The Hampshire, U.K- headquartered Fyffes, a fruit and fresh produce company, opened a packhouse in Sarapiqui Canton in Heredia Province.

According to the company, the packhouse, at Fyffes’ Victoria banana farm is designed to promote employee well-being and safety while enabling improved efficiencies and supporting its sustainability targets.

The facilities have a modern design that minimizes fruit bruising, increases packaging capacity through multiple processing lines, reduces water consumption by up to 40% and improves occupational health by facilitating the palletizing process with two hydraulic tables and anti-fatigue mats in the selection, weighing and packaging areas, according to a news release.

“The new Fyffes packhouse is proof of the banana industry's commitment to innovation, safety, and sustainability,” the company said in its statement. “Investment in technology and equipment demonstrates a desire to continually improve the quality and efficiency of production processes, while the focus on safety ensures that workers are always treated with respect and dignity.”

Fyffes held an inauguration event that included business partners Grupo Acón, Grupo Colono, Jardín del Tigre and the Costa Rican banana authority Corbana (Corporación Bananera Nacional). 

Fyffes was represented by CEO Helge Sparsoe and Chief Supply Officer Sheila McCann-Morrison, who thanked employees for their ongoing contribution to the company.

According to Fyffes Regional Banana Production Manager Leslie Medina, the project is a joint effort within the company that capitalizes on knowledge and experience to increase productivity. He acknowledged the support of Fyffes' business partners and the performance of the farm manager who oversaw the construction of the new packhouse and the substantial expansion of hectares.

Sparsoe pointed to the company’s value of “Winning Together” and explained the importance of collaborating in the long term to face the challenges that the future may bring. 

“Winning together also includes our communities, our partners and allies, because if we don't work together, we will face many more significant challenges ahead,” Sparsoe said.

The company originated in 1888, when Edward Fyffe, a London food wholesaler, began commercial imports of bananas. Currently, its ripening facility in Basingstoke is the largest in Europe and is able to accommodate 117,000 boxes (or over 2,100 tonnes) of bananas at any one time. The company formerly operated its own fleet of ships, known as Fyffes Line.

Fyffes is one of many international firms investing in Costa Rica. Recently, the California-headquartered firm TruData Solutions, a cloud engineering company, announced a $5 million investment to expand its Service Center located in San José.

 

---------------------
What other British companies should open operations in Costa Rica? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments news@amcostarica.com