AGENDA FOR FRUITNET CITRUS CONGRESS

25 & 26 MARCH 2025 · VALENCIA

 

Fruitnet Citrus Congress is reconvening in Valencia on 25 and 26 March 2025, some five months after the region was affected by the worst floods in decades.

Valencia is recovering. And in March 2025 comes a moment to assess progress at a time close to its end a citrus season like no other. What are the next steps for the citrus sector in Spain? And how can the global citrus community focus on the long-term challenges of varietal renewal and consumption growth?

OVERVIEW

Fruitnet Citrus Congress 2025 comes to the beautiful city of Valencia for the first time. Join leading players from across the global fresh citrus business to share ideas and insight about how to boost consumption in a stagnant market. Fruitnet believes there is plenty of potential to increase demand through varietal innovation, quality improvements and the right consumer messaging. Our conference programme focuses on finding common strategies to help the sector to grow profitably.

A full-day conference programme will take place on 25 March, with a series of study tours to production/packing sites and retailers taking place on 26 March. Limited places are available and the tours will be offered to delegates on a first come, first served basis. Details will be published shortly.

Simultaneous translation available Spanish to English and English to Spanish

 

TUESDAY 25 MARCH 2025


09:00 Registration  

09:30 Welcome address

HEADLINE STAGE

09:40-10:30 The citrus consumption challenge

There is big potential in citrus. But consumption growth is stalling. How can growers and marketers identify new marketing opportunities to make growth more profitable and find new ways to sell to tomorrow’s consumers?

• Tom Hole, Kantar Worldpanel (UK)
• Hugo A-Tjak, Olympic Fruit (Netherlands)
• Stephan Weist, Rewe (Germany)
• Maria Wieloch, ICA Gruppen (Sweden)
• Philippe Binard, World Citrus Organisation (Belgium)

10:30-11:15 Harnessing health

Together, mandarins and oranges are the second-most consumed fruits in Europe after apples. But in terms of health messaging and nutritional research, citrus lags behind other fruit categories. We look at what the avocado and kiwifruit sectors are getting right and how they can teach us to communicate more effectively.

• Nele Moorthamers, Zespri (Belgium)
• Shelly Vorster, World Avocado Organisation UK & Europe (Spain)
• Ernesto Machancoses, Citrus Rosso (Spain)

11:15-12:00 NETWORKING BREAK 

12:45-13:50  Brand stories

A powerful brand is the key to connecting with consumers. It stands out on the shelf and can help companies push into new export markets. Is there more space for citrus brands in European supermarkets and beyond? 

• Pascal Orphal, SanLucar (Spain)
• Marieke Appel, Driscoll’s (Netherlands) 
• Carlo Magni, Forward Insight and Strategy (New Zealand) 
• José Enrique Sanz, IGP Cítricos Valencianos (Spain)
• Salvador Martinez, Obeikan MDF (Spain)

13:50-14:00 Deep Learning AI for fruit grading

• Chris Johnston, Tomra Food (New Zealand)

14:00-15:00 NETWORKING LUNCH 

16:30-17:15 Where next for Spanish citrus?

Spain faces major challenges in citrus – it cannot compete on price with cheaper imports, while climate change and water availability are impacting production. We discuss how investments in varietal innovation, quality and service can help deliver profitable growth in the future.

• Antonio Medina, Socomo (Spain)
• Miguel Abril, Anecoop (Spain)
• Paco Borrás, Paco Borrás Consulting (Spain)

17:15-17:30 CLOSING REMARKS

• Miguel Barrachina, Regional Minister of Agriculture, Water, Livestock & Fisheries (Spain)

17:30-19:00 AFTERWORK DRINKS 

SUSTAINABILITY STAGE

We look at how new developments in breeding, post-harvest and packaging technology are helping companies to extend shelf-life, cut waste, and grow profits.

12:00-12:40 Varietal innovation and competitiveness

New varieties are more in tune with market demand than ever before. What new developments will drive future demand and increase profitability?

• José Cuenca, Avasa (Spain)
• Sven Thomas, Jaguar The Fresh Company (Netherlands)
• David Alba, Genesis Fresh (Spain)
• Manuel Rey, Sun World-Biogold (Spain)

15:00-15:45 Post-harvest technology: The science of cutting citrus waste

Leading experts from the post-harvest arena discuss some of the new technologies helping to maximise profit potential, minimise losses and make citrus more sustainable.

• Benito Orihuel, Citrosol (Spain)
• Clara Montesinos, AgroFresh (Spain)
• Enrique Gómez, Decco (Spain)
• Mazim Abram, Apeel (US)
• Olga Dubey, AgroSustain (Switzerland)

15:45-16:15 Simplifying certification and compliance

There are too many certification schemes in the industry and this places a heavy cost and time burden on producers. Is it possible to cut the complexity of compliance and sustainability in fresh food supply chains?

• Elena Guillen, Farmable (Spain)
• Jim Jefcoate, Food Experts Solutions (UK)