Growing More Than Açai: Madeira Trading on Tariffs, Trust and the Future
Madeira Super Fruits LLC is a merchant Super Fruit import company developing strategic partnerships between exotic fruit growers in Brazil and the food industry in the United States and Canada.
In 2025, Madeira Trading was hit hard by Brazil’s new import tariffs on super fruits from the Amazon. Costs rose sharply, putting serious pressure on our operations.
Transparency and trust are the core values of Madeira Trading, and what ultimately saved our company. The relationships we have built with our customers have been established through traditional methods, characterized by punctuality, adherence to promises, and proactive problem-solving. Over the past decade, we have emerged as a dependable source of high-quality frozen acai and other superfoods, enabling customers to rely on us for both consistency and adaptability during demand fluctuations. We maintain consistent and transparent communication by ensuring that there are no surprises regarding product quality, pricing, or lead times. Even during the tariff crisis, we chose not to raise prices unless it was necessary. We worked through our existing inventory, absorbed the tariff costs on several products, and kept prices stable for our clients. We keep our loyal customer base engaged by bringing some to visit our partners in Brazil. The combination of full traceability and honest communication is what creates the trust supermarket buyers rely on when they put our product on their shelves.
Today, Madeira Trading produces private label products for several major supermarket chains, and our transparency displayed during the 2025 Brazilian tariff situation became one of our greatest strengths. By standing by our customers during a difficult time, we strengthened our reputation and gained new clients. We collaborate with our suppliers to identify the most effective solutions for each client within the supply chain. For instance, our suppliers actively participate in calls, meetings, and food demonstrations with our clients. Our acai suppliers have completed the necessary certifications to respond to client quality control requirements effectively. We treat our suppliers as true partners, not merely as suppliers.
During the summer of 2026, we spent 25 days in two Amazon regions. Initially, we visited our NGO partner, the PSA-Health and Happiness Program, in the Santarem region, where acai is not the primary source of income. The communities in Santarem rely on cassava flour and government support, such as the Bolsa Família. Poverty in this region is a longstanding issue for many indigenous tribes. Families lack access to basic infrastructure. Subsequently, we visited the acai region in the Belem area, visiting family-run cooperatives and processing plants with which we partner. We were pleased to observethe positive impact of acai on the Belem region. The local economy generates millions of dollars, and a significant portion of the profits are distributed among individuals in the supply chain. Walking through the acai wild fields, engaging in conversations with growers about the upcoming harvest season, and witnessing the processing of wild harvest pulp in the processing plants reinforced the importance of direct relationships. It also facilitated the alignment of quality standards and fair pricing that all elements in the supply chain can adhere to.
Our primary focus lies in expanding our acai and tropical fruit product lines into a wider range of regional supermarket banners for private label. Madeira Trading remains committed to investing in production capabilities to facilitate innovation and scalability without compromising our values. Our values continue to shape every aspect of our business. As our customer base grows, we treat every relationship with the same patience, care, and attention required to cultivate exotic fruit.
This piece was written by Erika Madeira Kliauga, founder of Madeira Trading.
