Pineapple, a rising star !

Although often considered tricky to eat, pineapples are selling like hotcakes.

 

Particularly Italy, Germany and the UK have a large market for pineapples, with further sales growth expected. The Uk is the fastest growing market. Pineapple consumption is also increasing in the new EU countries. Although consumption levels there are low compared to those in the older and larger EU countries, the market is potentially huge as incomes rise and consumers explore new and exotic products.

Interest in new flavours and enjoyment are important for fresh fruit consumption in general and favour the consumption of pineapple in particular.

 

Convenience is another important trend; although many people like fresh pineapple, they find it difficult to cut a fresh pineapple into edible portions. By offering more pre-cut and ready-to-eat fresh pineapple products, retailers can lower the purchasing threshold for consumers, thus expanding market potential.

 

Although the overall preference within the EU is still for sweet and juicy pineapples, opportunities for varieties do exist. For example, in some EU countries the baby pineapple is now available. This pineapple is much smaller than regular varieties and meets the demand for smaller portions or single-servings. While the MD2 variety is popular, there are also chances for other varieties sold in street markets, ethnic shops and greengrocers´ shops.