With more than half a century of combined experience in global fresh fruit marketing, César Abarca and Pablo Valenzuela joined forces to create Fortius Fruit Export. Based in Chile, the company connects and advises a network of growers and exporters to bring fresh fruit of excellent quality and condition to importers and supermarkets in Asia, Europe, the United States, Latin America, and the Middle East.

"With so much experience in the industry, it can't go to waste," said César Abarca, an expert in fruit exports from Peru and Chile with extensive background in large companies like Fresh del Monte and Oppenheimer, now Oppy. "We look to work with buyers, growers, and exporters to advise companies and exporters so they can send the right product to the right market, to the right people at the right price."

The company, which focuses on products such as grapes, cherries, apples, pears, plums, kiwis, avocados, and citrus, expects to reach US$5 million in sales by 2028.

Cesar Abarca, co-founder Fortius Fruit Export

Abarca says, as intermediaries of trade deals, they seek to prevent losses and increase profits in a high-risk sector like fruit exports.

"We have a network of contacts in producing countries including Peru, Argentina, Chile, the United States, and Europe, so we can supply fruit throughout the year to importers in different markets globally," Abarca says.

Exports of their own

The project seeks not only to advise buyers and sellers, but also to do its own business with importers through external producers. That's why, at least in this first stage, they will seek to partner with producers or buy their products for export.

"This year we are going to arm ourselves with what we have to lay the groundwork for the coming years," Abarca says.

Pablo Valenzuela, who has extensive experience in the U.S., European, and Central American markets, says the goal is fruit exports.

"Having contact with importers allows us to know what they need and what the local consumer is looking for to satisfy the market," Valenzuela says.

Pablo Valenzuela, co-founder Fortius Fruit Export

Initially, however, they are focused on consulting and raising capital to grow the project.

"Technical knowledge, post-harvest knowledge of the fruit and how it is marketed outside is where we can make the difference," Valenzuela adds.

He says they are driven by the responsibility to deliver, honesty, and building trust with clients.

Close relationship with importers

Their experience with each of client, they say, gives them the tools to know what to do with the fruit, how the fruit moves and the demands of the markets.

"I have a lot of marketing experience in Korea, Japan, China, Indonesia, and Vietnam as well as in Eastern Europe," Abarca adds.

Partnerships and commercial agreements can be made with small, medium, or large companies, whether they are just starting or are already consolidated in the industry and looking for new market opportunities.

Most attractive products in Chile

Abarca says there are a few products that attract their attention in Chile.

"Chilean grapes have potential, and we see that apples are also becoming attractive again after going through a difficult period. So these two products in Chile will establish themselves well along with cherries and carry the flag for Chilean exports," he said.

As for Peru, he assured that avocados and citrus will grow, which means that producers will need hands and assistance to move that fruit.

Avocado, Abarca says, is a relatively safe product that withstands transportation times well, lending itself to great growth potential.

Most attractive markets

To start, Fortius wants to focus on markets that are most eager to receive fruit, such as the United States.

"The United States and Europe have unsatisfied demand, not to mention eastern countries such as Russia and India that need apples and kiwifruit," Abarca says.

These opportunities, in markets with a shortage of products, are what the two partners are looking for to establish and expand connections between producers and buyers around the world.