Grupo Agroponiente has unveiled its new exotics range. The Tropical Poniente label will initially comprise papayas, avocados and mangoes with other products being added further down the line.
Commercial director Manuel Martínez said the brand is the result of “several months of intensive work, market research and knowledge acquisition on the part of our technical department” to provide a “product line ready to enter the market with strength and security”.
Papayas will be available year-round from the outset thanks to domestic production (from Almería, Granada and the Canary Islands) and imports from Costa Rica and Brazil. The range will comprise the Amira, Intenzza, Sweet Mary and Caballero varieties and will include both large and smaller sizes to satisfy demand in Spain and across Europe.
They will be sold at different stages of ripeness and colouration to response to the requirements of different markets, guaranteeing a brix level of 12-14o.
Grupo Agroponiente said its Hass avocado programme will also be year-round from the outset, with fruit supplied from southern Spain as well as from Peru and Chile.
Finally Spanish mangoes will be available from August/September to November and programmes will be supplemented by imports from Peru between January and March and Brazil during the January to May and September to December periods. The varieties marketed will include Kent, Keitt and Palmer.
