Wintertime is the season for exotics: At Bielefeld wholesale company A. Schmidt Fruchtimport Ltd, air-shipped exotics from all over the world are currently well received as well. In line with the noticeable increase in demand, it has been possible to expand the range considerably in recent years, says Michael Wehmeyer, who runs the company together with his brother Tim.
Tim and Michael Wehmeyer have been running Albert Schmidt Fruchtimporte for several years. They are 4th generation managers and they are celebrating the company's 90th anniversary this year.
The Schmidt company's exotic selection currently ranges from the standard air-shipped mangos to passion fruit, pitahaya, mangosteen, cherimoya and kiwano. Wehmeyer: "In terms of demand, the air-shipped mangos are a perennial favorite and still way out in front, but other exotics are catching up.
Cherimoyas are partly sourced from Spain.
Bringing lesser-known articles closer
The Bielefeld-based company mainly supplies weekly market and specialist retailers as well as restaurateurs in northern Germany. Although ready-to-eat exotics have already earned a high profile in the specialty trade, demand in the restaurant trade is flagging somewhat, according to Wehmeyer. "We now want to change this by showing buyers in the catering trade how versatile fancy items, such as a kiwano, actually are. This way, we not only want to boost sales, but to also introduce previously unknown fruits to the gastronomy sector."
Finger limes and Brazilian figs: By means of recipe suggestions and QR codes, sales could be boosted even more, says Wehmeyer.
According to Wehmeyer, the peak season for air-shipped exotics continues to be concentrated in the cold season, from October to March, when they tend to have better appeal alongside citrus fruits. "In the Corona years, there's been a lot of home cooking and peopole were trying new items, which in turn has had a positive impact on exotics marketing." Accordingly, the selection has also expanded significantly. "Until recently, we only had one pitahaya in our range, but now we offer three different varieties, all of which are in demand. In that respect, the assortment has already widened."
Pitahaya and passion fruit
Difficult freight situation
The tense freight situation has only made itself felt in isolated cases so far, Wehmeyer continues. "In the case of Brazilian figs, there has been a slight supply shortage recently, yet there is no talk of an undersupply. Of course, we also occasionally have to contend with extended delivery times, but the customer generally is understanding with regard to the more difficult ongoing freight situation."
Spanish exotics
Furthermore, for some articles, it is now possible to fall back on European goods. This is because exotic fruits are also increasingly being sourced from Spain. "In the case of cherimoyas, mangos and avocados, we can already fall back on Spanish products in some cases, which is of course pleasing from a sustainability point of view. After all, it's crucial that the quality is right; with exotics, we're relatively open as far as countries of origin are concerned."
For more information:
Michael Wehmeyer
Albert Schmidt Fruchtimporte GmbH
Oldentruper Strasse 135c
33605 Bielefeld
T 0521 - 2 80 60
F 0521 - 28 77 80
[email protected]
www.fruchtimport-schmidt.de