Freshthrop Fruits Ltd (FFL), the major exporter of fresh fruits, has plans to enter the business of fruit juice. The company is setting up a food-processing unit near Nashik for the purpose, at an investment of Rs. 25 crore.
This new proposed unit, which will be located near Nashik, is expected to start operation by January 2009.
“We are soon entering the fruit juice business. Accordingly, we are setting up an integrated food-processing unit near Nashik for the purpose. We will not directly sell juice in domestic market, but we will produce for the fruit juice maker companies. At this proposed unit, we will extract pulp of mangoes & guavas and produce pomegranate juice concentrate, and will cater to the juice manufacturers,” the senior company official told Business Standard.
The work for setting up the unit is nearing completion and is expected to start operation by January 2008. The company is investing around Rs. 25 crore in the project. This unit will be spread over 11.5 acres with a built-up area of 50,000 sq ft. The capacity of this unit will be 200 tonnes of Pomegranate juice concentrate a day, 100 tonnes each of mango and guava.
Freshthrop’s turn over will increase by Rs. 50 crore once this food-processing unit begins operation. During FY 2007-08, the company had registered a turn over of Rs. 55 crore through exports of grapes and pomegranates.
Last grape season, the company exported 3,500 tonnes of grapes to Europe. The company, during the current grape season, expects 25 per cent rise in grape exports.
Presently, the company has three post-harvest handling facilities located at Nashik, Sangli and Satara in Maharashtra. The new proposed food-processing unit will be the company’s fourth facility.