Westfalia Fruit, one of the leading multinational suppliers of vegetables and fruit has announced its expansion into India through a joint venture called West In Avo Limited with Sam Agri, an Indian agri-business company
The JV company will supply local markets, retailers and wholesale markets with locally produced avocados from Westfalia’s global network of farms.
Westfalia said that it plans to introduce the ‘Hass’ avocado variety in India and also other internationally accepted varieties that suit the regional climate. The JV partners have also roped in Dvori Or, an Israel based nursery that combines the best of Avocado nursery expertise.
“We are global avocado experts in a very specialised industry that requires deep knowledge and experience. We are excited to bring to India our expertise in every part of the value chain from nurseries and growing techniques to producing the best quality product to put on the supermarket shelves,” said Zac Bard, executive global farming, growers and commercial nurseries for Westfalia.
GVK Naidu, managing director, Sam Agri, said, “The growing and marketing expertise of Westfalia coupled with the Nursery expertise of Dvori Or will help realise our vision to make Avocado available on every Indian table.”
“This partnership feels natural. With our combined experience, this collaboration will allow Westfalia to focus on both the local avocado industry and strategic imports that make the market in India so special, and we are looking forward to this journey together,” added David Levin, marketing director, Sam Agri.
“India has areas suitable for avocado production and being in the northern hemisphere, the production will be counter seasonal to African and other South American imports. We are excited to bring the right varieties and planting material to suit the local microclimates,” said Amos Or from Dvori Or.
During India’s offseason months Westfalia will import avocados from their farms in Tanzania to maintain year-round availability for the developing market. “We believe that the short transit time with a regular supply of good quality avocados creates the right conditions to see rapid growth in the Indian market and compliment the developing local production in India,” said Bard.
Westfalia said as an agricultural sustainability leader committed to protecting precious water resources, reducing waste and becoming ‘lifetime carbon neutral’ by 2049, the company also aims to be a sustainability pioneer in India, bringing the same values and approach from its farms in Africa, Latin America and the rest of the world to the sub-continent.
Alk Brand, group CEO of Westfalia Fruit, concluded, “India has been chosen as a strategic investment opportunity for Westfalia Fruit and after picking the right strategic partners and doing thorough research in the market, we are ready to create a long term sustainable growth story. We anticipate that India will become a very strategic part of the Westfalia growth path.”
