With several prestigious brands already consolidated on the market and a very high quality range, Hispalco is presenting in Berlin its new produce line: “Hippie Chic.”
The new brand responds to the company’s wish to offer standard quality produce for customers and destinations that require more reasonable prices than those set by the extra qualities of Monna Lisa and Unicorn, Hispalco’s flagships. “We will continue maintaining high quality produce because this is our market segment, and under no circumstances do we want to leave it, but the prices of Hippie Chic are more reasonable, whilst at the same time maintaining high range produce,” José Beltrán, manager of the Valencian company explains.
Regarding the course of the current citrus fruit season up to the middle of January, the executive states that “in mandarins and clementines the prices have been good for the top quality fruit, although agriculture is never valued highly enough, and this is the same for the lemon crop. However, he points out “this has not occurred with Navelina oranges which, in spite of having suffered a 15% drop in production, will finish the season with surplus fruits because there has been an insufficient demand due to very mild temperatures in the destination countries.”
Biological produce is one of the categories that is maintaining its good behaviour, as the company has increased its sales by 8%.
José Beltrán believes that Spain needs to speed up the variety changeover for both fruit and vegetables. “In the long term, it is more profitable to produce less with varieties that produce higher quality and are good to eat, whenever consumers are willing to pay for them.”
Finally, and although the company has been getting it ready for a long time, another brand is about to be born, with super-extra quality, called “Lady Godiva”. Using this brand name, completely new preparations will be seen, such as strawberries in air sacs.
Although the company exclusively exports its produce, the executive does not rule out a future where it enters the home market.
