EGYPT – In 2021 the company imported 2000 tons of product: the quality is guaranteed by the direct relationship with the growers.
The month of December will mark the beginning of the new Egyptian artichoke harvesting campaign. A product so similar to the Italian one that, according to the 2019 numbers, of the 16,200 tons of artichokes imported into the beautiful country, 49% came from Egypt (about 8,000 tons).
But is a “similar” artichoke equivalent to a quality artichoke? Palimex, an Italian import-export company present for years in Egypt, says yes. Through its staff, the company provides its assistance and know-how daily to local growers, who are followed step by step in all stages of artichoke production and processing.
The product proposed by Palimex comes from the flourishing area of the Nile Delta and transformed directly by the Egyptian partners, able to guarantee a quality comparable to the European product, but with the advantage of being much more competitive at an economic level.
“Our strength – says Andrea Palermo, founder and administrator of Palimex – is undoubtedly the network of producers and processors that over the years we have selected according to the most accurate criteria of quality, reliability and economic competitiveness. Great importance is given to the traceability and quality of the raw material, which must pass strict checks before being certified suitable for shipping to Europe. In this regard, our factory is one of the few locally to have achieved the BRC Global Standard Food Safety grade A certification “.
Let’s take a look at the data: Palimex in 2021 processed and imported more than 2000 tons of product. “Our processing plant – explains Matteo Cusenza, Palimex sales manager – allows us to produce both pickled and frozen artichokes”.
On the one hand, the frozen product guarantees that the artichoke maintains its optimal organoleptic characteristics, being the best natural preservation solution. On the other hand, the artichoke in brine is instead particularly recommended for canning companies for the production of products in oil or seasoned.
Palimex, therefore, year after year, has earned a place among the leaders in Italy in the distribution of artichokes, a product rich in benefits – especially for the liver and skin – and nutritional, detoxifying and dietary virtues. “The objective of the next campaign, which will run from December until May 2022 – says Cusenza – will undoubtedly be the improvement of previous data, to ensure an artichoke available all year round”.
Not just artichokes: target 1000 tons of strawberries
During the same harvesting period, another protagonist of the Palimex supply chain will also be made in Egypt: the strawberry. Thanks to the mild climate, in fact, the product is always available from the first months of the year, in advance of the European harvest, and the volume of production is growing dramatically.
The finished and frozen product is used in the production of ice cream, jams, as an ingredient in the production of sweets or natural as a dessert.
“Particular attention is paid to crop control – explains Cusenza – to ensure that the raw material does not detect the presence of pesticides, in order to offer a product that meets the highest quality standards required by customers. The goal for the next campaign is to exceed 1000 tons of strawberries ”.
Palimex’s secrets: research, continuity and speed
Palimex is an import-export company of frozen and semi-finished fruit and vegetables based in Bolzano and with a commercial branch in Verona, which operates in Europe, Asia, Africa and America as the main production and processing areas.
It works alongside the most important national and international companies specializing in food processing, canning companies, industrial pizzerias, catering supplies and wholesalers, who choose Palimex for its important network of suppliers, which allows them to have excellent products throughout the year and guarantee of continuity to the production chain.
These strengths, combined with a constant search for impeccable raw materials, the speed of delivery (within three working days) and the continuous support to local growers to guarantee the quality of the products through certifications, analyzes and technical data sheets, make Palimex a point of reference for all food sector operators looking for simple, tasty and reliable solutions.
