Montosa ready for next chapter of growth

Spain’s Montosa group is entering a dynamic new chapter of its history, marked by the appointment of a fresh management team and a bold wave of strategic investments. The move signals the company’s renewed ambition to expand its international footprint, enhance production capacity, and meet growing global demand for high-quality avocados and avocado products.

Founded by Jose Luis Montosa in 1982, Montosa was one of the pioneers of avocado production in Spain and quickly grew to become Europe’s leading supplier of tropical fruit. In recent years, it has seized on Europe’s growing appetite for guacamole to add another important revenue stream to its farmers in which is becoming an increasingly commoditised sector.

Commercial director Thierry Athimon, who joined Montosa in April of this year, is part of an overhaul of the management team brought into lead the company’s next chapter of growth. He says it now has a first-rate team of professionals in place which, together with recent investments the company has carried out, will improve competitiveness and enable it to achieve new goals.

“Understanding the product isn’t just about putting it in a pretty box,” he tells . “We carry out an exhaustive selection process from our fields and those of our partners to offer the best fruit. It’s difficult to adapt nature to commercial needs, but we are experts, and that’s where experience matters.”

In 2007 Montosa pioneered the production of fresh guacamole using high pressure processing (HPP) technology, and, alongside fresh avocados, consumption has grown steadily ever since. As Athimon notes, “younger generations don’t consume fruits and vegetables like our parents did”.

In fact, guacamole and other processed products now represent more than 30 per cent of Montosa’s sales volume. According to Athimon, the rapid growth of these lines is, in large part, down to Montosa adapting its recipes to suit different markets and customers. “The one-size-fits-all concept disappeared years ago. Our approach goes against economies of scale and the manufacture and distribution process is complex, but we know how to manage it,” he says.

Today, Montosa markets its guacamole range under its Sublime Gold brand, as well as being a major supplier to supermarkets across Europe. Athimon acknowledges that not all markets are moving at the same speed or consuming products in the same way. To address and anticipate the needs of each market, Montosa is working on several new products that it plans to launch soon.

“We are fortunate that avocado and guacamole consumption continues to grow. These are products with excellent nutritional value, easy to eat, and respond to demanding consumer trends,” he says.

The growing consumer appetite for guacamole has, naturally, attracted other players to the category, and Athimon recognises that striving to continually improve its products through ongoing investment and innovation is the best way for Montosa to retain its leadership position in the market. “We have invested in state-of-the-art manufacturing lines to increase our capacity and give us greater confidence in the quality of our products,” he says.

“Our strength lies in leveraging HPP technology with in-house expertise. We don’t use frozen fruit purees; we ripen the fruit, and when it’s ripe, we hand cut the avocados one by one and prepare each recipe in small batches. This way, we’re able to maintain the same flavour and texture year-round.”

On the whole-fruit side, meanwhile, Montosa supplies ripened avocado “just the way customers want it when they need it”. Its extensive client base allows us to sell all of its growers’ fruit. “Right now we have a lot of fruit is coming in, and the market is struggling to manage such high volumes. But knowing how to anticipate and handle these situations is what we specialise in,” he says.

According to the latest Europanel data, avocado sales increased by 13.2 per cent in volume across Europe last year. In Spain, a sizeable 80 per cent of households bought avocados, with French households running a close second. Almost half of British and German households bought avocados, and in Italy the proportion of households adding avocados to their shopping basket grew 8 per cent compared to the previous year.

At the same time, global production is also growing significantly, with more and more supply countries competing for a slice of the market and putting pressure on prices. While greater segmentation, in both fresh and processed avocados, is one way of creating added value, it is clear that suppliers have their work cut out if they are to stimulate new demand and avoid the commoditisation of the category.

Athimon maintains that quality and service is the way to guarantee a profitable future. “The key is working with our farms and long-term partners to ensure a quality supply year-round,” he says. “There is more fruit available, but not all offer the same quality; we must be selective. Montosa understands its customers’ needs, anticipates the market, and has ripe fruit ready as and when they request it. Having the volume is essential to satisfy them.”