Brazilian green coconut is seeking a place in the European market. "Last year we started working with green coconut for a supermarket chain in Portugal. The fruit was well-received and this year we are already shipping weekly containers to Portugal, as well as the United Kingdom. However, our goal is to introduce green coconut across Europe, especially in Malaga, Spain or Italy, where we are looking for clients willing to start working with the fruit at this time of increasing beach tourism," says Ronaldo Araújo, CEO of the Brazilian group Sebastião Da Manga, which owns Spanish company Kairós SM Tropical S.L.
"Here in Brazil, green coconut is consumed all year round, although much more when the weather is hot. It's traditionally consumed on the beach, but it's also a natural energy source consumed daily by athletes. Unlike dried coconut, of which only the pulp is consumed, you can drink the water of green coconuts, which is a very refreshing drink, and eat their meat, which has a very sweet flavor."
"To give you an idea of the extent to which this fruit is consumed in Brazil, in the wholesale market in Rio de Janeiro there are about 30 stalls offering green coconut, including mine, which sell about 30,000 coconuts a day."
"Coconut is a tropical fruit, and in Brazil, where we have summer weather almost all year round, every state produces it, even in winter. We now have a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius in Rio de Janeiro, which is allowing us to continue producing it, and that's why we are able to ship the fruit to the whole of Europe during its summer. We are hoping to deliver this fruit successfully both to clients who are already working with our mangoes and to new ones."
"From August onwards, mango production will be resumed and our work will go back to normal"
Mango is, in fact, the main product of this Brazilian family group with subsidiaries in Spain, Portugal and Rotterdam, and the prospect is for its production to be resumed in the second half of the year. "The rains in Brazil were very heavy and took a toll on the mango growing region in the north-east of the country, causing the loss of large volumes of fruit. Here in Brazil we are currently selling mangoes at around €1.50/kilo, which is a very high price, and we are cutting on exports to be able to supply the domestic market. However, from August onwards, the production will be resumed, and our work will go back to normal."
"Just like with green coconut, Brazil has the advantage of being able to produce mangoes all year round to supply the world's main markets. In fact, between August and December, our company handles more than 2 million kilos."
"Now we want to include green coconut in our portfolio and work with it in Europe just as we already do with mangoes, limes, papayas, ginger and dragon fruit."
For more information:
Kairós SM Tropical S.L.
Alfredo Kraus, 1, Bajo, Letra E
29709, Vélez-Málaga, Málaga, Spain
[email protected]
[email protected]