Thursday October 19th, 2023

The internationalization of the Brazilian fruit market goes beyond the growing of tasty fruits. There is also the export of technological and sustainable packaging, such as products by Termotécnica, a leading company in the production and transformation of EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) packaging.

The company has more than six decades of experience, adding value to the supply chain, and is a participant in Frutas do Brasil — the export program of the Brazilian Association of Fruit and Derivatives Producers and Exporters (Abrafrutas), with the support from the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil).

Over the past few years, Termotécnica has expanded its horizons and achieved notable milestones. In 2020, its international reach gained prominence with the launch of the FarmFresh brand, during Fruit Logistica Berlin, in the event’s Brazilian pavilion.

The FarmFresh brand offers post-harvest solutions focused on global markets, ensuring that fruits from Brazil are packaged, transported, delivered and presented to customers in different countries with the same quality, freshness and care seen during the growing and harvesting process.

With around 900 employees and a 65% market share in the Brazilian sector, Termotécnica plays an essential role in the recycling of post-consumer EPS, transforming approximately a third of all EPS recycled in the country, the equivalent of 48 million kilos in new products. The company operates through six manufacturing units throughout Brazil, with its headquarters located in Joinville, in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina.

Due to long transit time, which can reach one month between harvest in Brazil and availability to consumers in the purchasing countries, FarmFresh preservatives, manufactured in EPS, offer significant benefits for the entire chain. These packaging and conservation solutions ensure that fruits imported from Brazil can withstand the long transport journey, reaching the most distant markets and keeping their freshness and nutritional values ​​intact – potentially increasing the fruit’s “shelf life” by up to 30%.

These results are proven by tests carried out in European laboratories, such as AgroTropical and Frutify, which result in the reduction of losses and food waste, making the line sustainable and suitable for packaging fruits from the harvest to the final consumer, simultaneously reducing the absorption of transport impacts and improving retail exposure. Furthermore, in terms of operation and logistics costs, FarmFresh EPS preservatives outperform other materials, such as cardboard packaging, being up to 60% lighter, which also results in savings on air transport fees.

Sustainability

Environmental issues are at the heart of the company’s business, and the numbers are impressive: Termotécnica has already collected and transformed 48 million kilos of EPS into new products, and is responsible for a third of all post-consumer EPS recycled in Brazil.

The company is also consistently among the best to work for in Brazil, an achievement that has now spanned five consecutive years. Furthermore, it is known as one of the most sustainable companies in the country, as attested on the sustainability guide by Exame.

In 2016, it launched Safe Pack, an EPS with antimicrobial nanotechnology, suitable for several uses. The company also reinforced its commitment to sustainable development by implementing the Integrated Management Policy, which encompasses concepts of Quality, Environment, Health, Safety and Social Responsibility.

Furthermore, it developed SafePack Antiviral and Antibacterial technology, a remarkable progress, and became a signatory of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Termotécnica also won important awards, such as the ABRE for Packaging, the Human Being from ABRH-SC and the Plástico Sul Award for Innovation and Sustainability, with five finalist projects.

About Frutas do Brasil

Abrafrutas (Brazilian Association of Fruit and Derivatives Producers and Exporters), in partnership with ApexBrasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency), is committed to promoting the growth of Brazilian exporters. This project aims to expand its business, open new markets, highlight Brazilian fruits’ qualities and encourage the consumption of high-quality and tasty fruits. Currently, 63 export companies in the Brazilian fruit sector participate in Frutas do Brasil, achieving partial results exceeding USD 500 million in exports. To be part of the project, you only need to be a producer and register on the website by clicking here.

About Abrafrutas

The Brazilian Association of Producers and Exporters of Fruit and Derivatives (Abrafrutas) is a non-profit association whose purpose is to represent and promote Brazilian fruit growing in the international market. Created in 2014, Abrafrutas has approximately 70 associated fruit exporters and holds approximately 85% of the total volume of fresh fruit exported by Brazil.

About ApexBrasil

The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and attract foreign investments to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. 

In order to achieve its goals, ApexBrasil carries out several trade promotion initiatives aimed at promoting Brazilian products and services abroad, such as prospective and trade missions, business rounds, support to the participation of Brazilian companies in major international fairs, visits of foreign buyers and opinion makers to learn about the Brazilian productive structure, among other business platforms that also aim at strengthening the Brazil brand. The Agency also acts in a coordinated way with public and private players to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to Brazil with a focus on strategic sectors for the development of the competitiveness of Brazilian companies and the country. Internally, there is a concern to provide employees with an egalitarian and fair organizational environment. This was recognized with the Great Place to Work certification, received in 2020.