US retailers are set to exclusively receive a new premier brand of super sweet Gold pineapples from one of Panama’s leading agricultural exporters, Verba Fruit.
The Panama Dona brand, which features a lady (Doña) wearing Panama’s famous namesake hat, will be introduced directly to US retailers, initially on a limited basis.
“We’re excited to be entering this marketplace after our popularity in Europe. Now, with our new trade partnership we expect even greater success,” said Paul Vergara, president of Verba Fruit, in a press release.
Verba Fruit has been growing pineapples for over 12 years and is a long-term supplier to Fyffes, a major fresh produce distributor in Europe.
The company said that the Gold Pineapple is a leader in a category that has increased steadily in consumption over the past five years, according to data from Fresh Trends, due to its sweetness and attractive appearance.
“Less than 40 per cent of US consumers know how to select a ripe pineapple, so why make it harder?” Vergara noted.
“We want to be sure to honour our current customer volume, but are also eager to introduce this fabulous fruit to new customers.”
In order to develop specific retail and media outreach Verba Fruit is in the process of setting up a dedicated US marketing company.
The group is also working with the Government of Panama to establish a formal marketing export group and programme for 2012.
To that end a new website, panamaproduce.org, has been developed, and other tropical products in addition to pineapples are expected to be introduced over the next few months.
