Enrique Martinavarro Dealbert, vice-president of major Spanish citrus exporter Martinavarro, who was largely responsible for the shape of the modern company, has died following a long illness, according to a report in Las Provincias.
Mr Martinavarro Dealbert, who was 75, oversaw the development of a company, based in Almassora, Valencia, that over the course of half a century grew to become one of the most important operators in the Spanish fresh produce sector.
As the eldest of five siblings, Mr Martinavarro Dealbert also headed a citrus production dynasty that took shape in 1946 with the creation of Enrique Martinavarro SA, following the merger of three Almassora-based citrus growers – Martinavarro, Ballester and Dealbert.
During the 1950s, Mr Martinavarro Dealbert oversaw the development of the new company in important export markets, such as France and the UK, alongside his brothers, José Luis and Alberto, and his brother-in-law, Joaquin Ballester.
Mr Martinavarro Dealbert also developed trading relationships with leading retailers, such as Marks & Spencer, Tesco and Sainsbury’s in the UK, Albert Heijn in the Netherlands and Ica in Sweden that endure to this day.
In 1956, the company became the first in the sector to package its citrus exports in nets, an innovation that was soon copied by the rest of the industry.
Mr Martinavarro Dealbert, who whose funeral will take place today (17 June) in Castellón, is survived by his wife, Mercedes Ferrer, and three children, Enrique, José Luis and Mercedes.
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