Fruit Attraction 2024: Supply Chain Visibility Trends & Regional Insights from EMEA

The energy at Fruit Attraction 2024 was unlike anything we've seen before. Walking the busy halls of Madrid's expo center, the Tive team couldn't help but notice how the conversation around supply chain visibility has fundamentally changed.

Not too long ago, we at Tive were explaining why real-time tracking technology mattered—and now, logistics directors and supply chain managers are coming to us with sophisticated questions about live monitoring, and are eager to understand how these solutions can improve their operations.

What stood out at Fruit Attraction was the consistent focus on real-time shipment visibility—across every region and company size. Supply chain leaders from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa all share the same core challenge: they need better insights into their shipments' location, condition, and estimated arrival times. Whether they are moving citrus, berries, or vegetables, these professionals now understand that real-time tracking is vital to preventing delays, maintaining quality, and building more resilient supply chains.

After three days of nonstop meetings, one clear message emerged from our time at Fruit Attraction 2024: EMEA's fresh produce leaders want supply chain visibility—and they want it now.

High Engagement at Fruit Attraction  

The constant stream of visitors at the Tive booth during Fruit Attraction 2024 sent a clear message: supply chain visibility has become essential. Our practical solutions for tracking and monitoring shipments resonated with everyone who stopped by—from first-time visitors to longtime customers. People now get it: they see the real value in knowing exactly where their shipments are—and what condition they are in.

Growing Interest from Established Partners

We had some particularly meaningful conversations with companies who already use Tive in their operations. Two of our key U.S. clients—a leading produce brand and a major berry distributor—came to us with exciting plans. They’ve gotten solid results using our tracking solutions across their American operations, and now they're eager to bring that same visibility to their EMEA supply chains—a market with 2.1 to 2.2 billion people (more than a quarter of the world’s population). When existing customers want to expand across continents to a market like that, it shows we're doing something right.

Face-to-Face Meetings Boosting Confidence

Ricardo Chedrauy, Tive Sales Director for Iberia & Southern Europe, was at our booth and shared a simple truth about the event: meeting in person makes a huge difference. While we connect with partners through screens daily, sitting down together at Fruit Attraction helped create genuine connections. These conversations cut straight to what matters—understanding each company's unique challenges, and working together on practical solutions. We wrapped up the event with stronger relationships and clear plans for moving forward with current and new partners.

Real-Time Tracking & Regional Expansion: A Growing Trend in EMEA

Fresh produce supply chains across EMEA face a critical shift: when it comes to moving perishables across multiple borders, passive tracking systems don’t cut it. Real-time, active tracking has become essential—particularly in major export hubs like Spain and Morocco, where companies need constant visibility of their valuable shipments' location and condition. And that’s where we discovered some of the most enticing opportunities at Fruit Attraction.

Transition from Passive to Real-Time Tracking

Berry producers and nurseries are leading the charge in replacing passive tracking with active solutions. Old methods—waiting hours or days for updates—leave too much room for error and waste. Tive's active tracking technology puts immediate control in shippers' hands, enabling them to prevent spoilage and late deliveries before they happen. When problems arise, whether temperature fluctuations or route delays, teams can act within minutes—instead of discovering issues after produce has spoiled.

Regional Focus: Spain

Spain's explosive growth in fresh produce exports creates an urgent need for better tracking solutions.

• Between January and July 2024, Spanish exporters moved 7.6 million tons of produce worth €11.21 billion ($12.1 billion)—a 9% jump in volume and a 3% rise in value from 2023.
  
• Vegetable exports reached 3.6 million tons valued at €5.1 billion ($5.5 billion), with peppers (512,837 tons, €1 billion/$1.08 billion), tomatoes (468,144 tons, €725 million/$782 million), and lettuce (464,501 tons, €563 million/$607 million) leading the pack.

The Seville-Huelva region is ideally suited for Tive's solutions.

• The region’s berry exports hit €1.101 billion ($1.19 billion) from January to July 2024—up 10.1% year over year.
  
  
• German buyers spent €333 million ($359 million) on Spanish berries, while UK importers invested €172 million ($185 million).

With Huelva handling 77% of Spain's berry exports across 3,610 hectares, real-time tracking can help protect millions in revenue by monitoring temperature-sensitive shipments throughout their journey to Northern Europe.

Regional Focus: Morocco

Morocco's growing role in European produce supply chains also opens new opportunities for improving operations with Tive's tracking technology.

• From January through September 2023, the country exported €1.83 billion ($1.97 billion) worth of fruits and vegetables to the EU—a 6% increase over 2022.
  
  
• Morocco is also the fourth-largest exporter of tomatoes in the world, exporting $1 billion worth in 2023, and is the top supplier of fresh produce to the EU.

Moroccan producers can increasingly turn to Tive for reliable tracking solutions to maintain their competitive edge, and we had the privilege of speaking to several at Fruit Attraction.

A closer look at Morocco's farm-to-Europe supply chain reveals a clear need for Tive's solutions. Every week, farmers across Morocco trust their fresh produce to the Morocco Bridge service—a complex network of trucks, trains, and three weekly ocean shuttles connecting Tangier to Algeciras in Spain. What's been missing is visibility. With Tive's active monitoring, farmers and distributors can finally track their produce in real time as it crosses borders—maintaining temperature control and supporting EU compliance standards at every step.  

Technology & Pricing Trends in EMEA

EMEA's supply chain visibility market is at a technology inflection point, creating both challenges and opportunities. Here's what we see as driving the most change:

• The 2G legacy: Most EMEA shippers still rely on low-cost 2G trackers, creating a massive base of outdated technology that needs upgrading.
• The 2G sunset timeline: With 2G networks starting to shut down in 2025, companies face urgent pressure to adopt new tracking solutions or risk losing visibility.
• 5G's competitive advantage: Modern 5G trackers like Tive offer superior coverage and features—positioning early adopters ahead of the game as 2G becomes obsolete.
• Premium service demand: Large enterprises embrace full-service solutions with temperature monitoring and real-time alerts, showing an appetite for premium offerings.
• Strategic price positioning: Success requires threading the needle between EMEA's cost sensitivity and the premium value of future-proof 5G technology.

Key Learnings from Fruit Attraction 2024: What's Next in EMEA’s Food Supply Chain

Our conversations at Fruit Attraction 2024 revealed the real pulse of EMEA's supply chain challenges. Supply chain managers aren't just looking for new technology—they're actively seeking solutions to replace their outdated 2G trackers before network shutdowns leave them blind to the location of their goods. The message was clear from Spain to Morocco and beyond: companies need reliable, real-time tracking that works across borders—and maintains cold chain integrity without adding operational complexity.

That's why we've built solutions that work, no matter your budget or needs. Want premium visibility? Our Solo 5G trackers keep you updated on real-time location and conditions around the clock. Looking to track real-time location, temperature, and light—that won't break the bank? The Solo Lite has you covered. Need to verify cold chain integrity? Our reusable Tive Tag temperature logger fits the bill. Plus, all Tive products connect to a straightforward cloud platform.

If we didn’t get to speak to you at Fruit Attraction 2024, we’d love to have the chance to catch up now. Let's talk—we're here to help, and would love to show you these tools in action.

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