Expoglobal Ecuador pineapples

Expoglobal will next year launch pineapple exports to Europe under the Don Alejo brand, following in the successful footsteps of the company’s banana programme.

“This is the beginning of a new range of business – to export and offer the best fruits from Ecuador,” company owner Alejandro Chong-Qui told Fruitnet.com.

“Our main business is still banana production and exports but we are now starting with pineapples.”

According to Mr Chong-Qui, Expoglobal is growing as a company. “Our exports rose by 60 per cent in 2010 and we expect a 50 per cent increase for 2011,” he explained.

In the future, Expoglobal also plans to independently export 100 per cent of its banana crop instead of distributing a portion of its crop via intermediaries.

Currently, the group produces bananas across 1,800ha of planted area and has the capacity to export 80,000 boxes of the fruit per week.

Europe accounts for 65 per cent of the firm’s sales, followed by Russia, the Middle East and North Africa.