Peru Avocados business updates

Giumarra expands distribution reach

Escondido, Calif.-based Giumarra Agricom International LLC is using more of its distribution facilities across the U.S. to manage its Peruvian avocado program, said Bruce Dowhan, vice president of the Los Angeles-based parent Giumarra Cos. and general manager of Giumarra Agricom International.

“We have 15 facilities in the U.S. offering bagging, ripening and logistics services, and we are marketing Peruvian avocados through a greater part of the country,” Dowhan said.

It’s not a completely new approach, but it is less “regionally focused” than it had been in the past, Dowhan said.

“This year, we have a much greater array of customer across a broad range of the country,” he said.

McDaniel handles more volume

Fallbrook, Calif.-based grower-shipper McDaniel Fruit Co. is handling more Peruvian avocados than ever before, said Rankin McDaniel, president.

“This year, we’re probably going to be looking at a 60% to 70% growth rate over whatever the record we had before was,” he said.

Some of the increase likely is a result of this year’s leaner California crop, McDaniel said.

Overall, McDaniel Fruit has seen “incremental growth of 10% to 20% per-year growth” for all its avocado volume, McDaniel said.

Mission adding ripening facilities

Oxnard, Calif.-based Mission Produce Inc. has opened one new ripening facility outside the U.S. and was planning to have another operational soon, said Robb Bertels, vice president of marketing.

The company opened one facility in Shanghai, to service its growing customer base in China, and another was scheduled to open in in June in Calgary, Alberta, Bertels said.

Mission also operates another offshore ripening and distribution center, in Breda, Netherlands, Bertels said.

Commission elects board members

The Washington, D.C.-based Peruvian Avocado Commission elected a new board of directors in March at its annual meeting, said Xavier Equihua, the commission’s CEO and president.

Board members serve two-year terms, he said.

• The new producer director is Jose Antonio Castro of Peru-based grower-shipper Agrokasa.
• Exporter directors are Daniel Bustamante of Agricicola Cerro Prieto; Enrique Camet, Camet Trading; Eugenio Oliveira, CPF; and Ulises Quevedo, Talsa.
• Importer directors are Jose Antonio Gomez-Bazan, Camposol Trading; Giovanni Cavaletto, Index Fresh; Jim Donovan, Mission Produce; and Kellen Newhouse, West Pak Avocado.
• Officers are Castro, chairman; Gomez-Bazan, vice-chairman; and Donovan, secretary.
• The marketing committee includes Bustamante, chairman, as well as Bob Lucy of Del Rey Avocado; Cavaletto; Luke Sears, LGS Sales; Robb Bertels, Mission Produce; and Gomez-Bazan.