Organic exotics are set to make a bigger impact, according to several sources.

Anne Walton, commercial director at Exotic Farm Produce, told FPJ she expects to see big growth in the organic sector of the category.

The company recently added organic Tenderstem broccoli to its offer and has seen a rapid take-up of the item, along with conventional Tenderstem. “As products become better recognised and more mainstream, room is made in the market for the organic equivalents,” Walton said.

Geoff White, of Katopé/ Malet Azoulay, agrees the organic exotic section is being given more attention in-store as retailers are growing the organics section as a whole.

“Where a lot of retailers in the past tended to look at it as something for the ‘green welly brigade’ only, organic exotics have been brought into more stores and we are increasingly allowed a greater part of the space made available to organics,” he said.

According to White, sales of organics and Fairtrade products are increasing in sync with each other as more people are shopping with a conscience.

“There are a lot more people worrying about their health and the environment and about the lifestyle of the producers of those products and we are seeing some quite interesting developments in this area,” he said.

White claimed maintaining a consistency of supply of exotic lines would be key to retaining consumer interest and generating repeat purchases long-term.

“At Katopé we have year-round availability of Fairtrade mangoes and we are trying to extend the availability of avocados, lychees, dates, pomegranates and other products all the time,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jaco Marais, md of Katopé Subtropical RSA, in Tzaneen, South Africa, said all Fairtrade sales are majorly inhibited by an insufficient demand among European consumers, with the majority of the company’s Fairtrade-certified fruit exports still being sold as conventional produce.

He called for retailers and lobbyists to continue focusing all efforts on growing the market, enabling Katopé to generate larger premiums for its growers.

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