Miami-based importer-distributor Kingston & Associates Marketing has embarked on an ambitious strategy to grow its fresh fruit sales in the US.
The group plans to achieve its goal by diversifying its product portfolio over the next three years, targeting the retail market, and integrating its coldstorage and logistics divisions with the sales and marketing arm.
In doing so, Kingston is set to remain one of the “top produce companies” in the US, explained company president Ken Nabal in an exclusive interview with Americafruit.
“Some new strategies we are working on are to diversify our product mix by growing our import programmes, as well as expanding our geographic reach with our domestic production,” Nabal revealed.
“Our history is deeply rooted in the foodservice arena but with some of the key objectives that we will roll out over the next several years, we will start to see more retail penetration.”
Nabal told Americafruit that the ultimate goal is for Kingston to continue its core focus on excellent customer service while simultaneously expanding its product offer in order to build new relationships with which to diversify the entire operation.
Kingston imports a range of tropical fruits, such as mangoes and pineapples, as well as avocados from Central and South America.
As part of the expansion strategy, the firm is already working on building a strong winter supply of mangoes from Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Guatemala, to be supported by boosting its Mexican mango volume during the summer.
The full interview is published in the February/March issue of Americafruit. To subscribe, go to www.fruitnet.com/subscribe
