The first pomegranates from a new partnership to bring the exotic fruit into the UK and Europe from India have arrived.
FreshAcres Agri India is the result of a new joint venture, agreed in October 2007, between Fruit World Breda and Naturefresh Logistics, and has exported its first pomegranates aimed at the foodservice industry, as well as the supermarket sector.
FreshAcres Agri India has around 12,000 hectares of production of pomegranates in the Indian state of Maharashtra, around 30 per cent of which is exported to Europe as Class I product, with Class II product reaching the foodservice sector.
The dark red Bhagwa variety will be sold in 150g packs in retail form and 750kg boxes for foodservice.
The product will be checked meticulously by UK retailers before reaching customers later in the summer, it is hoped.
Fruit World Breda managing director Kees Valstar told freshinfo: “We thought it was an interesting product that we wanted to get into so we have done a trial shipment which has been very successful.
“You have to be very professional with a fruit like the pomegranate, as it is fragile so you have to make sure your handling is very good. It is an exciting project because the health benefits are so great and we wanted to opt for Indian product which is of excellent quality.
“We presented it first at Fruit Logistica in Berlin and the demand has grown and grown since. It is very popular with the caterers as it has a strong taste and the red colour works well for them. We can provide it year round too so it has fantastic potential to become a staple product through fruit salads and the like.”
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