The opening up of a new export market in the UK, building a new $5 million dollar pineapple packhouse facility and growing new crops. This is how Angel Leguisamon, CEO of the tropical fruit producer Transna Trading Group, based in the island nation of the Dominican Republic, responded when the produce world was further disrupted by the Russian war in the Ukraine.
(l) Melissa Hernandez and (r) Angel W. Leguisaman at their company's Fruit Logistica 2022 stand in Berlin recently.
“We were selling a lot of pineapples to Russia. Due to the situation, and no shipping lines being available we were forced to stop exports. I had to keep going. I told my guys in Holland, we have a market in Europe, you have to sell more there. Fortunately, I could open a new market in the United Kingdom and divert what was already on the way and intended for Russia. In our case we produce only one type of product, namely pineapples. It was only a matter of speaking to my guys to all sell one more container. We also have a domestic market output, where we managed to sell more in the Dominican Republic,” says Leguisamon.
The Transna Trading Group, that also sells hot peppers, is headquartered in the Dominican Republic with 360 own hectares. It co-operates with several other producers on close to 700 hectares. “They produce for me with financing that I provide. I do 60% private owned land and 40% with a local producer association. I have a team and office of agronomists that closely supervise the production of what we are planning to export from each farm,” says Leguisamon.
The group has a main distribution and quality control centre in Spain, legal head office in Italy as well as a presence in the USA. In the Netherlands the group has a joint venture with a partner where they receive and sell only container loads of produce, mainly pineapples.
“In Italy we only sell directly to importers. In Spain, we have a quality control facility, where we can handle around 6 containers per fridge. We have access to another space for 6 more containers. We also sell by pallet and by van because sometimes the guys in the market order one pallet. Other bigger clients order big containers, while we mainly sell big container volumes in Spain.
“The quality of our latest pineapple arrivals in Europe were mixed. This is due to basic machinery and manual packing in the Dominican Republic. It led to issues with grading and sizing of pineapples. To rectify this we are now investing in a new packing plant warehouse and new equipment of close to $5 million dollars. We are looking to have it paid over a period of 24 months. This is because we already have the clients, point of sales and distribution facilities in Europe. Right now we pack 15 to 20 containers a week. In the new warehouse we are planning to add four new packing lines. This will be up and running next year September. Our capacity will then be an additional 20 containers per week,” explained Leguisamon.
The Fruit Logistica trade show in Berlin is used by Angel to gain new orders that inform his plantings and production schedule for the next season. “I have completely new orders to start a new line of business. We are going to produce 3 varieties of egg plants – Chinese, Thai and Indian eggplants. I will also plant long beans while we usually produce hot pepper. It is a completely new variety that I’m doing right now. I already identified and ordered the seeds I am going to use. This will be planted in the next 45 days. Whatever I guarantee on the fair in Berlin, I plan it out. I give my team of agronomists tasks to supervise each farm, to follow up what needs to be done. This includes projections of expected production and everything needed,” says Leguisamon.
He said they will continue to deliver pineapples for the next 3 weeks before their season ends. “Over the last 2 years it has been a learning process to identify the best packing, transport and logistical measures. The new packhouse will increase our quality and capacity substantially,” concluded Leguisamon.
Take a virtual tour of their existing packhouse plant.
For more information:
Angel Leguisamon
Transna Trading Group
Tel: +34-935-04 15 46
Email: [email protected]
www.transnatrading.com/en/