Mexifruta expands to Costa Rica with US$20m plant

The plant will be built on 20 hectares of land in Siquirres, Limón, and will employ 130 people, it announced this month.

Mexifruta processes several tropical fruits including banana, pineapple, guava, green tomatoes, prickly pear, and hibiscus flower, but is the biggest supplier of mango pulp in Mexico and a major player globally.

The company has three strategically-placed processing sites in Mexico - two in Nayarit and one in Chiapas – that allow it to follow the country’s mango season and have a year-long supply of fruit.

General director of Mexifrutas, Sergio García, said: "As part of the strategic planning of our company, Mexifrutas Costa Rica is born, destined to ​

be a leader in the production of the main tropical products, concentrated and non-concentrated pineapple juice, and banana puree in its different forms.”​

The Siquirres plant is Mexifruta’s first investment outside Mexico and, when operating at full capacity, will be able to process 60,000 tons of banana and 90,000 tons of pineapple annually.

The President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado, welcomed the investment, saying the company was attracted to the strategic location of the port of Limón and the potential of the area in general.

"The decision of this company to settle in our country confirms once again the potential of the Caribbean area, where we have directed many efforts seeking stability and [job creation],” ​he said.

The Mexican supplier hopes to have the plant up and running in December this year.

Around 95% of MexiFruta’s products are exported internationally - its biggest markets include the Central and South America, the US, Europe, and Japan – while a small percentage is sold in Mexico.

Its processing plants are equipped for de-pulping, enzymatic deactivation, evaporation, sterilization, and aseptic filling.