Mexico
Mexico’s
fresh focus
on UK
Given its geographic
closeness, it is little
wonder most of Mexico’s
fresh produce goes to the
US, but the UK and Europe
are becoming increasingly
attractive alternatives.
Steven Maxwell reports
M
ention Mexican food to most
However, this figure had increased to
es, Persian limes, avocados, bananas
UK consumers and the chances
17,263 tonnes by 2011.
and grapefruit.
are they will associate it with bur-
Although berries are an impor-
According to Fernandez, the UK
ritos, nachos and refried beans – in
tant export product to the UK, figures
accounts for over 18 per cent of total
fact almost anything but fresh pro-
from Mexico’s Ministry of Agricul-
Mexican fruit exports to Europe,
duce. However, although most Brit-
ture reveal huge increases in lime and
although less than two per cent of
renowned ish shoppers may be unaware of it,
orange sales. Persian lime exports to
Mexico’s vegetable shipments are
producer of Mexico is a major exporter of fruits
the UK rose from 1,192 tonnes in 2007
sent to the continent.
limes
and vegetables, whose share of the UK
to 8,619 tonnes last year, while orange
market has steadily grown over the
shipments
Export demand
Sol, the Aztec last decade.
tonnes five years ago to 4,226 tonnes
Sofresco GmbH is, perhaps, typical
calendar stone
by 2011.
of Mexican producers that currently
Sharing a border that spans some
from
2,409
2—La Piedra del
3,169km, it is probably unsurprising
According to Fernando Fernandez
the US receives the bulk of the coun-
from promotional body Mexico Cali-
The company exports limes to the
try’s fresh produce exports. Howev-
dad Suprema, the growth in exports
UK during the summer months, fol-
er, with the global recession hitting
to the UK is being driven by the ability
lowed by blackberries from Octo-
US spending levels, Mexican export-
of Mexican growers to deliver a stable
ber to May. According to the firm’s
ers have begun to cast their eye over
supply of quality fruit all year round.
chief
other, potentially lucrative destinations, among them the UK.
28
increased
export to the UK.
operating
officer,
Gerardo
Fernandez says the UK now
López, Sofresco expects to deliv-
counts among Mexico’s five principal
er 1,000 tonnes of fruit to the British
As recently as 2007, Mexico only
export markets in Europe, receiving
market this year, worth an estimat-
exported 7,579 tonnes of its primary
a wide range of desirable products
ed £1m, which is equivalent to around
fruit commodities – citrus, avocados,
including strawberries, blackber-
30 per cent of its total volume shipped
bananas and berries – to this country.
ries, raspberries, blueberries, orang-
to Europe.
22 june 2012 —
1—Mexico is a »
Comtiem tackles fruit quality on board
Technology
Mexican fresh produce exporter Comtiem recently reported that
it’s adopting Purfresh technology in the long-haul shipment of its
limes from Mexico to Europe and the UK, in a bid to maintain fruit
quality and improve the company’s bottom line.
Mexico
3—Mexican chillies are known the
world over
Outside these two key products,
López says the company is also planning to promote Mexican blueberries.
Michoacán-based soft-fruit and
grapefruit exporter Grupo HerEs
is another Mexican exporter that
is keen to establish Mexico-grown
blueberries in the UK.
At the present time, Grupo
—3
HerEs exports 1,000 tonnes of black-
an advantage for us because we offer
berries to the EU, including the
very high quality products from a
UK, and hopes are high that it can
region that boasts very high food
increase its level of business in
safety levels.”
the country.
In the case of its blueberry
“The UK is one of our most impor-
exports, which are relatively recent,
tant markets because although it is
Fernández says Campo Elite has been
very demanding in terms of quali-
able to differentiate its product from
ty and certification, it is very stable
Chilean competitors by emphasising
in terms of prices and our clients
this quality and targeting “gourmet”
there are among the most reliable you
and high-end retailers.
could work with,” says Grupo HerEs’
Difficulties remain
Mydory Ramirez.
The
company’s
strategy
for
Of course, all of this is not to suggest
increasing its UK business is, she says,
that the UK has suddenly become the
fact that many of the
focused on improving the added value
market of choice for Mexican produc-
country’s packhouses, while
of its products and services to clients
ers. Far from it, argues Paul Nicholls of
equipped to handle large volumes, can only accommodate
combined with substantial internal
UK importer Total Exotics, who says
modest packaging requirements. Bespoke packaging, as
investment to improve HerEs’ abili-
many Mexican growers still need to be
required by many UK retailers, is often expensive to imple-
ty to meet quality, volume, food safety
convinced about the merits of export-
ment, says Nicholls.
and logistics demands.
ing to Europe.
“The key point with Mexican
ily consist of limes – around 20 tonnes a week, from May
can achieve further growth in the UK
sourcing is their very strong tradition-
to December – followed by 10 tonnes a week of asparagus
through its organic range, which she
al focus on the US – their trade deals
between January and April.
says has already attracted interest
and close proximity means the US is
Despite this, it also appears that the question of prices
from a number of clients.
an important outlet for them and there
in the UK has proven to be a negative factor for some
Campo Elite, a berry exporter
is a risk Europe can suffer in terms of
exporters.
based in the nearby region of Colima,
lower availability, especially when the
exports 60 tonnes of blackberries,
US is promoting,” explains Nicholls.
Sun Belle, a US berry producer with extensive farming interests in Mexico, exports Mexican blackber-
raspberries and blueberries during
For this reason, he says that Total
ries to a wide range of European markets between
its soft-fruit season to Europe – some
Exotics has undertaken great efforts to
October and May, and is experiencing steady growth in
“educate and inform” Mexican grow-
the continent.
80 per cent of which goes to the UK.
In fact, Campo Elite’s Raúl Fernández says the company’s annual sales
30
Total Exotics’ current imports from Mexico primar-
Ramirez says HerEs believes it
ers that “there are alternative outlets
for their products, not just the US”.
to the UK reach around $700m and is
But Nicholls adds: “This has been a
considered one of its principal mar-
real challenge, especially with avocado
kets, alongside the US and Canada.
and mango growers.”
“We view the UK as a demanding,
Another difficulty when deal-
but very fair client,” he says. “This is
ing with Mexico, he continues, is the
22 june 2012 —
However, company president Janice Honigberg says the
same cannot be said to be true for the UK. “Our business
is Europe is growing significantly, but we have little to no
growth in the UK,” she says.
“The biggest difficulty in the UK is the low prices, so it’s
difficult to interest growers given the alternatives in other
markets.” —