GERMANY – Fresh Del Monte has opened a new office in Hamburg, Germany, which signifies the inception of its plan to build on what it says is strong market demand for bananas and other fruits.

Fresh Del Monte Produce Incorporated is one of the world’s leading vertically integrated producers, distributors, and marketers of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables.

According to the company, the decision to strengthen its presence in Germany was driven by the country’s status as one of the largest per-capita consumers of bananas in Europe.

The Hamburg office is expected to play a pivotal role in bringing Fresh Del Monte closer to what remains the country’s main port of arrival for exotic fruits and to build on existing connections between commercial and supply chain operations.

“We are very proud to open this new hub for the company in one of the most active cities in the world for our category, “said Oliver Engelken, commercial director at Del Monte Germany.

“Our mission is to enrich the lives of German households by providing them every day with healthy and sustainable Del Monte fruit and our commercial expansion will play a crucial role in bringing us closer to that goal.”

In April this year, the company announced a strong expansion plan for its convenient 24-count single-serve Del Monte banana box across the European market.

The product is packed in a small box designed to meet the increasing demand for convenient, on-the-go snacking across different retail and foodservice channels.

The product is also designed to help European consumers fight inflation while supporting the company’s efforts in sustainable farming and reducing food waste along the supply chain.

The release said Del Monte single-serve bananas are displayed loose, and each finger is marked with the Del Monte Quality logo, making it easy for consumers to shop for the exact quantity they need and reducing the risk of food waste at both the store and household level.

According to the European Commission, European citizens are major banana consumers, making the European Union (EU) the world’s biggest importer of bananas.

In 2021 the total supply of bananas in the EU amounted to around 5.8 million tonnes with around 74% of the supply coming from Latin America, 15% from African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries, and 11% from the EU’s own production.

At the beginning of the year, Fresh Del Monte and Moze Holding Limited, a Talc Investment company, signed a partnership agreement to reestablish banana farming in the previously famed banana belt area.

 The partnership is also not only going to significantly reduce banana transport times, giving consumers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) access to fresher, lower-cost fruit but will also aid in Somalia’s economic resurgence and help meet the growing demand for the produce in Europe.

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