Last season, the exporter Passion Fresh was Peru's leader in the shipment of mangoes by air, with a 100% increase in volumes. 95% of that fruit came from small and medium producers, which the firm selected based on their long term vision and good handling practices, providing them free assistance in technical and phytosanitary aspects.
Although the company also exports other products, such as strawberries, grapes and pomegranates, air-shipped mangoes are its speciality, with 400,000 boxes projected for this season. The mangoes are red, ripe and with a very high Brix. Its exports reach many European markets, such as France, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain or Switzerland. "We want customers to see the difference between our fruit and that ripened in chambers," affirms Gretel Castro, General Manager of Passion Fresh.
According to Gretel, "Shipments generally concentrate within a small period of time in Europe and small producers are affected by it. Our work provides growers with fairer conditions and prices 200% higher than those they would obtain with maritime shipments. We offer, however, Premium presentations at very competitive prices, and that is the main goal for our company."
The manager of Passion Fresh assures that both production and consumption are experiencing a sustained growth. "Four or five years ago, the first exporters processed a maximum of 30,000/40,000 boxes, while last season we reached 220,000 boxes. We encourage producers not to abandon mangoes, as air shipments offer excellent returns, making it possible to reinvest and continue improving."
Passion Fresh works with a maximum of two clients per country, one for wholesalers and another for supermarkets, and its main goal is to progress together with them. The firm is currently trying to enter new market in Asia, some Arab countries, Canada and the United States and carry out the same work that has been developed in Europe, promoting its brands Sweet Perú and Passion Mangos.
Passion Fresh will attend the coming edition of the largest fair in South America, Expoalimentaria, to take place between 15 and 17 October in Peru and it will also visit Fruit Logistica in Berlin next year.
