The Chilean Food and Beverages Industry:
PROCESSED FOODS
Processed Fruits and Vegetables:
Chile is a world leader in the production of processed fruit and vegetables. Agribusiness has developed encouraged by the Mediterranean climate that prevails in vast areas Chile’s territory, coupled with natural barriers that prevent pests and diseases from entering. Additional factors of success are strong investment, skilled labor and state-of-the-art food processing technology. Chilean agribusiness focuses on meeting and even exceeding customer needs, a fact that has pressed it into constant development, particularly in terms of product processing and packaging.
The reliability the country has achieved in products such as canned peaches, fruit pulps, concentrated juices and frozen fruits and vegetables, has positioned Chile as one of the industry’s regional leaders. Due to its range of high-quality and high-standard products, Chile stands as one of the safest and most reliable suppliers to highly demanding markets throughout the Americas and Europe.
Thanks to the range of high quality and fresh products available, Chile has become an outstanding producer of processed fruits and vegetables, including olive and avocado oils, dried fruits, fruit preserves, fruit and vegetable pastes, raisins, frozen berries, fruit juice concentrates, vinegars and spices.
Over the past 20 years, most agrifood industry development has been export - oriented. Sales exceeded $1,200 million dollars in 2006 and prospects for future growth remain auspicious. In 2006, imports of Chilean fruit and vegetables preparations into the US market amounted to more than $140 million dollars.
Canned products, pulps and pastes:
Chile processes and exports around 50 types of fresh fruits and vegetables reaching volumes of over 200 thousand tons per year.
Tomato paste, fruit pulp, canned peaches, cherries, fruit cocktails and canned tomatoes are processed and packed using state-of-the-art technologies. Chilean entrepreneurs are internationally recognized as reliable suppliers of healthy products.
Internationally, Chile is recognized as one of the main exporters of tomato paste and a key supplier of markets such as Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil and Japan. Canned products and pulps are exported mainly to markets in South America, Central America and Japan.
Concentrated Juices:
Chile is one of the main producers of concentrated juices in the Americas with 95% of its total production being exported. Apple and grape concentrates are the most popular products and they face a constantly rising demand. In addition, Chile also exports 20 varieties of concentrated fruit and vegetable juice, such as peaches, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, grapes, fresh and dried plums, kiwifruit and green and red peppers, among others.
The juice concentrate processing industry is constantly under improvement, using leading-edge technology to produce top quality-100 percent pure products.
Confectionary and Specialty Foods:
Chile produces a variety of consumer-ready packed food. While drink crystals and confections account for most exports, baked goods and pasta products are making significant headways in supermarket shelves around the world.
Chile has become an outstanding producer and world leader of specialty foods such as olive and avocado oils, nuts, spices (such as merquén), honey and specialty dairy products.
Chilean honey, for example, is well known for its flavor, color, purity, crystallization, quality packaging, food safety and stable supply. The variation in climates along Chile’s 2500-miles long territory have encouraged the development of different ecosystems. These have given rise to a rich native flora and hence, Chile is able to produce different types of honey, ranging from dark (from the quillay tree (Quillaja saponaria)) to white (from the ulmo tree (Eucryphia cordifolia)). Furthermore, Chile has become a highly reliable supplier because it is free of bacterial diseases such as the American and European Fouldbrood.
Olive Oil:
Dried fruits and vegetables:
Over 230 species and varieties of dried fruits and vegetables are exported to more than 80 countries. The raw material used by the dehydrating industry is supplied by firms dedicated exclusively to exports. Thus, farming practices are consistent with the requirements of major markets. The products they supply for export feature quality assurance systems that comply with current international standards.
Frozen fruits and vegetables:
The exceptional development of Chilean cold storage facilities has helped to diversify exports into over 50 species of fresh frozen fruits and vegetables. The highway infrastructure allows cold storage trucks to take the products to Chilean ports - in just a few hours after harvesting for shipping to international markets - in excellent conditions.
Growing external demand for berries, mainly raspberries, have fostered the development of the Chilean frozen goods industry. Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, asparagus and other mild weather fruit are some of the other Chilean flavors that travel to tables around the world.
Dairy Products:
A modern and thriving sector, the Chilean dairy industry chalked up export sales of $120 million dollars in 2006. Almost 30 countries buy dairy products from Chile, with Latin American markets being the main destination points. North America represents an attractive market that offers many opportunities for Chilean dairy producers and has interesting niche markets for Chilean cheese, butter, powdered and condensed milk, and dulce de leche products.
Chilean Food Industry Association
Olive Oil Producers Association
Dairy Exporters Association
Sabores del Campo