KEY INTERVIEW: Health and Efficiencies Bring Opportunities for Dirafrost

09 Mar 2016 --- Belgian frozen fruit producer Dirafrost has a unique positioning in the highly fragmented frozen fruit industry with its frozen strawberry offering. It is Europe’s largest exporter of strawberries from Morocco and the leading supplier of frozen strawberries globally. Liesbeth Buffels, marketing and communications, Dirafrost, told FoodIngredientsFirst how the company works in a partnership with customers to find workable solutions to their frozen fruit challenges.

Such is Dirafrost’s success in the frozen strawberry arena that in 2004 Austrian Agrana Group bought Dirafrost and last year, after a restructuring program that saw a part of their packing & logistics activities outsourced, Dirafrost embarked on another phase in its history, which will bring it closer to its goal of working with customers to optimise their use of fruit and fruit products in their processing operations.

But it is not just strawberries that Dirafrost provides. It carries a host of fruit from around the world, supplying customers in the industrial, foodservice and retail sectors. “Foodservice and distribution is the largest area for us, with 45% of sales. This is followed by the food processing industry (40%) and retail, which accounts for just 15% of our sales at the moment,” explains Buffels.

While the food industry and consumer markets still predominantly demand traditional fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, and exotic mixes, including mango and passion fruit, there are a number of rising trends that Dirafrost is watching out for.

Buffels produces regular trend reports, based on Dirafrost sales, customer requests and consumer trends. Her latest report, published in December 2015, highlights three clear trends that will affect the company’s sales, as well as how consumers buy food in the near future.

“The first trend to note is that of Efficiency and Convenience,” says Buffels. “This is applicable to the food industry, which is driving efficiency and at Dirafrost we work with our customers to apply efficiency in an industrial context. Our most recent example is our Raspberry Disc, which comprises a ring of raspberries sitting on a disc of raspberry puree, which can be deposited whole on to fruit tarts. The solution, on which we worked closely with our customer, enables food waste reduction, cost reduction and traceability. This application more than doubled production in one factory and reduced costs due to reduced wastage.”

“Another trend is that of Enjoying Healthy,” says Buffels. “While not an entirely new trend, the demand for real fruit over artificial flavors is new in the frozen fruit area. Customers are increasingly moving into real fruit and real fruit ingredients and this will be a continuing trend for us. A good example of a fun & healthy product are fruit smoothies, which have been gaining in popularity throughout Europe. The rising demand for smoothies will be reflected in our sales figures.”

Buffels went on: “Furthermore, the trend for Green Goodness is becoming more popular. Combinations of vegetables with fruit are hugely popular, particularly in smoothie bars.” Buffels says that this trend is moving from ‘early adopter’ stage into a more mainstream trend, with many smoothie bars increasing their offering from around five options around five years ago, to around ten today. The most popular vegetables are the green varieties: kale, broccoli, and cucumber, which work well in combination with pear and apple bases. While Dirafrost has no intention to enter the frozen vegetable market, Buffels does note that the company wants to be a complete fruit solution supplier, so it has to be open to customers who demand a fruit/vegetable mix.

Talking about fruit flavour trends: There are a number of key fruits or fruit mixes that are gaining momentum here, including strong berry flavors, particularly cassis and wild blueberry flavors; fig, which has seen a 25% increase in sales recently; citrus flavors, particularly lemon and acai; and sea buckthorn, which has seen a 10% increase in sales in recent months. As well as an interesting flavor, sea buckthorn, has a remarkable color that is useful in products such as drinks and ice cream, and also carries antioxidant health benefits.

“Consumers are also demanding ‘authenticity’ from their ingredients,” says Buffels. “Each ingredient must have a story to tell, as well as a clear origin that provides a transparency of supply.”

What is very important to Dirafrost is maintaining the supply of high quality frozen fruit and constantly talking to customers about their requirements. By working with the customer to find practical solutions, Dirafrost will remain relevant in an industry that seeks more from its suppliers than ever before.

“Last year the company restructured and it intends to grow at a healthy pace,” reiterates Buffels. “One way is to ensure we keep a healthy mix of the business we are good at, while coming up with solutions to stay relevant. Our raspberry ring is a good example of this, as is our new retail innovation, which responds to the demand for efficiency and health. Smooth Fruit is a new product that will be launched at MDD in Paris 30 & 31 March and provides consumers with seven individual portions of fruit in one zip-lock bag, which allows consumers to make professional quality smoothies at home.”

As a rather late strawberry season comes into 2016, Dirafrost is looking to a healthy and efficient future combining new trends, with quality, service and established reputation.

by Kelly Worgan

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