Standing out from the crowd

When Málaga-based grower Sigfrido Molina set up his eponymous trading company a decade ago, it was with a clear vision in mind: to add value to his production by creating a brand synonymous with the quality, love and care with which his fruit had been cultivated.

Fast-forward to the present day, and Sigfrido Fruit is one of the most recognisable subtropical labels in Spain, its eye-catching graphics and colour scheme guaranteeing instant visibility, both on the shelf and at trade fairs.

Thanks to Molina’s marketing and commercial nous, the company’s annual sales have grown by a steady 20 per cent each year and in 2021 it sold more than 6,000 tonnes of avocados and mangoes to markets including France, the Netherlands, Italy and Belgium.

“Digital marketing forms a big part of our strategy – we’re looking to create the ‘Sigfrido Fruit experience’. Every time someone buys an avocado or mango we want them to think of our brand and want to buy it at their neighbourhood greengrocer, supermarket or through our website,” he says.

Molina believes that setting realistic and attainable goals is the key to maintaining the forward momentum necessary to drive the company’s ongoing expansion, even in the face of challenges such as Covid and soaring production costs.

With margins being squeezed by almost daily increases in packaging and transportation costs, he says the company will inevitably see a slowdown in growth this year. “But luckily we’re not stagnant. We work to provide a premium service to our existing customers and this in turn creates new business opportunities as others get to know us,” he says.

“Believing in your product, surrounding yourself with a good team and adapting to the digital revolution, which is shaping consumption trends, are three fundamental factors to prosper.”

In order to handle its growing output, the company is expanding its facility in Axarquia, adding 4,500m² of new storage and coldstorage capacity that will enable it to further improve service levels.

“We have also made several investments to improve conditions for our workers, both in the field and at the packhouse, such as installing air conditioning, and buying new machinery make fruit harvesting and transportation more efficient and comfortable,” Molina explains.

“At the same time, we’ve installed new machinery that enables us to pack smaller volume formats at twice the speed and with greater precision.”

Sigfrido Fruit’s focus on manageable growth extends to its approach to sustainability and being both grower and marketer means waste levels can be greatly reduced. “Fruit that enters the packhouse always has an outlet, and we regularly donate to regional food banks too,” Molina says. “And as far as possible we use recyclable materials and are always looking for new ways to reduce our carbon footprint.”

The company was recently awarded a sustainability certificate by the Vélez-Málaga City Council, a sure sign, says Molina, “that we’re doing thing well”.