GRAPEVINE, Texas — Pharr, Texas-based Spring Valley Fruit is developing new guava varieties and offering innovative compostable packaging, said Alberto Diaz, managing director.
Diaz spoke April 23 at the Texas International Produce Association’s Viva Fresh Expo.
Since 2008, when exports of irradiated Mexican guava to the U.S. began, Spring Valley Fruits has been the largest exporter in the country, Diaz said.
“We import about two-thirds of the guava fruit coming to the U.S.,” he said.
The USDA said imports of guavas from Mexico reached $30.01 million in 2021, with about 93% of U.S. total guava imports being $32.3 million.
Other than a couple of chains, Diaz said, irradiated guava fruit — necessary for pest control — is widely accepted by U.S. retailers.
Spring Valley Fruits has a packaging house in Aguascalientes, Mexico, but also sources guavas year-round from other Mexican states, including Michoacan.
The grower has more than 125,000 guava trees, according to the company’s website.
Spring Valley Fruits is starting to diversify the varieties it offers beyond Mexican guava varieties, Diaz said.
“For example, in Asia, they love guava, but they love their guava,” Diaz said, emphasizing the word “their.”
“We’re just at the beginning stages of developing new varieties based on the ancient varieties,” he said. The process will take years, but ultimately will give consumers more options.
Last year, the company began to offer eco-friendly trays, which Diaz said are 100 % recyclable and compostable.
The 1-pound tray is made with bamboo and sugar cane to reduce packaging plastic use by 91% per unit.
Guavas are widely consumed in tropical countries around the world, and Diaz believes the fruit has untapped potential in the U.S.
“Guava is not a popular fruit in the U.S. yet, but in my opinion, it has the potential to become popular,” he said, noting that guava has five times more vitamin C than oranges.
