Trending in retail: What shoppers want in the produce aisle

Publication date: February 5, 2024

Guavas are also popular, said Hartmann de Barros, “and we see more and more retailers asking to carry this exotic fruit. Guavas combine a health aspect with their high vitamin C and fiber content, but also satisfy our desire for a tropical escape through foods with their floral flavor and aroma.” And HLB Specialties’ Brazilian samba papaya, which is very sweet, was the “breakout papaya star of 2023,”
she said. 

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Strong holiday demand and supply shortages result in theft of tropical fruits

Publication date: December 22, 2023

The December holidays have caused an uptick in demand for some exotic fruit varieties and Asian retailers in particular pair exotic fruits to increase store visits this time of year. “Our Brazilian Samba papaya and Ecuadorian white dragon fruits are doing exceptionally well in Canada and California…

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Weather hampers specialty produce availability, but information from stores help boosts sales

Publication date: November 3, 2023

One of the bestselling products for HLB Specialties is the samba papaya from Brazil, which is small and very sweet. “And it’s non-GMO and some consumers pay attention to that,” Hartmann de Barros said.
Another strong-selling product for HLB Specialties is the formosa papaya though “the samba is gaining in popularity and it’s establishing a name for itself,” she said.
The Fort Lauderdale-based company’s produce comes from Guatemala, Mexico, Ecuador and Brazil.

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HLB Specialties celebrating 25 years of the finest tropical produce

Publication date: October 17, 2023

“In May we celebrated our 25th anniversary in business in the U.S.,” said Melissa Hartmann de Barros, director of communications for the Fort Lauderdale, FL-based importer. “But the company was founded in Germany in 1989, so we’re actually celebrating the 35th anniversary next year.”

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“There are so many unknown exotics we could still bring to Europe and the USA”

Publication date: October 6, 2023

“With our tropical background, diversifying into other tropical and exotic items turned out to be a success.” Both companies continued to expand their product line and packaging options, which now include papayas, rambutan, dragon fruit, lychee, mangosteen, guava, ginger, passion fruit, figs, physalis (goldenberries) atemoya, and more. …..
“It allowed us to solidify our position as the preferred partner in the tropical fruit business,” Hartmann de Barros commented.

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HLB Specialties working to meet increasing demand for tropical items

Publication date: June 28, 2023

HLB Specialties is seeing increased interest in the tropical category, as consumers continue to seek new and exciting foods to add to their diets.

“People were willing to experiment more with foods, and tropicals was one area that drew a lot of interest,” she said. “And now with things back to normal, the level of interest remains high, which is great for the category and great for us as a company.”

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New papaya varieties entering the market

Publication date: March 27, 2023

For more than 30 years, HLB Tropical Food GmbH has been marketing papayas, introducing them to customers in the US and Europe. “Before HLB, papayas in Europe mainly came in by boat, green, and without much taste,” says Lorenz Hartmann de Barros with HLB Tropical. “Then, in the 1990s, we began shipping the small tree-ripened Sunrise papayas with color, by air.

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“Trust is our main currency”

Publication date: March 16, 2023

Well known for its papaya product offering and later on also exotic fruits, Florida-based HLB Specialties witnessed tremendous growth in the past decade. “Exotic fruits are very much in demand and it is great to see the positive impact they make on health,” says Lorenz Hartmann de Barros with HLB Specialties.

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US and Europe show different consumption patterns for tropical fruits during holidays

Publication date: December 15, 2022

In the US, the interest for tropical and exotic fruits picks up in January. “People like to have a healthy start to the new year and consumption of tropical and exotic fruits fits with their New Year’s resolutions.” Papayas are packed with essential nutrients and are especially high in vitamin C. Hartmann de Barros adds that “many retailers take the opportunity and do diet-focused promotions with items such as papayas and organic ginger, which are often a must-have ingredient for health-conscious people.”

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