BanaBay is expanding its tropical fruit basket with the introduction of avocado, lime and mango varieties from Latin America as well as setting up a new export company in Ecuador to firm up supply from plantation to port.
The UK-based producer importer is branching out from its core business in bananas and pineapples to source mangoes from a broad footprint, including Kent, Tommy, and Keitt from Brazil and Colombia; Edward and Kent from Peru with Organic, Fairtrade and conventional options.
In terms of lime, Banabay is adding Persian fruit to its range which it says are larger than Key limes and are grown in Peru and Mexico.
Tapping into the ever-increasing avocado trend, the BanaBay quality control team has been working with growers in the Dominican Republic to find the best varieties. They will be importing Semil 34, Hass and Carla from the Caribbean nation as well as Hass from Colombia and from Mexico, Rainforest Alliance accredited Hass.
BanaBay Strengthens Supply Chain with Export Partner
Meanwhile, BanaBay has also established a new export company, CBC Fruit, in Ecuador which it says will refine end-to-end control of its fruit supply chain.
Set up to manage the seamless flow of fruit at origin from plantation to port, the company has taken full ownership and responsibility for the Ecuadorian logistics leg through this partnership.
Initially CBC Fruit will be handling up to 30 containers per week.
“The partnership enhances BanaBay’s end-to- end control, particularly upstream in the supply chain. Having built our quality control team on the ground in Ecuador this is a natural progression which will complement existing relationships,” says Banabay managing director, Mark O’Sullivan.
