Yellow Fresh Fruits has quickly emerged as one of Romania’s most dynamic fresh fruit importers, reshaping a market where consistency and speed increasingly define competitiveness. In an interview with Romania Insider, Fryderyk Schiller, COO of Yellow Fresh Fruits, outlines how the company expanded from its Polish origins to operating advanced ripening centers in Timișoara, Bucharest, and beyond.
The decision to specialise in bananas, a product highly sensitive to time and temperature, prompted the company to adopt rigorous process control, real-time logistics, and a data-driven operational model.
Schiller says the Romanian consumer landscape is evolving fast, with rising expectations for quality and transparency. “Consistency is becoming the new benchmark,” he notes, pointing to investments in automation, energy efficiency, and traceability.
As energy costs rise and labor shortages deepen, Yellow Fresh Fruits is investing in technology, integrated logistics, and robust supplier partnerships to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive fresh produce sector.
Read the full Q&A interview below:
Yellow Fresh Fruits is a relatively young company on the Romanian market. How did it develop into one of the leading importers and distributors of fresh fruit in the country? What were the key stages of its growth?
Fryderyk Schiller: Yellow Fresh Fruits began its operations in Poland, where we gained experience, learned from our own mistakes, and gradually built our team, processes, and quality standards. That’s where we achieved our first major success, which gave us the confidence to expand beyond national borders.
The next natural step was entering the Romanian market, where today we operate two modern banana ripening facilities – in Timișoara and Bucharest. This was a breakthrough moment, and Romania quickly became one of our main operational hubs in the region.
We then opened a ripening facility in Hungary, and we are now launching our newest project – a state-of-the-art ripening center in Belgium, representing the highest level of automation and energy efficiency. And I am convinced that this will not be our last challenge – growth and expansion are part of Yellow Fresh Fruits’ DNA.
From the very beginning, we have focused exclusively on bananas, as they are an exceptionally demanding fruit – extremely sensitive to time, with a very short shelf life. Every hour counts. Through precise control of ripening processes, temperature management, and real-time logistics, we ensure consistently high quality and freshness for our customers.
How do you currently view the Romanian market for fresh fruits and vegetables? What are the main trends, opportunities, and challenges?
Fryderyk Schiller: The Romanian market is developing rapidly – consumers are increasingly choosing fresh, high-quality products and paying special attention to the consistency of that quality. They expect every purchase to deliver the same taste, appearance, and freshness, regardless of the season.
That is why Yellow Fresh Fruits is the first company in Romania to invest in building a dedicated banana brand. All our bananas are marketed under the Yellow brand, which guarantees a uniform, premium standard from plantation to retail shelf.
Our philosophy is not limited to business – it also includes local engagement. We actively support Romanian sports and are proud to be the official sponsor of Romania’s national football team. It’s our way of giving back to the community we operate in every day.
As for trends, we see increasing importance in supply chain transparency, automation, and quality data management. The biggest challenges remain rising energy and transport costs and the shortage of skilled labor, but these factors also drive the ongoing professionalization of the entire sector.
What are your main operational priorities on a daily basis – logistics, procurement, technology, or people?
Fryderyk Schiller: My work revolves around three key pillars: operational continuity, quality, and people. From a logistics standpoint, the priorities are delivery punctuality, optimal ripening room utilization, precise temperature control, and accurate flow forecasting. In procurement, it’s about maintaining stable supplier relationships and responding quickly to fluctuations in supply from South American ports. And when it comes to people, it’s about developing operational leaders and strengthening a culture of accountability. I firmly believe that it’s people, not systems, that determine the reliability of a supply chain.
Fresh produce supply chains often face disruptions – weather, transport, or regulatory issues. How do you handle such challenges?
Fryderyk Schiller: Our approach is based on real-time risk management. We monitor every stage – from plantation to customer warehouse – using telemetry data and integrated planning systems. For each potential disruption, we have a contingency plan – alternative ports of discharge, backup transport resources, and controlled redirection options based on temperature and ripening conditions.
We also operate our own transport fleet, which gives us full process control and allows us to react instantly to operational complications. This ensures faster decision-making, flexible prioritization, and uninterrupted cold chain continuity.
The foundation of our resilience remains close partnerships with our suppliers – we value open communication and joint problem-solving. In the logistics of fresh produce, the key is not whether a problem occurs, but how fast you can solve it.
Sustainability, packaging, food safety, and rising consumer expectations – how does Yellow Fresh Fruits address these changes?
Fryderyk Schiller: For us, sustainability is an operational standard, not a marketing slogan. In our ripening centers, we invest in heat recovery and solar energy, while the ripening process is algorithmically controlled to reduce energy consumption and product losses. In transport, we promote eco-driving and steadily increase the share of intermodal logistics. We also collaborate with local food banks to ensure that no edible fruit goes to waste. When it comes to packaging, we focus on reducing material weight and using recyclable materials.
We apply the highest food quality and safety standards (BRC, IFS), and every process is regularly audited. It is precisely consistency and transparency that build long-term trust with our business partners.
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