Camposol reports good progress towards year-round avo supply

Following the expansion of its avocado production in Colombia as a complement to the operations in Peru, Camposol has announced that it is now targeting additional areas to develop further sourcing alternatives and strengthen the supply of avocados all year round.

As part of its strategy of intensifying its activities in the Mediterranean area, Camposol recently set up an office in Malaga, Spain that will serve as a sales, services, and sourcing platform.

It will initially focus on developing relationships with avocado and blueberry growers in Spain, Morocco, and Portugal, but possibly also for other fruit in the future.

Camposol said the Malaga office would also facilitate the development and expansion of customer relationships for the distribution of its fruit, especially in the Southern European markets of Spain and France.

The company is also looking to boost its presence in Central Europe and the Nordic areas but said Germany and the UK would remain as principal markets for Camposol in Europe.

It expects a challenging season this summer. “With rising energy costs and shrinking family budgets, the industry will have to monitor consumer behaviour with regard to premium products like avocados,” Camposol said.

“Thus, in cooperation with its retail customers, Camposol will activate some promotion for summer avocados to ensure volumes continue to flow.”

Camposol added that CSR remained at the heart of its expansion efforts, which also included the well-being of its employees.

These include special bonus scheme to enrol workers in a housing project. Family groups whose monthly income does not exceed a certain limit, may apply for the “Techo Propio” (“Own House”) project managed by the real estate company MarVerde.

The project was launched in 2015 very close to the Camposol avocado farms in Chao / La Libertad, and it benefits 2,500 people in the area. The company now plans to extend the scheme to Ica in southern Peru.

David Bruggen, commercial operations director of Camposol, said: “As our growth plans move forward, we continue to deepen our capability to supply fresh avocados on a year-round basis.

“Our own production in Colombia and the office in Spain, as well as a focus on ripe and ready to eat, all contribute to increasing our market presence across the entire EU.

“This, together with our constant efforts for a sustainable and fair supply chain, makes us optimistic for the future.”