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.
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.
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.”
Publication date: October 27, 2022
“The pandemic years brought an unexpected increase in the demand for tropical fruits, which is what we specialize in,” said Hartmann de Barros. “We launched several new items since attending our last produce show, which was PMA in 2019. In addition to existing items such as large, Golden, Samba papaya varieties and rambutan, we now have national programs on mangosteen, yellow and white dragon fruit, lychee and organic ginger, as well as other exotic items.”
Publication date: September 23, 2022
Andres Ocampo, CEO of HLB Specialties, is facing the same challenges. His company imports tropical and exotic fruits like papaya, rambutan, dragon fruit, and more. “Shipping rates from Central and South America to North America have pretty much doubled in the past three years,” Ocampo said.
Publication date: May 24, 2022
“Of the importing companies that will be visiting the country, the following stand out: Procacci Brothers, Tomasino Farms, Vanna Tropical & Exotic Fruit, Dulcinea Farms, Courchesne Larose, Southers Specialties, Harvest Sensations, HLB Specialties, as well as some of the Central American supermarket chains such as Walmart, Automercado, Colonial and La Colonia.
Publication date: April 16, 2022
Andres Ocampo with HLB Specialties in Fort Lauderdale, FL says it had trucks stuck at the border four to five days. “They didn’t make the crossing on Friday. Those trucks only made it to our warehouse Wednesday evening. It’s a big impact on our supplies,” he says. […]
Publication date: March 10, 2022
Supplies of imported dragon fruit are less than anticipated. White dragon fruit: This red skinned, white fleshed fruit is coming from Ecuador currently and peak season supplies began in November. “But they have been underwhelming. We have been supplied probably below 50 percent of what we were expecting during the whole season,” says Andres Ocampo with […]
Publication date: November 17, 2021
Supplies of dragon fruit are seeing a bit of a transitional period right now. By mid-December, an uptick in volume of yellow dragon fruit is anticipated. White dragon fruit: Florida is ending a challenging season on white dragon fruit that saw lower production. “We had more rains than seasonal so that affected volumes from Florida,” says […]
