Westfalia Fruit India’s first avocado ripening facility in Mumbai is officially open for business. This comes as the company seeks to expand and secure supply of ready-to-eat avocados to consumers in and around Mumbai.

The facility was built in Navi municipality, on the west coast of the Maharastranear state. It is located near the APMC market and was unveiled in an Aug. 17 ceremony. 

In addition to the Westfalia Fruit India management team, the launch ceremony was attended by leading fruit distributors, wholesalers, offline retailers and e-commerce operators.

Westfalia Fruit started its journey in India last year and supplied more than 1,000 tons of avocados to the Indian market by 2023.

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This year also marks the first commercial harvest year for Hass avocados grown in India. 

"Avocado ripeness has been a challenge for both retailers and consumers in India. Many consumers in India are not sure when is the perfect time to eat an avocado. Retailers also at times are unaware how to differently handle Hass avocados at different stages of their ripeness. Our perfectly ripened avocados will look to address this gap in the market," says Westfalia Fruit India Director Zac Bard.

Over the next few years, more than 500 acres of existing Hass avocado plantations in southern India will come into production, allowing for consistent year-round availability of avocados for consumers, the firm says.

“Westfalia ripe and ready to eat avocados will be available in a special punnet and consumers can be assured of consistent quality and ripeness. This ripening facility will be a milestone in India and will change the way avocados are marketed and consumed,” he adds.

"Westfalia Fruit India is excellently placed to offer consistent avocados from multiple origins throughout the said year," shares Gvk Naidu, managing director of Sam Agri group, Westfalia's Indian JV partners. 

"This Mumbai ripening plant is just the beginning, and in the coming months we will have similar facilities in other major cities in the country," adds Naidu.