California-based A&A Organic Marketing is looking to expand into the UK and Europe after seven successful seasons supplying the US and Canadian markets.
The company sources the bulk of its produce from California and Mexico but also has growers in Peru and Argentina.
Owner Andy Martin said: “The reality of our shipping any US product to the UK may be small, as it is all highly perishable. I see the South American products as a better opportunity. From South America, we have garlic, ginger, onions, pears, apples and blueberries available. We also have the potential to ship hard squash such as butternut and red kuri. We are interested in long-term relationships in the UK and Europe where we may be able to grow items for specific customers, as we have the grower base.
“We can grow a consistent-quality organic product for their customers. The UK and Europe are perfect places for us to expand.”
A&A works the Inka Fresh organic label out of Peru and the Guanaco organic label from Argentina.
Martin said: “We are partnered with individuals in both Peru and Argentina that make it their business to keep an eye on every item shipped and are constantly interacting with the growers and visiting the farms. I feel it would be impossible to monitor growers that far away, which is why we have made these partnerships.”
Martin has just returned from a visit to his South American grower base. “On this trip, we were able to get connected with organic asparagus, mangoes and avocados that we will pack into the Inka Fresh label. We are also working on organic garlic to fill the gap in the Argentinean season.”
A&A’s Peruvian grower base is in northern Peru, just south of Lima, and it also has producers further north in the Casma area.
And in Argentina, A&A has been shipping organic asparagus since the end of September. The main grower is in San Juan, north of Mendoza. The same producer also has organic white and purple garlic.
A&A is working with a local top-fruit grower in San Carlos on apples and pears, which should come on stream in March.
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