Costa Rica's Grupo Visa produces and markets fresh pineapples, frozen pineapple, pineapple juice, and dehydrated pineapple. This diversification allows it to use the fruit the maximum and reduces waste. Max Paniagua, sales manager at Grupo Visa, highlighted the power of innovation and sustainability as fundamental pillars in the cultivation and export of Costa Rican pineapple.
Max explains that this strategy strengthens their position in the market and allows them to comply with their customers' strictest specifications. "We can choose the best fruit for our customers to deliver the best quality and sweetness." In addition, any fruit that's not exported fresh is processed into other products, ensuring an efficient recovery of value.
Grupo Visa has experienced steady growth in recent years. In 2014, it marketed approximately four million boxes of pineapple, a figure that has doubled in the last ten years. This growth has been driven by its strong investment in infrastructure and technology and its strategic alliances with supermarket chains in Europe and the United States.
The United States is Grupo Visa's main market, accounting for 50% of its total exports. Europe follows with 45% and other destinations, such as Morocco, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates account for the remaining 5%.
According to Max Paniagua, the company expects to grow by 10% to 15% in the coming years as demand in the European and American markets increases. In the last two years prices have been favourable due to the lower availability of fruit worldwide, which has made it possible to maintain high prices ranging between 12 and 18 USD per 12-kilo box (depending on the destination) in Europe and the United States.
The trend in the European market shows a growing demand for healthy and sustainable products, which has benefited Costa Rica's pineapple exports. European consumers increasingly value quality and sustainability, and Grupo Visa has managed to capitalize on these factors. Meanwhile, the US market focuses more on price and consistent availability, which has forced the company to adapt its marketing strategy to meet these expectations.
Pineapple production faces several challenges, including climate change and volatility in production costs. "Climate change has affected production strongly, there is more radiation and the fruit suffers more," Max stated. As a result, productivity and quality have decreased compared to previous years.
Costa Rica, the world's largest pineapple exporter, competes with countries such as Mexico, Ecuador, and Guatemala.
Looking ahead, the Visa Group remains committed to sustainability and social responsibility. Its 3,000 hectares of production are surrounded by conservation areas, which showcases the company's environmental commitment. In addition, the family business remains under the direction of the founder's children, thus maintaining its original vision and values.
Grupo Visa produces 10 million boxes of pineapples (5,800 containers) per year and is well-positioned to meet growing global demand and continue leading the pineapple export market.
For more information:
Max Paniagua
Grupo Visa SA
Tel.: +(506) 2473-3112
Tel.: +(506) 8445-2070
Email: [email protected]
www.visasa.com