At the upcoming IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show, HLB Specialties is looking forward to promoting its line of specialty and tropical items while staying abreast of the latest issues that affect the produce industry.
“The PMA, now IFPA, convention has been an important event for our business for at least 25 years,” said Andres Ocampo, CEO of the Fort Lauderdale, FL-based company that is now entering its 37th year. “It’s the one national show in the U.S. that consolidates the entire industry into one event, so it allows us to spend time with our customers while also seeking out new business opportunities and learning about the latest trends in the industry.”
Ocampo said that in addition to spending time with his customers, he also plans to meet with his suppliers, both on the product and packaging sides, to learn more about new options and technologies in the pipeline.
“We try to visit with our suppliers because it’s important to see how they handle our product and learn what challenges they might be facing and how we can improve things,” Ocampo added. “Things are always changing, and we want to stay on top of those changes. The IFPA convention makes it much easier to meet with our partners in one location.”
He added that the location in Southern California is a benefit for HLB due to the company’s global operations.
“Los Angeles is a huge perishables receiving center, and many of our items come through the ports there,” said Ocampo. “We also try to visit supermarkets in the convention cities to see that our products are being merchandised properly.”
Melissa Hartmann de Barros, director of communications at HLB, noted that the specialty produce category grew in popularity during the pandemic and has remained hot ever since. The increased availability of specialty produce includes offerings from mainstream produce companies that are looking to capitalize.
“We like to emphasize that we are specialty produce experts,” she said. “We have been doing this a long time and we’re familiar with all the certifications and paperwork required to bring products to market. Bigger companies treat specialties as an add-on, while for us it is the heart of our business.”
At this year’s IFPA show, HLB will be promoting its core tropical items, including papayas (both the large variety from Mexico and the smaller Brazilian Samba variety), organic papayas, organic ginger, guava, rambutan and yellow and white dragon fruit. It also will be offering samples of its popular drinking coconuts, available from two sources.
“We offer drinking coconuts from Costa Rica and Southeast Asia, and we’ll be featuring them in a big way at the IFPA convention,” said Ocampo. “We sampled them earlier this year at the Viva Fresh Expo, but IFPA will be the first time we’re promoting them on a national level.”
Ocampo added that the drinking coconuts are gaining traction and are valued by consumers as a refreshing and healthy alternative to sugary sports drinks, as they are high in electrolytes.
“They tend to do better in the summer when the weather is warmer, but winter consumption has not fallen as much in recent years,” he said. “Since the coconuts are truly a tropical item, some consumers drink them as an ‘escape’ from the cold during the winter, and so year-round consumption is somewhat stable.”
In addition to its North American division, HLB Specialties, the company has an office in Germany, HLB Tropical, which gives it a global presence.
“As a group, we expanded sourcing to 13 countries on four continents and we sell to more than 10 countries in Europe, North America and Asia,” said Hartmann de Barros. “We’re very proud of what we have been able to accomplish, especially in Europe, where we have been able to grow in a climate that is very price-driven.”
Source: The Produce News, http://theproducenews.com/global-produce-floral-show/hlb-set-showcase-popular-line-specialties-and-tropicals
