The Egyptian garlic season has been in full swing for just under a month. Every week, several containers with fresh goods are arriving at various seaports in Europe, says Edgar Günther, Managing Director of SuezFruit©, which is offering the garlic on the German market for the first time. He observes a large and steadily growing demand at both European wholesale markets and packers of the food retail trade.
On February 17, the first shipment arrived by air and the company now offers both shipped and airfreighted goods. This means the volumes to be marketed have increased as well, with prices dropping accordingly, says Günther. "We market the goods as 5kg containers in standardized carton crates. Fresh garlic is available in two calibers, 50-60 millimeters and over 60 millimeters. The latter size is usually the most in demand and fetches a minimal 10 percent premium in sales."
Switching from air to sea freight could significantly reduce freight costs. This would be reflected in the pricing. Since last week, organic goods (50+) have also been arriving.
High value in the trade
Dried garlic is known to be sourced by the ton from both China and southern Europe throughout the year, but its fresh equivalent has only been gradually gaining in importance in recent years. "I wouldn't call green garlic exotic, though. The product already has a certain status on the market and consumers are familiar with the item compared to our other product mainstay; pulses," Günther says.
Purple garlic is mainly used in France, Poland and the Netherlands. The standard white garlic, on the other hand, is particularly popular in Germany.
In addition, he says, competition in fresh garlic is minimal, as there are only small quantities from Argentina on the market. "As a result, we are getting more and more inquiries, both at wholesale markets and from packers and food retail service providers," he continues. "We now aim to find firm bulk buyers and partners at all regional wholesale markets."
Everything from a single source
In any case, Günther claims there is enough growth potential: "Our source partner already has eight years of experience in cultivation and export. In addition to this, we are offering everything from a single source, whether the transport or the import processing, which is why the customer has to make no effort in purchasing goods. Although we are new in this segment, we offer a clear added value and multiple advantages to the customer."
For more information:
SuezFruit
Edgar Günther
Zentrale Hamburg: +49 157 5175 1475
[email protected]
https://suezfruit.com.eg/
Ahmed Adel
Ägypten: +20 112 668 4494
[email protected]