Camposol has created a new global sustainability concept to highlight its commitment to consumers, workers and the environment. The ‘Camposol Cares from Farm to Family’ (CCFFTF) initiative will be launched at next week’s Fruit Logistica trade fair in Berlin.
According to CEO Jorge Ramírez, the goal is to create an emotional connection with the consumer and provide families around the world with high quality healthy foods.
“We have chosen Fruit Logistica to launch CCFFTF because we know that it is a forum in which the main players of the industry are present and we can personally discuss with them the concept and exchange ideas about the trends and perspectives of our sector,” he tells Fruitnet.
The campaign will run across online platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Linkedin, as well as featuring in-store activities and promotions for the company’s main customers in North America, Europe and Asia.
It will set out the different ways in which Camposol cares, be it for consumers by offering fresh, high quality products; for collaborators by guaranteeing fair relations with works and offering them opportunities to develop professionally and personally; for the community by contributing to the establishment of medical and social care facilities; and for the planet by controlling its water footprint and using a biological control system that gives priority to natural pest management.
Asked if there is room in the market for yet another sustainability concept, Ramírez says he is confident that today’s consumers can distinguish between a misleading claim and one based on real values and actions.
“The fact that our sustainability is based on our vertically integrated model allows us to control the entire process, from the field to the supermarket shelf,” he notes. “We believe that this…will always be attractive to consumers.”
According to Ramírez, Camposol’s actions in recent years have placed the company on a secure footing to exploit growing interest in wellbeing, as well as sustainability. A decision to focus on avocados, blueberries and citrus, in particular, chimes with today’s health conscious consumers, be it in established markets like the US, or new ones such as Asia.
The company has made major investments in new production areas, notably in Colombia and Uruguay, and continues to develop its commercial platform with offices in the US, Europe and Asia.
“We believe we have made good decisions in the last years regarding diversification, not only for our products, but for our operations,” says Ramírez.
“Today, Camposol is a multinational with a presence in more than six countries and with clients in more than 40, with a value proposition and an attractive brand for its partners and consumers. Our aim is to be present year-round in the supermarket shelves and generate higher brand recognition and preference for the quality of our products and our sustainable model.”
Asked if further investments are on the cards for 2019, the CEO says he is permanently on the search for opportunities to develop new products and conquer new markets, and is open to evaluating M&A possibilities –provided that they fit with Camposol’s goal to consolidate as a year-round supplier in its core products. “Our financial strength allows us to be attentive and move quickly to identify a growth opportunity that is strategic and feasible,” he adds.
With fresh produce supply chains distances getting ever long and pricing pressure in products like avocados and blueberries increasing as global production grows, Ramírez is confident that Camposol’s global and diversified structure will enable it to remain competitive over the medium to long term.
“We are thinking about productivity and efficiency all the time,” he says. “In particular, some measures that we’re contemplating in the management of the supply chain are the application of detailed demand and supply forecasting and planning; tailor-made postharvest practices that maximise freshness; precision agriculture and harvesting; state-of-the-art packaging technology and creating shipping solutions.”
