Posts Tagged “Westfalia”
Oxnard, CA– Westfalia Fruit, the market leader in growing, ripening, handling, and distributing quality avocados, announces the start of its Peruvian avocado season with supply available now through mid-September.
Westfalia began exporting Peruvian avocados in 2016 and is now the 2nd largest exporter, with a presence in 15 regions across the country and a growing area spanning over 4,600 hectares. Westfalia operates 4 avocado nurseries in Peru in addition to a brand-new state-of-the-art packinghouse in Canete, located in southern Lima.
“We operate 4 experimental and teaching orchards located in strategic areas across Peru,” said David Fausset, Business Development Director at Westfalia Fruit. “These orchards empower our growers to optimize crop management and teach sustainable production methodologies that support our social and sustainable responsibilities.”
Established over 70 years ago, Westfalia markets prime-quality, ready-to-eat avocados across the globe through its vertically integrated supply chain as well as its technical and commercial expertise. Its global supply chain and distribution network allow Peruvian avocados to ship to all major North American ports of entry.
About Westfalia Fruit Group
Established over 70 years ago, Westfalia Fruit Group is a global, vertically integrated company and market leader in growing, ripening, processing, shipping and distributing the product.
Within a few years, the company Westfalia estimates it will be exporting 10,000 to 15,000 metric tons (MT) of fruit from its own orchards, plus an additional 15,000 metric tons from third-party growers.
The company’s growth coincides with growth in the overall Colombian avocado industry. Westfalia predicts total Colombian exports will increase by at least 30 percent a year, hitting 100,000MT within five years.
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The Colombian avocado industry focuses mostly on exports to the European market, but Westfalia believes its operation will increase exports to the U.S. in time, not only because it’s the largest avocado market, but also because of its geographic proximity. Transit times from Columbia to the U.S. are under a week, and are 24 hours less than Mexico when exporting to the U.S. East Coast. The operation also is looking to export avocados to other South American countries and to Canada as Columbia seeks to become a reliable year-round avocado supplier, complementing volumes from Mexico.
Although Westfalia does not foresee Colombia replacing Mexico, it believes Colombia should be a good plan B for the U.S..
“The constant changes within the Mexican industry can be challenging for the trade, especially for retailers and consumers. So I think Colombia could provide more stable conditions with certain volumes for the future.
“I have no doubt in my mind that, in the next few years, the U.S. market will be the most important target market for Colombian avocados.”