In line with Mercabarna’s overall figures for bananas and plantains, Plátanos Ruiz, the ripening and marketing company has also increased its volumes.
The company’s sales have grown by 20%, of which 12% correspond to bananas and 8% to plantains.
The primary cause must be sought in the important production in the Canary Islands, since they have sent almost one million kilos more each week.
“Obviously for the producers the year has not been as good, due to the low return prices, but the market has had a good consumer response,” José María Ruiz, an executive from the company explains.
In spite of having experienced some overproduction, consumption has been maintained. “In fact, this year the drop in consumption that occurs when the summer arrives has been gentler because we were holding the stone fruit consumer quota, which has managed to keep up some quite high prices,” Ruiz remarks.
“The plantain always fluctuates more than the banana and it is usually below the price for Canary Island produce, which has already meant that in Catalonia more plantains are eaten than bananas. In the school dining rooms, plantains are usually served and the children no longer draw curved bananas, but almost straight ones, shaped like a plantain.”
However, the company, which only specialises in this category, is remaining loyal to the Canary Island produce. “I do not believe that the day will come for us when we sell more plantains than bananas. Consumers still know that bananas are sweeter and this is an added bonus. Additionally, in our company there is a tradition, a commitment to this produce and its source, and above all, a know-how, which allows us to offer the best quality.”
And on this point, he explains that ripening is not a simple process and although the latest programmes on computers are available, the activity still uses human or personal skills since the colour that the banana will have when it leaves the ripening room, the day of availability, the customer’s requirements, etc. must all be known.
The company, endorsed by a solid business base and with important refurbishment actions continuously being carried out in recent years, has 12 ripening rooms within the Mercabarna installations and it also has direct sales in six markets in the province of Barcelona, where it solely and exclusively sells this category.
Promotion and marketing. The company sponsors many sporting events where it gives its fruit away. Last year it sponsored the Mercabarna running event. Throughout the year, participants in many races and mountain excursions can taste their products and upload their experiences on the Facebook page, ‘Locos por los Plátanos’ (Mad about Bananas).
