Polpanorte projects R$600 million and invests in new products

The açaí market continues to expand in Brazil and abroad, driving new investments in the sector. National leader in the açaí sorbet category, Polpanorte expanded its industrial unit in Pará and is investing in new products to conquer international markets, especially in Asia.

Founded in 1995 in the city of Japurá, in the interior of Paraná, the company began producing regional fruit pulps by hand.

Açaí only entered the portfolio in 2015, but quickly became the company's main product. It currently accounts for more than 60% of the group's revenue.

For 2026, the company projects revenue of R$600 million, maintaining double-digit growth.

In addition to the traditional açaí sorbet, the company is working on the development of new products aimed at the healthy food market, including versions enriched with protein and other functional formulations.

Accelerated growth

The company has invested around R$70 million in its factory in Pará since the unit opened in 2021. The plant, dedicated exclusively to processing açaí, began operations with the capacity to process approximately 175 tons of fruit per day. After an initial expansion, it reached around 270 tons per day and is now in a new phase of growth.

The expectation is that, in the next harvest, the unit will process 350 tons of fruit per day.

"The challenge is that the açaí harvest is very concentrated. We work with around 90 to 100 effective harvest days per year. Therefore, we need to increase the availability of raw material over the months", says João Zeppone, CEO of Polpanorte.

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Production all year round

Currently the company purchases açaí from around 60 producer cooperatives in Pará, which involves a contingent of 5 thousand suppliers of the fruit.

And to reduce dependence on the harvest concentrated in the second half of the year, the company recently developed a program to encourage the irrigated cultivation of açaí on dry land, in partnership with Banco do Brasil and the National Rural Learning Service (Senar).

The project offers technical assistance and financial support to small producers interested in establishing commercial orchards. In return, the company guarantees the future purchase of production.

According to Zeppone, the model allows producers to have access to credit for investments in irrigation and management, factors considered essential to increase productivity and distribute the harvest throughout the year.

With irrigated cultivation, the expectation is to increase production, which currently occurs in just four months.

"The objective is to reach the medium term with a supply of fruits throughout the year. This allows better use of the industrial capacity already installed, without the need for new large investments", explains the executive.

Higher yield

In addition to the physical expansion of the factory, the company is also evaluating new processing technologies developed in Europe.

The expectation is to increase the industrial yield of the fruit, currently around 55%, in addition to increasing the concentration of the pulp and reducing logistical costs.

Today, the pulp produced in Pará is transported frozen for around 3 thousand kilometers to the company's unit in Paraná, where it is transformed into açaí sorbet.

Among the projects under study are technologies capable of further concentrating fruit solids and allowing the product to be transported at room temperature.

Asia on the radar

International expansion is one of the company's priorities. Currently, the company's products reach more than 20 countries and the goal is for exports to represent more than 10% of the volume sold in 2026.

The United States remains the main global market for açaí, but the company sees growing opportunities in Asia.

Recently, executives participated in SIAL China, in Shanghai, and identified potential for higher value-added products, such as freeze-dried açaí powder.

"The Asian market has different consumption characteristics. Açaí powder can solve logistical challenges and adapt better to local habits", he says.

Source: CNN