TRADE ASSOCIATE MEMBER UPDATE
DECOFRUT - Managing quality control worldwide
Back in the 1980s, European importers and Chilean grape exporters
needed an impartial party to help them resolve disagreements that
developed between the two over certain shipments. Each group grew
increasingly frustrated until entrepreneur Manuel Jose Alcaino stepped
in and helped restore the peace.
Alcaino founded quality control company Decofrut in 1987 to fill the
need for fruit importers to have a knowledgeable and impartial third
party at the port of Rotterdam to check quality upon arrival.
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Decofrut inspects at least 150 million boxes of produce a year from
origins across the globe.
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A short time later, Alcaino also moved to Philadelphia, a popular
destination port for sea and air shipments of Chilean produce. The
company grew from there, opening locations in Los Angeles and Miami.
From monitoring one million boxes of Chilean fruit arriving in Rotterdam
more than 20 years ago, today Decofrut’s team has offices in more
than 15 countries and inspects at least 150 million boxes of produce a
year from origins across the globe. Its customers depend on the company
to inspect all types of produce, fish and flowers being shipped to and
from the world’s markets. Alcaino remains the company’s
president.
Andres Gonzalez White is responsible for Decofrut’s operations
throughout Florida. He says the company works for more than just
importers today. In Florida, Decofrut assists local importers, local and
overseas exporters and local growers. As a neutral third party, Decofrut
is free to represent both importers and exporters fairly.
“Say you’re a citrus or a berry grower and export
overseas from Florida. What if someone in another country says he
can’t sell your fruit because the quality is bad or is not
correctly packed?” said Gonzalez White. “You can either find
your passport, hop on a plane and go there right away, or you can hire
someone who is respected and already there. Our experience also allows
us to provide you the right assistance in your own
packinghouses.”
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"Our people have to know what they’re talking about.
They have to speak the same language as the grower, the importer or even
the exporter.”
-Decofruit's Andres Gonzalez White
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MORE THAN INSPECTIONS
The company provides other services as well. In addition to quality
control for product upon arrival at a destination, Decofrut has been
performing inspection services at origin since 2002, ensuring quality
control at the packing and shipping stages.
It also operates an inventory management system, designed to
integrate all of the company’s services. It offers customers
online access to all reports, records, relevant photos and notes about
the fruit it inspects. “On our Web site, we provide within hours
following an inspection a complete report with photos. And at end of the
season, we provide a hard disk copy of the entire database so the client
can analyze it,” said Gonzalez White.
“Nowadays, we not only provide the quality control, we provide
many other services in many locations such as the expediting and market
information in terms of pricing, among several others,” said
Gonzalez White.
INSPECTORS WITH AN EDGE
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Decofrut employs more than 250 inspectors worldwide.
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Decofrut employs more than 250 inspectors worldwide. They’re not
all alike. “Inspectors all have an agricultural background - a
university degree, or even post-graduate,” said Gonzalez White.
“And they all specialize in certain commodities. Our people have
to know what they’re talking about. They have to speak the same
language as the grower, the importer or even the exporter,” he
said.
“We are not there to tell them what to do,” said Gonzalez
White, referring the clients he serves in Florida. “Because the
growers, importers and exporters in Florida have been in business many,
many years - over several generations, and they pretty much know what do
to do and how to do it. Our job is to help, assist and to humbly suggest
things and to provide the needed information in an accurate and timely
manner.”
To learn more about Decofrut and the services it provides, go to www.fruitonline.com.
Andres Gonzalez White may also be reached at the company’s
Pembroke Pines facility at (954) 782-4606 or agonzalez@fruitonline.com.