New Zealand exporter Enza hopes to control 70 per cent of the country’s apple sendings within the next three to five seasons.
“Enza currently holds a 40-45 per cent share of the export crop for New Zealand,” explained Oliver Downs, brand manager at Enza International. “We aim to achieve this both through acquisitions and urging other growers to market through Enza.”
Market conditions in recent seasons in Europe have been extremely tough for the kiwis, and while a return to single-desk selling is not on the cards, greater collaboration among senders is recognized as a key to market success.
“The season in the UK is looking fine so far,” reported Downs. “A smaller crop has focused attention on meeting programmes. Prices have improved, and we are cautiously optimistic. The results are always affected by the tail end of the crop but we seem to be in a good position. The greatest issue relates to the initial high inventories in the market and the extension of the northern hemisphere season due to SmartFresh and other storage options.”
Burgeoning demand for new varieties in the quality-conscious market is also proving a factor. “The variety that we face the biggest challenge with this season is the new Jazz apple due to the overwhelming demand compared with the stock we have available for supply,” said Downs.
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