“Every week, we have to adapt to new carriers and transit routes”

Publication date: April 17, 2020

Nowadays, consumers are used to being able to buy many fruit and vegetable items all year long. Although in-season much is grown domestically, some fruit and vegetable varieties are almost exclusively imported. Papayas are one of these items and 97.7 percent of consumption is grown outside the US, according to the USDA. What is the […]

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Suppliers detail COVID-19 effect on business, outlook— Part 2

Publication date: April 8, 2020

Published by: Produce Retailer Continued … Specialties Andres Ocampo, CEO of HLB Specialties, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., said that some offshore suppliers of specialty produce have been limited by the lack of freight in passenger planes. “For markets serviced only by passenger planes, it’s been a big blow,” Ocampo said. “For markets serviced by air freighters […]

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Coronavirus upends global food supply chains in latest economic shock

Publication date: April 8, 2020

Published by: Reuters LAND, SEA & AIR In addition to the trucking problems, a sharp decline in air traffic has cut deeply into capacity to move fresh produce long distances.Slideshow (13 Images) Andres Ocampo, chief executive of HLB Specialties LLC, a fruit importer based in Miami, Florida, relied on commercial flights to shift papayas and other […]

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Will expansion of its fumigation facility increase overall produce shipments?

Publication date: March 4, 2020

Port of Miami specializes in tropical and exotic produce South Florida is an important gateway for produce from South America arriving into the United States. Both the Port of Miami and Port Everglades have been specializing in handling produce, especially tropical and exotic items. Not only do these ports serve the Southeastern United States, produce […]

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Melissa Hartmann de Barros on HLB’s 30th anniversary and the company’s expansion

Publication date: January 24, 2020

2019 marks the 30th anniversary of HLB, a family-owned company who started off importing fish into Germany. Since its founding, the company has grown to two independent branches – HLB Tropical Food in Germany, and HLB Specialties in Florida – and helped open up and develop numerous markets for exotic fruits. The company began their […]

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Melissa Hartmann de Barros of HLB: “We made the papaya a staple item in European stores”

Publication date: January 8, 2020

Though still seen as an exotic fruit by many, papayas can be found at almost any major retailer in Europe and North America. HLB Tropical Food, which was formed in Germany by Homero Levy de Barros, was a major player in the development of the papaya market in Europe. When Levy de Barros moved to […]

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Lorenz Hartmann de Barros joins HLB Tropical Food

Publication date: December 9, 2019

The German tropical fruit importer and distributor HLB Tropical Food GmbH is announcing some major personnel changes in its Kelsterbach headquarters. A few months ago, Mr. Lorenz Hartmann de Barros has joined the company as co-managing director. He brings almost 20 years of experience in the family business, and a lifelong enthusiasm for exotic fruits […]

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How newer global fruit brands penetrate North American markets

Publication date: December 1, 2019

From Brazil to the World A year after the establishment of Zespri, new regulations in the United States trigger market entry for a new tropical fruit brand with Brazilian origins that had already found success in Europe. “In 1998, Brazil received the authorization to export papayas to the USA, which is when our family emigrated […]

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Rambutan season gearing up for HLB Specialties

Publication date: May 17, 2019

HLB Specialties, an importer and distributor of tropical fruits, based in Fort Lauderdale, FL, is getting ready for its first rambutan shipment of the season, which will start in the second week of May. The company will first receive Guatemalan rambutan in its Miami warehouse and soon after in its Los Angeles distribution center. HLB […]

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