CEO | Zarrin Group
Address:
Zarrin Bldg, No. 35, Behruz Street, Madar Square, Tehran, Iran
Designer & Developer: Vahid Mirzaei
The Zarrin Group, led by Alireza (Shahab) Emami, has over 90 years of experience in the production, processing, and trade of fresh produce in Iran. The group is a pioneer in the Iranian agro-economic sector and has significantly contributed to the growth of the fresh produce industry in the country.
The family business operates three subsidiaries and a non-profit charity center. Emami Trading handles local trade, Zarrin Toranj Taban Asia Co manages international trade, and Zarrin Toranj FZ handles the financial side of the import, export, and re-export business. In the 1990s, Zarrin expanded internationally, exporting fresh fruit to the UAE, Russia, Turkey, Central Asia, and Europe. The group also started importing exotic fruits from various countries.
The company faces high costs and strong competition, but its focus on quality over quantity helps maintain its market position. The Zarrin Group looks for dedicated suppliers of high-quality produce to meet customer needs.
The Zarrin logo, symbolizing the sun, reflects the company's vision to "shine in the industry through exceptional quality produce.
In 2011, the Zarrin Group focused on importing fruits such as bananas, pineapples, and coconuts from countries like the Philippines, Ecuador, India, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. The group’s efforts to improve the quality of imported products continued, maintaining honest relationships with suppliers and reliable shipping lines. That year, Ecuador was added as a new source of bananas, and new facilities for processing and ripening bananas in Iran were developed.
By 2012, the Zarrin Group emphasized promoting fruit consumption within Iran and re-exporting to Central Asia. Activities included distributing bananas to schools and companies and supplying fruit to supermarkets. Additionally, the establishment of Pars Golden Fruit Company for product categorization and relocation to a new building in Tehran were significant achievements.
Economic sanctions and their impacts on Iran’s economy, including the devaluation of the rial and rising prices, posed significant challenges for the Zarrin Group. Despite these difficulties, the group continued its efforts to improve the quality of imported bananas from the Philippines, implementing new quality control measures. With the improvement of market conditions and the election of a new president in Iran, trader confidence increased, and the Zarrin Group strengthened its trade relationships with various countries.
Zarrin Group, with over 80 years of experience in the production and trade of fresh fruits in Iran, has faced numerous challenges and changes in the political and economic landscape. Under the leadership of Alireza Emami, the company has navigated through sanctions and market fluctuations by focusing on quality and maintaining strong relationships with suppliers.
In 2016, the anticipated lifting of Western sanctions brought relief and cautious optimism, promising economic benefits by reviving industries and reducing unemployment. Despite sanctions contracting Iran’s economy, Zarrin Group continued to find ways to facilitate financial exchanges and strengthen the rial.
However, the re-imposition of US sanctions in 2018 by President Trump caused significant instability. The devaluation of the rial and increased costs affected traders, but Zarrin Group sought alternative solutions, such as importing bananas through Turkey and directly working with suppliers to maintain trade.
By 2021, despite continued sanctions and the COVID-19 crisis, hope returned with the election of President Biden. The prospect of improved political relations and potential lifting of sanctions brought optimism for future stability and growth. Zarrin Group remained resilient, focusing on maintaining quality and adapting to new market conditions, ready to leverage any positive changes in the international trade environment.
Between 2022 and 2024, Zarrin Group has demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability in the face of ongoing challenges. In 2022, the group extended its expertise to help revive Dominica’s banana industry, which was still recovering from the 2007 hurricane. By leveraging Indian expertise and collaborating with local authorities and the Climate Resilience Agency for Dominica (CREAD), Zarrin aimed to revitalize the island’s banana production. This initiative highlighted Zarrin Group’s commitment to global agricultural development and its ability to form strategic international partnerships.
From 2023 to 2024, Zarrin Group continued to navigate the complexities of international trade amid persistent sanctions and climate challenges. The group increasingly relied on Indian banana imports due to logistical advantages and lower costs, maintaining strong relationships with suppliers despite the turbulent market conditions. Additionally, Zarrin Group adapted to rising costs and fluctuating import volumes from traditional suppliers like Ecuador and the Philippines by using chartered vessels and exploring new supply routes. These efforts ensured the continuity of their operations and highlighted their strategic flexibility in sustaining growth under adverse conditions.
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Asked about the current situation for bananas in Iran and how the market works, Mr Alireza Emami, CEO of Zarrin Group, an Iranian company with over 80 years’ experience in the production, processing and trade of fresh produce, outlined that “Our market margins and prices in the banana market are defined by supply and demand. In other words, when the supply (import to Iran) goes up and exceeds the normal margins for the season, the market consequently falls price-wise.”
However, he stresses that Iran’s local fruit production also has an impact on banana demand in the domestic market. “When local fruit production increases, demand for bananas and other imported fruits in general shrinks.”
Regarding the current time of the year, he states that Iran’s stonefruit production is normal, and at the same time, banana imports are quite large. “Large volumes of both Philippine small carton bananas and Latin American big carton bananas are being imported, and in fact, we have one of the worst markets of the past 10 years.”
He says they normally expect a good market for bananas in March, April and May; however, this season “not only did we not benefit from the usual good market conditions, but we have actually suffered the worst conditions in a decade, which have continued even in June and at the start of the Holy month of Ramadan.”
Mr Emami assures that Zarrin Group has not escaped this problem. “A part of our banana purchases were contracted; however, we have made fewer spot purchases and adjusted our volume based on market demand.”
