Paloma award

(l-r) Grupo Paloma's Antonio Hernández Navarro receives award from IFEMA's José María Álvarez de Manzao

Murcia-based tomato and grape exporter Grupo Hortofrutícola Paloma has been recognised for its global marketing work at a ceremony in the Spanish capital.

At the event highlighting small and medium-sized companies, held last week at IFEMA’s headquarters in Madrid, Grupo Paloma’s managing director, Antonio Hernández Navarro, was presented with an award for his firm’s export efforts.

Presiding over the ceremony, the president of Madrid region, Esperanza Aguirre, said the prize for internationalisation had been awarded to Grupo Paloma 'because of its capacity to put Spanish foodstuffs on the world's tables'.

in a statement, she said that the family-run fruit and vegetable group, which was founded 40 years ago, sells more than 100,000 tonnes of fresh produce every year and is a pioneering exporter of Spanish-grown tomatoes and red, seedless grapes.

Mr Hernández was awarded the prize by the chairman of IFEMA’s governing board, José María álvarez de Manzao.

Grupo Paloma consists of six companies that specialise in harvesting, handling, packaging and marketing fruit and vegetables. It has an annual turnover of €100m and a 2,500 strong workforce.

The sixth annual Premios PYME was organised by Spanish financial newspaper Expansión and IFEMA, with support from Orange and Bancaja.