Barcelona-based Fruta del Pacífico is investing heavily in Mexican production in a bid to reduce its reliance on Ecuador. The company, which up to now has been known as a supplier of bananas and pineapples from Ecuador, has launched two new brands –Bana Bana for Mexico and Frupac for produce sourced from the Dominican Republic.
Marketing director Romá Olivé said the move into Mexico was prompted by spiralling costs in Ecuador and a desire to diversify into new product areas following the gradual erosion in pineapple and banana prices over recent years.
He said the firm was aiming to market 12,000 boxes of Mexican bananas and 30,000-45,000 boxes of bananas from Ecuador a week in 2013, but next year supplies would be nearer 30,000 boxes from each country. In the longer term, Olivé said the company is looking to expand its offer to include Hass avocados and Persian limes from Mexico, as well as apples from Chile.
