The first avocado ripening facility operated by Westfalia Fruit India has opened in Mumbai, India. It will enable the business to offer consumers in Mumbai and the surrounding areas ready-to-eat avocados, according to news agency ANI.
The specialised ripening chamber was established on August 17, 2023, at a ceremony in Navi Mumbai, close to the APMC market. Leading fruit distributors, wholesalers, offline retailers, and e-commerce operators all attended the inauguration ceremony in addition to the Westfalia Fruit India leadership team.
Westfalia Fruit India has established itself as the market leader and largest importer of avocados in India. Westfalia Fruit started its India journey last year and supplied over 1,000 MT of avocados to the Indian market in 2023. This year also marks the first commercial harvest of Indian-grown Hass avocados. Over the next few years, over 500 acres of our existing Hass avocado plantations in Southern India will come into production, enabling consistent year-round availability of avocados for consumers.
Speaking at the launch, Zac Bard, Director – Westfalia Fruit India, said, “Avocado ripeness has been a challenge for both retailers and consumers in India. Many consumers in India are not sure when is the perfect time to eat an avocado. Retailers also, at times, are unaware of how to handle Hass avocados differently at different ripeness stages. Our perfectly ripened avocados will look to address this gap in the market.”
“Westfalia ripe and ready-to-eat avocados will be available in a special punnet, and consumers can be assured of consistent quality and ripeness. This avocado ripening facility will be a milestone in India and will change how avocados are marketed and consumed,” Zac added.
“Westfalia Fruit India is excellently placed to offer avocados consistently from multiple origins all year round mentioned,” Mr. GVK Naidu, Director – Westfalia Fruit India and MD of Sam Agri group, the Indian JV partners of Westfalia. “This ripening facility in Mumbai is just the start, and in the coming months, we will have similar facilities in other major metros of the country,” added Naidu.
In addition to the Westfalia Fruit India management team, the launch ceremony was attended by leading fruit distributors, wholesalers, offline retailers, and e-commerce operators. Westfalia Fruit started its journey in India last year and supplied more than 1,000 tons of avocados to the Indian market by 2023.
