Cool, Fresh & Sweet - Setting trends!
Following the great success which Cool Fresh International has achieved with its pineapple business during the past three years, we have now centralized and refocused our pineapple supply activities within a specialized business unit.
The importance of this product line within the Cool Fresh Group has become so great that it warrants a very specific strategy. Firstly, it is clear that pineapples have become a mainstream product and should be treated as such. Secondly, the outstanding growth which we have attained in partnership with our suppliers in Costa Rica must be sustained, and we can do this only if we continue to focus on collectively on quality, dependability and creating a win-win for growers and retailers.
We are also proud to announce that Mario de Goede, an experienced fresh produce executive has been appointed to manage the pineapple business, which we playfully refer to as Cool, Fresh & Sweet. This internal working title says it all: the trusted name of Cool Fresh International, combined with the main characteristic of our pineapples sounds just right! Mario is really excited to be able to utilise his broad sales experience and European business network within the dynamic and trend-setting environment of the Cool Fresh Group.
Until 10 years ago, Costa Rica's pineapples were grown mainly for home consumption; now it has rocketed to the world's number-one producer of fresh pineapple. The country has the hot, wet climate that is perfect for growing the sweetest pineapples in the world. Costa Rica is often referred to as the ‘Switzerland’ of Latin America, and the stable internal politics and economy provide a healthy business environment for overseas investors.
Cool Fresh International continues to believe wholeheartedly in the power of branding. For many years, our innovative and striking brands have been setting trends and creating waves. BonSweet is now firmly established as a sexy and swinging pineapple brand from Costa Rica, and has certainly lived up to all our expectations. Created for specific niche markets, BonSweet exudes authenticity, as well as a classic, distinctly vintage ‘look and feel’. The brand is supplied to selected customers in Europe, and is extremely suitable for instore sales promotion activities.
Mario de Goede has great plans for 2012. Freedom Fruit, Cool Fresh International’s main global brand which has been around since 2003 and which is packed in 10 countries, will be re-introduced in May 2012 for pineapples. As one of the first brands to embrace practical, no-nonsense, ethical trading principles, Freedom Fruit continues to stand for strong social involvement on the part of Cool Fresh International, its growers and its customers. In addition to the Freedom Fruit brand, Mario will also pineapples with a Fair Trade certification to our customer base, and we are currently registering as a Fair Trade licensee. These products will be made available on the basis of a contract with our customers.
We believe that we have created a competitive edge by using good common sense. We have entrenched the basics of fruit production in the supply chain: outstanding growing protocols, stringent harvesting and packing procedures, and the shortest possible shipping solutions. In this way our clients receive a product which has a great taste and an optimum shelf life. Equally important is the fact that by far the biggest part of the shipments are being shipped directly to our clients, resulting in a very cost-effective cost chain.
For more information, please contact:
Mario de Goede
E-mail: mario@coolfresh.nl
Direct office: + 31 88 3 777 111
Mobile: + 623 931 499