Morocco

Salix Fruits strengthens partnerships in the Moroccan citrus industry

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 18:09:10 GMT

Salix Fruits continues to strengthen its ties with citrus producers in Morocco, a company executive says.

Vince Biasibetti, U.S. sales executive for Salix Fruits, recently visited citrus producers in Morocco, according to a news release.

“The visit was focused on evaluating the Moroccan citrus season, primarily mandarins and oranges, with a keen eye on crucial aspects such as quality, availability of sizes, and volume of supply,” Biasibetti said in the release. “The main goal was to build closer relationships with the producers and gain a better understanding of their operations and farms.”

The visit aimed to secure the necessary volume for programs with clients in the U.S. and explore possibilities for trading clients, further solidifying their presence in the market, the release said.

Biasibetti said that while the overall volume remains unaffected despite a severe drought, the offering will be more concentrated on smaller-sized fruits, particularly mandarins (nadorcott) and oranges (maroc late). The farms visited in Marrakech and Beni Mellal showed varying degrees of impact from the drought on production, the release said.

The visit allowed for the exploration of new business opportunities and learning about lesser-known varieties in the American market, thereby expanding Salix Fruits’ product portfolio, the release said.

Salix Fruits said the visit also allowed it to track the implementation of the Food and Drug Administration’s Foreign Supplier Verification Program among its suppliers in Morocco, the release said.

“Ensuring compliance with the programs allows us to guarantee the food safety required by the FDA and compliance with public health protection standards, including safety guidelines, preventive controls, and proper labeling,” Biasibetti said.

Continuous engagement and the establishment of strong relationships in Morocco are crucial for Salix Fruits, enabling them to maintain consistent volume and superior quality, yielding positive outcomes for both clients and suppliers, the company said.

“Conducting visits to production areas before each import season is crucial for optimal preparation,” Biasibetti said. “Therefore, the operations team from the U.S. is planning to visit lemon plantations in Argentina for the 2024 preseason.”

USDA approves raspberry imports from Morocco

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:08:20 GMT

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved imports of raspberries from Morocco.

Based on the findings of a pest risk analysis, the agency said fresh imports won’t present a pest risk to U.S. producers if several phytosantiary safeguards are met.

Imports of Moroccan fresh raspberries are approved to begin starting July 24, the USDA said.

Moroccan season starts for LGS Specialty’s Darling Clementines

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:39:19 GMT

LGS Specialty Sales , New Rochelle, N.Y., has started its Moroccan w. murcott season, importing the clementines through April.

The company is expecting to import 15% more of the citrus over the 2019 season, according to a news release, with fruit sizes peaking on medium- to large-sized fruit. LGS has imported the Moroccan fruit for over 10 years, and switches to Chilean w. murcotts from summer to fall.

The fruit is marketed under LGS’ Darling Clementine line.

LGS quality advisors visits groves to monitor the citrus during the season, and consult with growers in the off season about potential changes to improve the flavor and fruit condition, according to the release.

LGS Specialty Sales is introducing pink packaging for Darling Clementines this year, to be used around certain holidays/events, including Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October). The w. murcotts will be available in 2-, 3- and 5-pound packages.

Related stories:

LGS Specialty Sales launches Dish to Discovery

LGS Specialty Sales adds cara cara oranges to Darling Citrus line

LGS Specialty Sales lemons from Argentina arriving

Seald Sweet looks for peak supply of Moroccan nardocott mandarins in February and March

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 11:00:30 GMT

Vero Beach, Fla.-based Seald Sweet expects peak supply of Moroccan nardocott mandarins in February and March, said Peter Anderson, citrus commodity manager.

Seald Sweet, with origins as a citrus grower cooperative in 1909, offers conventional citrus and a wide variety of products from around the world.

Weather has been a surprise this year, Anderson said, with California’s heavy rains and harvest delays putting demand pressure on alternative supplies from Morocco for the midwinter to late spring months on both mandarins and oranges.

Retailers can maximize sales in a variety of ways, he said.

“Not only physical display is important, but positioning the product online for e-commerce on the retailer platform is important,” Anderson said. “Product positioning, keyword search and product boost are key resources to promote citrus.”

Related news: Sunkist citrus positioned to meet consumer demand for healthy options

In addition, pairing citrus with other produce is a way of promoting and merchandising citrus year-round, he said.

“One good way of merchandising citrus is explaining to the consumers the different varieties,” he said. For example, explaining the difference between navels and valencias, and describing the attributes of varieties like cara caras, can be helpful to consumers.

“It is good to give consumers more information on what they are buying,” he said.

In the past, Seald Sweet has placed orange juice stations at the retail level, and Anderson said that was a good way of sampling and promoting products with an appealing display.

“Working with associations like Summer Citrus from South Africa or Fruits from Chile has helped a lot,” he said. “They have developed a structure with retail partners; they have POS displays and recipes.”

A coupon kiosk has been something Seald Sweet has tried in the past and is another tool that can increase sales.

“Customers printed a coupon in-store or had one sent to them via loyalty programs,” he said.

Related news: Bee Sweet Citrus promotes heirloom navels to health-conscious consumers

Seald Sweet also has participated in online-themed events promoting its products during the year — for example, “back to school” or “healthy snacking” programs.

The marketer offers private-label options to its retail customers, using its modern packing facility in New Jersey.

Sustainable packaging is a point of emphasis for Seald Sweet, Anderson said.

“As part of our sustainable journey and as a global leader in the industry, we have the commitment to use 100% recyclable packaging by 2025,” he said. “We have introduced this year a 100% recyclable bag for clementines using HDPE plastic in both net and film. Also, we rolled out a kraft film, which uses 75% less plastic and has a vintage and natural look and feel.”

Anderson said retailers are setting up ambitious sustainability goals, which is likely to yield more industry progress.

“In addition to this, consumers seek more and more sustainable options for products they buy every day,” he said. “Therefore, we are rethinking our way to pack our products in the way consumers like by switching to more eco-friendly alternative.”

Hortifrut farms in Morocco and Peru receive sustainability certification

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 15:47:41 GMT

Berry producer and marketer Hortifrut says it has obtained LEAF Marque certification for its farms in Morocco and Peru (Trujillo and Olmos), as part of its commitment to sustainability and best agricultural practices.

With this certification, Hortifrut says it has expanded LEAF — or Linking Environment And Farming — Marque coverage in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, adding to the certifications already obtained in Spain and Portugal, as well as in the Americas.

The LEAF Marque certification is a globally recognized standard that guarantees compliance with strict sustainability criteria in agricultural production, guaranteeing the protection of biodiversity, the efficient use of resources and the well-being of local communities, according to a news release.

“The LEAF certification in Morocco and Peru is a reflection of Hortifrut’s strong commitment to sustainability and the implementation of advanced agricultural technologies that minimize environmental impact,” said Maria Elena Echenique, Hortifrut’s chief corporate affairs officer. “At Hortifrut we work with passion and excellence to ensure that our practices are responsible and sustainable in every link of the value chain, guaranteeing the conservation of the environment and the development of resilient farming communities.”

Hortifrut already has this certification in Spain and Portugal, and with the addition of Morocco and Peru, the company says it significantly expands the availability of LEAF-certified berries for European markets, strengthening its commitment to the main retailers in the region.

“With LEAF certification in Morocco and Peru, nearly all our supply to European retailers now comes from certified farms,” said Marion Tabard, CEO EMEA at Hortifrut. “This achievement reinforces our ability to offer our customers a stable supply of fruit grown under the highest sustainability standards, meeting market expectations and promoting responsible agricultural practices throughout our value chain.”

Hortifrut says the sustainability achievement reaffirms its commitment to responsible production and continuous improvement of its processes. The LEAF certification reinforces the company’s mission to offer berries to the world, every day, generating a positive impact on the communities where it operates and contributing to a more sustainable future, according to the release.

Santiago, Chile-based Hortifrut operates in 13 countries and specializes in varietal development, sustainable production and the year-round supply of berries to over 500 customers in more than 55 countries.