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Leading Spanish fresh produce cooperative Costa de Almeria has announced that it is set to launch ‘Q Delicias’, a new brand for ready-to-eat slices of peppers, courgettes and other products.

The brand, which is due to be launched in late November-early December 2010, is being aimed by the Almeria-based company at consumers who wish to cook at home but find they have less time to spare for food preparation.

Speaking to Fruitnet, Costa de Almeria financial manager Noelia Medialdea said the range would debuted on the Spanish national market, before being launched across the rest of Europe at an yet-to-be-determined date.

“We are one of the first companies in Almeria to develop this kind of ready-to-eat product and we are planning to export it all across Europe,” she said.

At the current time, only the pepper packs are expected to be ready in time for the launch, although Ms Medialdea said there were plans to expand into other products, such as courgettes. The company hopes to sell 1,000 tonnes of the products within their first year on domestic and export markets.

Costa de Almeria is principally a tomato, cucumber, pepper and courgette grower, although it also markets major volumes of melons, watermelons and green beans, and has an annual production volume topping 140,000 tonnes each season.

Around 25 per cent of the company’s production is exported, largely to major western European markets, such as Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and France, as well as eastern Europe and Russia.

This is an extract of an interview with Costa de Almeria that will be published in full in Eurofruit's forthcoming Spanish supplement,Trade Spain 2011