressure, the intrinsic quality of the fruit has not been altered. "We continue to produce a distinctive orange: beautiful, sweet, with a high level of sweetness and a very pleasant hint of acidity. This taste profile has sustained sales momentum. "To date, the volumes shipped to the French market are equivalent to those of last year, proof that we have managed to maintain the same level of quality as in other years." It is also worth noting that retailers have stepped up their promotional activities, helping to boost sales.
A campaign that risks coming to an early end
In the end, in this tense environment, the company fared rather well thanks to its responsiveness. The only challenge was the heavy rain, which caused some fruit to fall, pointing to a shorter-than-usual end to the season. "Last year, we finished the campaign in the first week of June. Normally, we manage to make it to the end of May, but this year, it will not be possible. We already know that we will have a shortfall at the end of the season of between 20% and 30% of the volumes announced at the start of the campaign." On the other hand, the summer oranges for juice - Valencia late variety - have not been affected, and should deliver the good volumes announced so far.
To ensure the quality of its supplies, Apifood has been relying for some years on a permanent presence during the season, on-site in Portugal. "We have our own teams on the ground. The professional who decides whether or not to pick for the French market and who approves shipments in accordance with our specifications is a real asset." A daily vigilance which, this year more than ever, will have contributed to making the difference.
For more information:
Jean-Michel Lassabe
Apifood
Administration building
Marché Gare
82030 Montauban
Phone: +33 (0)5 63 20 22 50
apifood.com
