OSAKA – Fresh Del Monte, one of the world’s leading and pre-eminent vertically integrated producers, distributors and marketers of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, has ordered 2,200 Daikin ZeSTIA units, of which 10 are fitted with Daikin’s CA (controlled atmosphere) technology. This is the first order from Fresh Del Monte, whose product range includes prepared fruit and vegetables, juices, beverages, snacks and desserts that are sold in more than 90 countries around the world. With its headquarters in Florida, USA, the company has an established global footprint and operates in more than 19 countries worldwide. Daikin Reefer is a leading supplier of refrigeration and climate control solutions for freight containers. Headquartered in Japan, Daikin Reefer is a business unit of the refrigeration division of global refrigeration, air conditioning and climate control provider Daikin Industries, Ltd.
1,700 of the units acquired by Fresh Del Monte’s South American regional office will be used on the busy trade between Central America and the USA, where the primary cargoes are bananas and pineapples, two of the world’s most popular fruits: the banana is the most-traded fruit in the world with the pineapple a close second. The Central American nation of Costa Rica alone is both the world’s largest exporter of pineapples and one of the top five exporters of bananas, with its regional neighbour Guatemala also placed in the top five banana-exporting countries.
A further 500 of the ZeSTIA units will be used during the 2022/2023 Chilean fruit season on the Chile -USA trade, carrying the primary cargo of grapes with apples, peaches, plums and blueberries also set for transportation. Chilean grape exports are set to increase in the 2021-2022 season*. Chile exported 2.62 million tons of fresh fruit in 2021 with a market value of $5.052billion dollars, and the US imported 47% of its total grape production**. The country is now well-established as a key player in fresh produce production and export.
In 2021, the total value of US fruit and vegetable imports rose to a record level and is predicted to rise to a value of $42.6 billion in 2022*** and this is therefore a vitally important market for all Latin American fresh produce.
Daikin’s ZeSTIA container refrigeration unit is part of Daikin’s market-leading LXE series, launched in 2001. The LXE series is globally renowned for its high reliability and performance and the ZeSTIA unit provides a host of outstanding features and benefits:
- ZeSTIA units are fitted with Daikin’s unique DC inverter technology which delivers superior energy efficiency and significantly reduces operating costs – the inverter system changes the power supply frequency and provides precise temperature control with low power consumption
- the inverter technology reduces C02 emissions and contributes to the prevention of global warming whilst providing precise cooling performance and stable temperatures for chilled and frozen cargoes – maintaining vital cargo freshness and high quality during transportation
- Daikin’s patented Motor ensures ZeSTIA units improve motor efficiency at the same time as delivering energy-saving
- over 3 million Daikin DC inverter compressors have been supplied globally since launch, proving their performance, reliability and quality
- ZeSTIA’s user-friendly interfaces ensure easy operation and maintenance
“We are excited to welcome Fresh Del Monte to the Daikin Reefer family” commented Robert Ferreyra, Sales & Marketing Manager for The Americas Region for Daikin Reefer. “The US is a key trade area for the Latin American fresh produce market. Daikin’s ZeSTIA units will ensure that Fresh Del Monte’s high quality produce is transported under optimum conditions, arriving in a just-picked state, ready for purchase, consumption and enjoyment by US consumers”
About Daikin Reefer / About Daikin Industries
Headquartered in Japan, Daikin Transportation and Refrigeration Systems Group (Daikin Reefer) is a business unit of Daikin Refrigeration division, a wholly-owned division of Daikin Industries Ltd, providing refrigeration equipment to the global container industry. Grounded in more than 90 years’ experience, Daikin Reefer combines world-leading Japanese technology that delivers assured reliability, performance, and efficiency.
