In Their Words: Nicolette "Niki" Rosenberg, Sales Manager, Arava Export Growers

Arava Export Growers of Israel was one of several international organic fresh produce companies to attend OPS this past July. We talked with Nicolette “Niki” Rosenberg, sales manager, organic and conventional, Europe and North America; and also met Ido Yaari, Arava’s head of business units.

OPN: How did Arava Export Growers get its start in the organic fresh produce business?

It was founded in 1991, after Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture allowed growers to establish private, independent export companies. Arava was the first company to be granted an export license following that decision.

Later a family-owned holding company was added, which owns 50%. Half of our board members are original Arava growers, and the growers appointed the presiding chairperson.

Our growers are small family farms, 5-10 hectares (about 12-24 acres). Arava Valley is desert, and farm size is limited by water licenses, with each grower government-licensed a specific amount. The valley’s supply is groundwater. To be sustainable, the water level must stay the same every year. Growers aren’t allowed to pull extra water out and lower that.

We export organic and conventional produce, and the organic department hadn’t done that well. Then eight years ago Ido, who owned Red Sea Organics, sold it to Arava and started working for them.

About a year later, I came aboard. I’m Israeli but lived in Germany. One of Arava’s founders knew I was returning to Israel and said, “Come work for Arava!” I had sales experience outside of produce. When Arava’s CEO asked what I wanted to do, I didn’t hesitate: “Organics!”  

For Ido and I, organic was “our baby.” Initially Arava leadership wasn’t completely convinced; then they saw it leap. In 2011 Arava had 700 tons of organic produce. Now it’s around 5,000 tons, including about 3,000 of organic peppers.

Nicolette “Niki” Rosenberg & Ido Yaari of Arava at OPS 2018.

OPN: What percentage of Arava produce is organic?

Currently 15 percent. Ido and I are proud of that growth. For the whole of Arava Valley, organic acreage stays steady but isn’t growing. Arava Export Growers, however, is getting more and more organic. Of organic produce exported from our county, over 50 percent  is ours.

Our core items are many varieties of peppers, including sweet, pointy peppers. Europe loves them! Those particular peppers are very labor intensive and have a long, sensitive pointy end that must be protected in shipping; they’re too expensive to export to North America.

In addition to peppers, Arava’s other produce certified compliant with USDA National Organic Program includes herbs, cucumbers, eggplant, pumpkins, tomatoes. We ship tomatoes on the vine, not currently allowed by NOP, so can’t export tomatoes to USA at present. Our organic line continues to expand—e.g., carrots grown outside our valley, mangoes, Medjool dates.

We must meet European organic standards—tougher than USA’s—since 90% of our sales are to Europe. There’s zero tolerance for residues in Europe; they test nearly every shipment.

A few years ago, one of our growers was impacted by a neighboring conventional grower’s drift, resulting in residue on some of his produce. By the time our grower realized that, we’d already shipped two containers, which we recalled. The residue was detected in three different checkpoints. It can’t be hidden!

Europe's popular sweet, pointy organic peppers!

OPN: Would you like to export more to North America?

Yes, and we recognize many U.S. consumers prioritize price, and lower-priced produce is available from USA’s southern neighbor. We must ship by air, which is about 50 percent of the cost. For the survival of our growers, it’s necessary to sell to the best-paying market.

OPN: Do you have Demeter-certified growers?

Two of our growers will achieve Demeter (biodynamic) certification this year. Demeter is “even more organic than organic.” The verification process ensures strict compliance with international Demeter standards, along with applicable organic rules of various nations. Demeter certification is highly valued in Europe, where consumer demand means it usually commands 15-30% higher prices.

Nicolette “Niki” Rosenberg, sales manager, organic and conventional, Europe and North America for Arava Export Growers

Closing comment?

People waste money on things so unimportant compared to organic produce. In Israel, life is very expensive, and organic is nonetheless growing fast!