Chilean and Colombian avocado suppliers team up

Two of South America’s major produce exporters have formed an alliance to boost sales of fresh avocados on the international market. The strategic alliance brings together Chilean group Cabilfrut and Colombian company Green SuperFood, with the aim of becoming one of the world’s most recognised avocado suppliers in the global marketplace.

Juan Pablo Cerda, executive director of Cabilfrut, said the alliance would target long-term expansion by integrating the strengths of both companies, from production to logistics and commercial sales. Eventually, that expansion could see other producers join the project.

“Our bet is ambitious, but at the same time, totally realistic,” he said. “Green SuperFood already owns and operates a high-standard packing facility, which provides additional reliability to the operation in Colombia. The idea is to promote it so that all of the avocados that both companies produce in Colombia will be processed there.”

If successful, the companies will look to source avocados from other places, and indeed add other products to their shared portfolio. Rodrigo Manzo, director of Green SuperFood, suggested this would happen in the medium term.

“In the immediate future, we have begun utilising physical and human infrastructure in a complementary manner,” said Manzo. “This reduces costs and improves operational agility, resulting in an optimal fruit offering, not only in quality but also in volume and service. This, in turn, will allow our producers to obtain a better return.”

In time, the partners said they planned to develop a joint brand identity and develop commercial marketing programmes under that label in the US, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Santiago-based Cabilfrut’s business focuses mainly on production, marketing and export of Hass avocados as well as some other products like citrus. In recent years, its operations have expanded to Peru and Colombia, where it works with local growers and has also acquired its own farms.

Green SuperFood is a major player in Hass avocados in Colombia, where its facilities focus on the production and export of premium, sustainable fresh fruit.