The berry season has delivered positive results for Fruits Ràfols, which expects to surpass last year’s performance. The company attributes this progress to the close collaboration with its selected growers, the confidence of its customers and the positive response from consumers.
Jordi Sánchez, Product Manager for Exotic Fruit & Berries, highlights that the company’s ability to supply quality, volume and year-round continuity confirms the success of its sourcing strategy.
“The next step is to consolidate our own berry brands, making it easier for customers to identify that quality and continuity in the aisles of Mercabarna.”
The company is launching Black Panther, Blue Shark and Red Lion as its premium brands for blackberries, blueberries and raspberries respectively. The objective is to offer premium-quality berries throughout the year by adapting sourcing to each origin and season.
Helena Ràfols, Deputy Managing Director, explains that the project requires continuous coordination with growers from different countries. As the Spanish and Portuguese seasons come to an end, the company is already working with suppliers in Peru, Chile, Argentina and South Africa.
“We want these brands to become a mark of trust, just as our Paso Lagarto avocado brand already is.”
The three brands have already attracted considerable interest among the company’s customers at Mercabarna’s Hall G, with commercial roll-out expected between the end of 2026 and early 2027.
Fragaria strengthens its market position
The strawberry season has also been satisfactory despite the difficult weather conditions experienced at the beginning of the year. Persistent rainfall and the effects of Storm Kristin caused concern across the sector, with the Andalusian regional government estimating losses of between 40% and 50%.
Despite these challenges, Fragaria has maintained its strong commercial position. Since its launch in 2017, the brand has established itself in the market thanks to its premium positioning and customer recognition.
The addition of Lea, Fruits Ràfols’ new strawberry brand, further strengthens the company’s strategy within the category.
Warm weather brings forward melon and watermelon demand
The summer campaign is also developing positively. According to first-half figures, sales of both melons and watermelons have performed well, with melons showing particularly strong growth.
Carlos Jiménez, Operations Director at Fruits Ràfols, believes that the unusually high temperatures recorded earlier than normal have brought forward demand for two products traditionally associated with summer.
The company has responded by anticipating higher consumption and adapting its planning to these changing market dynamics.
“If next year the warm weather arrives in April, we will be ready to offer melons and watermelons immediately after Easter.”
Growing presence across Western and Eastern Europe
Fruits Ràfols’ export business has expanded during the first months of 2026 compared with the same period last year.
Growth has been positive in both Western and Eastern Europe, where the company has strengthened its commercial presence and customer relationships. According to Jiménez, this progress is helping new markets and customers recognise Fruits Ràfols as a reliable partner capable of guaranteeing year-round supply.
Avocados and grapes continue their positive trajectory
Avocados and grapes remain two of the company’s strongest-performing categories.
For avocados, Fruits Ràfols launched its Paso Lagarto brand in 2018. The concept is based on selecting fruit according to the season, country of origin and supplier to ensure consistent quality and year-round availability. The brand was recognised with the Flavour of the Year 2026 award.
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Grapes also continue to perform well. Thanks to careful market knowledge and coordinated sourcing from Spain, Italy and Peru, the company is able to supply grapes throughout the year.
Efficiency and sustainability across operations
Improving logistics efficiency remains another of Fruits Ràfols’ strategic priorities.
Over recent years, the company has implemented a comprehensive sustainability programme that has reduced electricity consumption by 30%, lowered CO₂ emissions, improved product preservation and reduced food waste by 25%, according to Pablo Romero, Quality and Logistics Manager.
The project was recognised as the Best Innovative Initiative in Sustainable Technology Solutions at the latest Mercabarna Innova Awards.
