Westfalia launches its first avocado ripening facility in India

INDIA – Westfalia Fruit, a leading multinational supplier of fresh fruit and related​ products to international markets has launched its first avocado ripening facility in Mumbai.

This will allow the company to supply avocados that are ready to eat to consumers in Mumbai and the neighbouring regions.

Speaking at the launch, Zac Bard, Director, of Westfalia Fruit India, said that Avocado ripeness has been a challenge for both retailers and consumers in India.

“Many consumers in India are not sure when is the perfect time to eat an avocado. Retailers also at times are unaware of how to differently handle Hass avocados at different stages of their ripeness,” he said.

“Our perfectly ripened avocados will look to address this gap in the market.”

He also added that the ripening facility is designed to change the way avocados are marketed and consumed and that the company has plans to open similar facilities in other major metros of the country.

Since its launch in India last year, Westfalia Fruit has supplied over 1000 metric tons of avocado to the Indian market.

Last year, the supplier partnered with Sam agri, a pioneer in creating new product categories for export from India, and incorporated a joint-venture company, West In Avo India Limited, to introduce Hass avocados in India and also other internationally accepted varieties that suit the Indian climate.

According to David Levin, Marketing Director, Sam Agri. the partnership to allow Westfalia to focus on both the local avocado industry and strategic imports that make the market in India so special.

During India’s off-season months, Westfalia aimed to import avocados from their farms in Tanzania to maintain year-round availability for the developing market.

As an agricultural sustainability leader committed to becoming ‘lifetime carbon neutral’ by 2049, Westfalia Fruit also aims to be a sustainability pioneer in India, bringing the same values and approach from its farms in Africa, Latin America and the rest of the world to the sub-continent.

Today, operating in 15 countries spread over 5 continents, the Westfalia Fruit Group prides itself on advancing sustainable agricultural practices and being a responsible corporate citizen within the communities in which it operates.

As a frontrunner in the avocado industry, Westfalia grows, sources, ripens, packs, processes, and markets accredited avocados across the globe throughout the year.

 Value-added products include avocado oil, low-preservative guacamole, frozen avocado, and dried fruit.

A supplier of choice to retail, wholesale, and food-service customers, Westfalia operates sales offices in the UK, Europe, North America, Latin America, southern Africa, and Asia. Fruit is packed in diverse formats and expertly ripened to deliver optimal eating quality.

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