The Egyptian strawberry brand "Mozare3" started its venture a little over a year ago. The company's business model is based on contracting small producers and providing them with engineering support and a marketing umbrella.
Mr. Ahmed Elkot, strawberries crop manager at Mozare3, said: "We have grown from 2,000 tons collected last season to 20,000 tons expected this season. Most of our production is from American origin varieties, especially Floridan ones." The variety Sensation is the most successful in Egypt, according to Mr. Ahmed Elkot, as it is the most requested for export.
At this stage of its development, the company is reselling its production to exporters and local food processing plants, but aims to start exporting as soon as next season.
This debut comes in a difficult context, marked by the crisis of energy costs. Mr. Ahmed Elkot explains: "30% of the small producers we work with have transitioned to solar energy, and we provide technical support and advice to increase the number. Our goal is to reach 90% within 10 years."
The exporter is targeting markets in Europe, including the United Kingdom, which is a traditional destination for Egyptian strawberries, and Arab Gulf countries, such as Saudi Arabia, UAE and Iraq. Egypt is the largest exporter of frozen strawberries in the world, with exported quantity reached 260,000 tons. Mr. Elkot explains this success by the competitive price.
The Egyptian strawberry production, according to Mr. Ahmed Elkot, is not affected by the problem of water shortage, since it relies on the groundwater available in abundance in the Egyptian desert.
