Ets Meseguer has recently started the mandarin campaign. “We received the first shipments in the middle of last week. We sell the Spanish origin under the Llusar brand for the Extra category, and under La Colombe for the basic category from the same orchard. Since we have our own production units in Spain, we can decline our offer in different packaging,” explains Benoît Maillard-Guillon of Ets Meseguer.
Declining the offer helps us meet the large demand
Besides the Spanish origin, the company also offers mandarins from Israel in packaging of 10-12 kg. “We decided to work directly with the Israel production. For 12 years now, we’ve had our own production coming straight from the orchards without going through a packaging company in Europe, which helps us reduce the costs. With both of these origins offered in different packaging, we are able to meet the needs of all our clients and sell only fruit coming from our orchards.”
Orri: the variety is a hit with everyone
The famous Orri mandarin from Israel has built a solid reputation thanks to its regular quality, although the Spanish origin is not doing too bad itself. “Israel was the first on the market so we are now working with mature orchards which, together with the land and climate of the country, make the quality of this mandarin exceptional. Orri is a variety that is a hit with everyone. It is a robust, colored and visually attractive hybrid that is seedless, sweet, full of flavors, peels easily and keeps well over time. The demand is always good and we clearly see a renewed interest for the fruit when we start the marketing campaign, to the point that it can overshadow other varieties such as Nadorcott.”
The competition between the two origins can take a toll on quality
“Some years ago, there was clearly a gap in quality between the origins. The Orri mandarin from Israel is the most sought after but it is difficult today to differentiate between the two origins in terms of taste and appearance. The Spanish trees have gained maturity over the years, so their fruits now have a lot more flavor. Additionally, the proximity with Spain guarantees more freshness, which can also influence the quality. This competition between the two origins drove Israel to start the season earlier in order to be on the market before Spain. But this is a double-edged sword, as striving to harvest early can take a toll on the quality of the product, which may then lose in taste and color.”
For more information:
Ets Meseguer
Benoît Maillard-Guillon
Phone: +33 146 864 170
benoit@etsmeseguer.fr
www.etsmeseguer.fr