Asiafruit Magazine AFL/AFC Special 2023

We

fruturaproduce.com

strive to do business in a better way, contributing to a future of fruit that is global, inclusive, and sustainable.

China comeback key for Asia trade

Our cover of this bumper Asia Fruit Logistica issue – creatively crafted by Asiafruit’s senior designer Qiong Wu and China editor Yuxin Yang – depicts the China market rebuilding post-Covid. In our China focus (p30-32), Yuxin talks to leading food retailers and fruit distributors about how business is recovering following the lifting of Covid restrictions at the turn of the year. Despite the overall low consumer confidence in China, it's clear the fruit trade is rebounding. Brick-and-mortar retailers have regained foot traffic while the supply chain can function smoothly again. Challenges of course remain. Middle-income consumers have become more price-conscious. Retailers must work harder to entice shoppers back to their stores. At the same time, they need to get their online strategies right. As Yuxin's report highlights, one of the major trends to develop since the pandemic is the growth of online channels for buying fresh produce. Indeed, live-streaming is now a key channel for selling fresh produce across e-commerce and social media platforms. Online shoppers are seeking branded products with consistent quality. This is an exciting development, enabling suppliers to reach more consumers, particularly as demand for high-quality fruit continues to grow across the country. One of the other great aspects of the removal of restrictions in China has been the ability to travel and meet with customers and colleagues again. Asia Fruit Logistica is back at full scale this September as it returns to Hong Kong, and China is back to full strength as the singlelargest exhibiting nation. Around 600 exhibitors from some 40 different countries are set to showcase their wares at Asia Fruit Logistica. In our 44-page preview (p66-110), we profile a wide range of the companies and offerings on display from across the world. Asiafruit Congress and Asiafruit Business Forum take place across two stages on the show floor this year to provide an unrivalled combination of strategic insights and practical takeaways. You can read about our stellar speaker line-up on p70-73, and we look forward to welcoming you as we take a deep dive on the key trends and opportunities in Asia's fast-moving fresh produce business A

John Hey, Editor

One of the major trends to develop since the pandemic is the growth of online channels for buying fresh produce, where shoppers are seeking branded products with consistent quality standards

©Market Intelligence Asia Pty Ltd 2023. The publisher’s permission must be obtained before any part of this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever including photocopies and information retrieval. Market Intelligence Asia Pty

9040

Events

fruitnet.com/tropicalscongress

Global Tropicals Congress, Fruitnet's new event for the international tropical and exotic fresh produce business, takes place in The Hague on 14 September 2023.

Photo Blog

instagram.com/fruitnet

Follow Fruitnet's Instagram page for regular photos and updates from the Fruitnet team.

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/showcase/asiafruitmagazine

Expand your network of professional contacts and join the fresh produce conversation by visiting the Asiafruit LinkedIn account.

Twitter

twitter.com/asiafruit

Keep up to date with news, opinions and developments from around Asia's fresh produce trade by following our dedicated Twitter feed.

2023 - asiafruit magazine

fruitnet.com/asiafruit

Asiafruit's news website provides regular updates on all the top stories from Asia's fresh fruit and vegetable business.

Asiafruit in Chinese

asiafruitchina.net

Visit Asiafruit's Chinese-language portal for all the latest news in Mandarin. Sign up to our newsletter, Asiafruit News and find us on WeChat. Our WeChat ID is asiafruit.

Asiafruit App

https://desktop.asiafruitmagazine.com

Download the new Asiafruit app onto your smartphone or tablet from the App Store or Google Play. Stay informed on the latest fresh produce industry developments, and enjoy our magazines in new user-friendly digital formats.

Fruitbox

https://bit.ly/3eHjlS0

Download Fruitnet's podcast series hosted by managing director Chris White in London. The Fruitbox podcast features conversations and interviews with leading industry experts.

EDITORIAL

editor John Hey +61 3 9040 1602 john@fruitnet.com

digital editor

Liam O'Callaghan

+61 3 9040 1605 liam@fruitnet.com

china editor

Yuxin Yang

+61 3 9040 1604 yuxin@fruitnet.com

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

design manager

Simon Spreckley

+44 20 7501 3713 simon@fruitnet.com

senior designer

Qiong Wu

+61 3 9040 1603 wobo@fruitnet.com

middleweight designer

Magdalena Witecka

+44 20 7501 3721 magdalena@fruitnet.com

middleweight designer

Mai Luong

+44 20 7501 3713 mai@fruitnet.com

EVENTS & MARKETING

head of events and marketing

Laura Martín Nuñez

+44 20 7501 3720 laura@fruitnet.com

events executive

Poppy Bowe

+44 20 7501 3719 poppy@fruitnet.com

ADMINISTRATION

finance director Elvan Gul

+44 20 7501 3711 elvan@fruitnet.com

accounts receivable

Tracey Thomas

+44 20 7501 3717 tracey@fruitnet.com

finance manager

Günal Yildiz

+44 20 7501 3714 gunal@fruitnet.com

subscriptions

+44 20 7501 0311

subscriptions@fruitnet.com

ADVERTISING

asia pacific

Kate Riches +61 3 9040 1601 kate@fruitnet.com

europe & middle east

Artur Wiselka +44 20 7501 0309 artur@fruitnet.com

china, taiwan & philippines

Jennifer Zhang +86 21 6136 6010 jennifer@fruitnet.com

uk, ireland, belgium, greece, turkey & south-east europe

Giorgio Mancino

+44 20 7501 3716 giorgio@fruitnet.com

us & canada

Jeff Long +1 805 966 0815 jeff@fruitnet.com

south africa

Fred Meintjes +27 28 754 1418 fredmeintjes@fruitnet.com

italy

Giordano Giardi +39 059 786 3839 giordano@fruitnet.com

AGENTS

south asia

Keith Sunderlal +91 (124) 638 5033/5044 ksunderlal@scsgroup.com

MANAGEMENT

commercial director

Ulrike Niggemann

+49 211 99 10 425 ulrike@fruitnet.com

managing director

Chris White +44 20 7501 3710 chris@fruitnet.com

CONTRIBUTORS

july/august 2023 - asiafruit magazine

Maura Maxwell eurofruit

In an exclusive interview, Tomra Fresh Food CEO Paul Slupecki explains how the company's new generation of sorters and graders are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence. interviews–p14-16

Yuxin Yang

asiafruit china

Yuxin has put together an in-depth report on the current state of China's fresh produce market, talking to key players about business recovery after the lifting of Covid restrictions. china–p30-32

Jeff Long fruitnet

Jeff reports on the current California table grape campaign, providing an update on the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead after a late start to the season.

grapes–p114-117

Tony Hunter future of food consulting

Food futurist Tony Hunter explores some of the groundbreaking technology that is set to shape the future of the horticulture industry and examines how it is being employed. dispatches–p146-147

6-8 September 2023

Come to visit us on Stand 5G02 / Hall 5

IG & The Fresh Connection team up

between IG International and The Fresh Connection and represents an exciting milestone for both as it expands the reach of Indiangrown proprietary varieties, across a number of commodities, to an extensive network of customers around the world,” IG said.

The deal will focus on leveraging the combined vertical integration capabilities of both companies.

IG International and The Fresh Connection have signed a joint venture to boost exports of Indian fruits and vegetables.

IG said the two companies will work together to harness India’s agricultural potential

and give Indian farmers access to international markets, providing them with fair trade opportunities and empowering local communities.

“This new collaboration builds on the existing trading relationship

Zespri confirms red kiwifruit trial

Kiwifruit marketer Zespri has told New Zealand media outlet Stuff that it will shortly begin pre-commercial trials of a new red kiwifruit cultivar in the country. Zespri chair Bruce Cameron was reported as saying that the move was a response to “high demand” for its RubyRed brand in international markets, especially in China, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan.

“The decision to progress another red variety to pre-commercial trials is part of our effort to explore how to extend our supply of Zespri RubyRed kiwifruit throughout the season and return more value to growers,” he told Stuff. “The new cultivar that will enter pre-commercial trials is expected to have different seasonal timing to Red19, making it a complementary variety.”

“Through a combination of IG’s plant sciences expertise, nurseries, exciting varieties of intellectually protected fruit and vegetables, new and efficient storage facilities, and extensive logistics and shipping, with The Fresh Connection’s market-leading export arm and global presence, the venture aims to bring consumers around the world a new experience of what India fruits and vegetables can bring,” IG said.

Freshippo expands

Freshippo’s expansion across China has continued with the opening of 12 new stores while its budget brand, Freshippo Outlets, has added five stores. According to a report from Alizila, Alibaba Group’s grocery chain now has over 300 stores nationwide and is on the path towards completing an initial public offering (IPO) by May 2024. The new stores were opened in eight cities across mainland China with seven of the stores featuring the grocery chain’s latest store design.

Freshippo Outlets’ five new stores are spread across Shanghai, bringing the total network to eight stores across 14 cities in mainland China.

Joy Wing Mau and Zespri sign strategic sustainable collaboration agreement in presence of New Zealand Prime Minister

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher John Hipkins led a business delegation on a visit to China from 25-30 June.

In the presence of Prime Minister Hipkins and Zespri chairman Bruce Cameron, a strategic sustainable collaboration agreement was signed between Joy Wing Mau (JWM) Fruit Technologies Group, represented by its chairman and chief executive Zhang Jian, and Zespri, represented by its Greater China general manager Jiang Shijie.

The agreement aims to bolster the strategic focus on sustainable development and elevate cooperation between the fruit industries of China and New Zealand to a higher level.

This agreement builds upon the existing ChinaNew Zealand economic and trade cooperation agreement and the five-year strategic partnership agreement signed by JWM and Zespri in 2021. With its extensive multi-channel sales network, digitalised

supply chain and professional marketing services, JWM has been actively supporting Zespri’s sustainable development in the Chinese market, thereby fostering the growth of China-New Zealand economic and trade relations.

Zespri, one of the most prominent exporters in New Zealand, has forged a long-term and mutually beneficial strategic partnership with JWM since its entry to the Chinese market. Presently, JWM stands as Zespri’s

LEFT—The collaboration agreement boosts cooperation between the fruit industries of China and New Zealand

largest customer around the globe. Through their close collaboration, China has become the largest export market for Zespri kiwifruit.

As a key strategic partner of Zespri, JWM will collaborate closely with the kiwifruit giant to drive the adoption of green packaging materials in China. Furthermore, JWM will actively encourage its partners to fulfil their responsibilities in environmental protection and establish a green industry chain that encompasses green cultivation, environmentally friendly packaging materials, sustainable warehousing, and energy-saving transportation.

China has become the primary destination for agricultural products from New Zealand. Following the upgrade of the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, the implementation of new policies – including tariff reductions, streamlined customs procedures and expanded market access – has provided convenience and benefits to individuals and companies from both nations.

Next year will mark the tenth anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and New Zealand. As a leading fruit company in China and the largest distributor of New Zealand fruit within the Chinese market, JWM is committed to further enhancing its economic and trade cooperation with New Zealand partners like Zespri and Rockit. Beyond consistently delivering fresh and premium New Zealand fruits to Chinese consumers, JWM will also prioritise a development model that places significant emphasis on sustainability and environmental protection.

JWM will collaborate closely with the kiwifruit giant to drive the adoption of green packaging materials in China

AMFresh acquisition of IFG clears major hurdle

Deal set to go through imminently after approval by European Commission and failure of attempt to block the transaction.

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

Alegal bid to block AMFresh’s acquisition of International Fruit Genetics (IFG) has failed, paving the way for the move to be completed.

On 12 July AMFresh released a statement which read: “Following the agreement between International Fruit Genetics (IFG) and Special New Fruit Licensing (SNFL), the consortium led by AMFresh Group and the Swedish fund EQT and the American fund Paine Schwartz Partners (PSP), for the purchase of the entire IFG business by SNFL, Jack Pandol initiated legal action to block the transaction.

“On 11 July, the arbitrator assigned to decide on the matter rejected all the claims made by Jack Pandol, allowing the transaction to proceed.”

SNFL said it expects to close the transaction in the coming weeks.

AMFresh chief executive Alvaro Muñoz commented: “Our entire team and partners are proud to be able to move forward with the green light of the arbitration. This is the beginning of a breakthrough for the fresh food sector and our greatest ambition is to foster the most innovative, natural, sustainable and healthy products to delight consumers globally.

“Our aim is to increase consumption and market size of fresh, healthy and affordable products globally.”

Additionally, Bluestone Food and Tech, Alvaro Muñoz’s family holding, has closed an agreement to become the sole 100 per cent equity partner of AMFresh and acquire 100 per cent of AMC Group.

The deal has the full support of all the executive and nonexecutive board members of Bluestone and AMFresh. It has also

been supported by all the banking partners of the Business Group, as well as the partners in various investments that AMFresh holds in Genetics and Technology (EQT and PSP).

AMFresh said the deal would give it total freedom to invest in the different agribusiness and agritechnology breakthroughs that the group endorses.

Under its strategic plan, AMFresh aims to double its sales to €3bn (US$3.3bn) in 2028 and triple its EBITDA in the same timeframe.

COO Pablo Sánchez-Lozano said:

“At AMFresh we have been working on the integration of our supply chain with the aim of always adding value to our retail partners.

ABOVE—The move combines two leading table grape breeders

“Our focus is on offering innovative solutions that allow differentiation and are always based on technology. We have tools that cover the full cycle including genetics, agriculture, technology and sustainable practices; our degree of flexibility is unparalleled, and our customised models adapt to all clients, geographies and categories.” A

IFG wins “landmark” IP case in China

Global table grape breeder International Fruit Genetics (IFG) has announced that a plant variety infringement case in Yunnan, China, has concluded in its favour.

The infringement involved IFG’s proprietary grape variety IFG Six (Chinese variety name (IFG六), which is sold under the trademark Sweet Sapphire (Chinese trademark 甜蜜蓝宝石). The local Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) acknowledged the infringement and imposed significant administrative fines against the infringer, according to a media release from the US-headquartered company.

Andy Higgins, chief executive of IFG, hailed the victory: “This is a huge win for IFG and the entire agriculture industry. The goal with these types of legal action is never to be punitive, but to create an environment where other plant variety rights holders feel comfortable and protected.”

AI-powered sorting is a win-win for growers and consumers

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

Two years ago, Tomra Food split its fresh and processed business into two separate business areas. What have been the main benefits of this new structure and how has it enabled you to accelerate the expansion of your fresh fruit business?

Paul Slupecki: Tomra Fresh is made up of two world-leading New Zealand-based companies that were acquired by Tomra Food – Compac and BBC Technologies. Bringing them together under the Tomra Food umbrella has enabled us to harness their synergies in terms of innovation and technology. What I’ve found really exciting is how well the different mindsets of each innovation team can work together and really move things forward. Their combined expertise has not only strengthened our position with regard to product development, but also our global footprint.

What is it that sets your sorting and grading technology apart from the competition?

PS: That’s a great question. Going back to what I was just saying, I would say a big part is being able

to combine the know-how of BBC Technologies and Compac, having different views about how to do things.

If you look more widely at the whole of Tomra Group, we not only work in food, but also in collection and recycling, where the core technology is similar, albeit used in a different way. We are able to tap into things that are being worked on in one division and use them in another part of the business, sharing the core technologies across the group. The speed and amount of engineering power we have really does set us apart from everyone else.

Tomra has a number of new products coming through the innovation pipeline. What are the next technological barriers that are there to be broken when it comes to sorting technology?

PS: If you look anywhere, whether it’s the food industry or the automotive industry, artificial intelligence (AI) is the big buzzword. We’ve been working in this space for quite some time, particularly in the blueberry space with our LUCAi Vision Systems. That is something that is absolutely at the forefront of what we’re doing. We have some very exciting things coming out in the near future. AI is something that will really

drive improvements – not only the speed of sorting, but also the ability to provide a lot more information in quick time back to our customers so they can make the right decisions.

We are entering a new era of digitalisation and interconnectedness. How is this

Paul Slupecki, chief executive of Tomra Fresh Food, says the company’s new generation of sorters and graders can harness the power of artificial intelligence to improve traceability and connectivity.

TOP—The breadth of Tomra’s business allows it to fast-track core technologies from other parts of the group RIGHT—Paul Slupecki »

shaping the ability for you to link up with other parts of the supply chain in order to enhance your provision to fresh produce customers?

PS: Connectivity traceability is a big thing in the food industry, allowing the consumer to trace a piece of fruit all the way back to the farm, or even the tree that it has come from. We are investing a lot of money in this area, not just in our food division but across all our divisions, connecting every bit of equipment that’s coming out of our innovation and manufacturing pipeline.

with the customer when a machine requires a major fix or adjustment. We continue to invest in our regional hubs so we can be a lot closer to the customer. Having that connectivity enables us to predict potential issues earlier – perhaps something is starting to wear out, or the fruit is coming out at the wrong speed, suggesting a blockage which would eventually create a problem. That information is fed through to our

are, and if there is a big requirement that needs to be prioritised, we are absolutely in a position to do that very quickly. I would say yes, we are definitely looking at not only the actual packhouse itself but at other areas, working very closely with our customers.

In terms of expansion into new markets, where do you see the best opportunities for growth?

PS: We’re continually looking at where and how the population is consuming fruit and vegetables. The biggest growth area is that middle income bracket, in all

We have developed Tomra Insight, a cloud-based solution offering customers one secure, near real-time monitoring platform for all their sorting lines. Tomra Insight is probably one of the most connectable systems. It provides a wealth of information at different data points, which it then feeds back to the grower so they know exactly what they’ve done right on the farm to produce a particular apple, for example.

Does that connectivity mean there is less need for Tomra to have a local presence in each market as you can service your machines remotely?

PS: Yes and no. In some cases it means we are able to quickly inform the customer of what’s going on and what needs to be done, so the down time can potentially be reduced. It also means we can ensure we have the right components and people available in each region or market. But it’s equally important to maintain that face-to-face contact

centralised system and back into our service department which means we can react a lot quicker.

Tomra Fresh Food specialises in sorting and grading solutions for fruit and vegetable packhouses. Is there also potential for the development and use of sorting equipment at different stages in the supply chain?

PS: Right now we are focused on the packhouse but as we start to look further up the supply chain closer to the farm, there is definitely the potential to create pre-sorting solutions that could increase the speed at which the fruit moves through the packhouse. This is an area that’s very interesting for us. At the end of the day we want to identify what our customers needs

regions. This is what is driving demand for safe, highquality produce globally. At the same time we have to keep up with new trends. During Covid, for example, we saw a huge increase in citrus consumption because of its high Vitamin C content.

So what can we expect to see from Tomra Fresh in the coming months and years?

PS: We are going to see a lot more interconnectivity between the different regions in which we operate. We want to make sure we are closer to our customers, not only in terms of manufacturing, but also in sharing expertise across different categories. If we look at innovation, the beauty of Tomra overall is that we have those three pillars of collection, recycling and food where innovation feeds through to the different business areas and fast-tracks the development of new solutions.

At Tomra Food we’re investing a lot of money into R&D and innovation so there is plenty more to come in the next few years. Watch this space! A

“We’re investing a lot of money into R&D so there’s plenty more to come in the next few years – watch this space”

TOP—Tomra Insight is Tomra’s cloud-based connectivity tool

Salix Fruits forges ahead with global expansion plans

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

Salix Fruits has chalked up several important milestones this year as it continues its push into new markets. In addition to consolidating its presence in North America where its brand, Mundos, has experienced significant growth, the company says its Indian office has obtained outstanding results in the first half of the year. It has also opened a new office in Sadat City, Egypt, which will strengthen its presence in North Africa and

enable it to meet growing citrus demand from its worldwide customer base.

And there’s plenty more to come. At the 2023 edition of Asia Fruit Logistica, Salix Fruits will announce the opening of a new office in Singapore from which it will be able to serve the Asian market more effectively. The company is already present in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, China and Thailand, each of which present unique opportunities for

further growth according to co-founder and COO

Juan González Pita. “Asia is key to us because of its size, diversity and the ever-developing opportunities it offers,” he says. “We believe that having a direct presence in the region will allow us to respond more quickly and effectively to the needs of our clients and provide us with a solid platform to explore new opportunities in this dynamic and growing market.”

Indeed, one of the company’s main objectives when opening its new office in Egypt was to consolidate its role as a supplier of citrus and other Egyptian products for the Asian market.

“We’ve already seen significant growth in Canada and Europe thanks to Egyptian-sourced products, and we’re excited to replicate that success in India and the rest of Asia,” González continues. “This strategy is aligned with our commitment to efficiently connect producer markets with consumers globally.”

Despite the increase in consumer prices fuelled by cost inflation, González says fresh produce consumption has remained relatively stable, suggesting that consumers continue to value the importance of incorporating fresh fruit and vegetables into their diet. “Recently, we have noticed that ocean freight rates have returned to their previous values and it will be interesting to see how this reduction in transportation costs may affect the prices of products at the consumer level in the near future,” he says. “We will continue to monitor the situation closely to adapt to the needs of our customers and the market.”

Meanwhile, González insists that the cost squeeze will not derail the company’s sustainability drive. “We are pleased to report that we have made significant progress in this area in the last year and have managed to comply with all relevant global certifications. This demonstrates not only our commitment to sustainable business practices, but also our desire to ensure the highest quality of our products.

“We will continue working to continue evolving in this direction and continue to be a responsible and committed player in the global fruit and vegetable industry.” A

LEFT—The Salix Fruits team taking part at last year’s Asia Fruit Logistica BOTTOM LEFT—Co-founder and COO Juan González Pita

Co-founder and COO Juan González Pita outlines the company’s growing presence in key markets like Asia and the US.

Te Mata ‘growing together’

Te Mata Exports chief executive

Sarah McCormack discusses the latest developments for the company following the merger of its Australia and New Zealand businesses last year.

by John Hey @johnfruitnet

Te Mata Exports last year amalgamated its Australian and New Zealand businesses into a single entity, and you took the helm of the combined business as chief executive after leading Te Mata Exports Australia. What prompted this move and how is the ownership structured?

Sarah McCormack: It was always the intention to merge the two businesses, but we wanted to give the Australian business time to develop and stand on its own two feet before merging. Since merging last year, we are seeing benefits and synergies emerge as we have a more comprehensive offer for our combined customer base. The merger has also created resource efficiencies across the whole business. MG remains as the majority shareholder, with myself and Paul Scheffer holding a minority share.

Apples is one of your core categories and you’re marketing several new IP varieties. Bay Queen, your early season, deep-coloured, crisp variety grown in New Zealand, is one of them. How are things developing for Bay Queen?

SM: Te Mata Exports owns the global rights to market this Hawke’s Bay-bred variety and it is grown exclusively by our chosen grower-partners in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne. The uptake of Bay Queen has been good and we have just under 100ha that have been planted or are about to be planted. It was our target to plant 100ha so this has now been reached and we don’t plan to allocate any further trees. We have shipped small volumes this year into Asia and the variety has been well received. One of the key attributes of the variety is its earlier timing, so our plan is to get it picked, packed and shipped into market as soon as possible. We are also in the process of rebranding Bay Queen. The variety is a Gala sport, so we felt Bay Queen wasn’t the right fit and we’ll be launching the new brand name in the coming months.

ABOVE LEFT—Te Mata has the marketing rights to SnapDragon in New Zealand

ABOVE—Sarah McCormack and Paul Scheffer are minority shareholders in Te Mata Exports, which is majority-owned by MG Marketing

Can you tell us about some of your other new proprietary apple varieties?

SM: Te Mata has exclusive marketing rights in New Zealand for SnapDragon, a variety that was developed in New York State by Cornell University’s apple breeding programme over ten years ago. This apple is medium sized with Honeycrisp parentage and it’s a mid-season variety. We expect to have commercial volumes available from 2026. Te Mata is also a licensed exporter for Cosmic Crisp.

Switching to the other side of the Tasman, how is Te Mata Exports developing in Australia?

SM: Despite being established »

right as the global pandemic hit, Te Mata Exports Australia has been fortunate to have the support of key customers and suppliers as well as a great team which has allowed the business to grow over the past three years. We have recently employed a new staff member, Kim Boustridge, who will be based in Queensland and his initial focus will be on melon and mango exports. We are already running a significant mandarin export programme out of the region and we were keen to further develop our business out of Queensland so Kim has been a great addition to the team. Furthermore, we have had requests from our Japanese customers to supply Australian melons, so it is exciting that we are now able to add this product to our offer for this very important market.

Grapes is another important category for Te Mata Exports, with a solid Latin America supply base via your partnership with Inversiones Vecs. The Japanese market recently opened its doors to Peruvian grapes for a wide range of varieties. How do you see the commercial prospects?

SM: We see good commercial prospects for Peruvian grapes and we have received plenty of interest from our customer base in Japan. Through our partnership with Vecs, we have people on the ground in Peru who can provide us with all the information we need and keep across the quality. This will give our Japanese customers a greater level of confidence when they are dealing with a new supply region for the first time.

Murray Tait is stepping down as director of Te Mata Exports at the end of this year. He’s obviously been

instrumental in developing the Te Mata Exports business over the years. What prompted this move and what will it mean for the business?

SM: Murray Tait was one of the founders of Te Mata Exports and has built up a solid business based on New Zealand apple exports since its inception in 2000. Since MG took a majority stake in the business in 2012, it was always the intention that Murray would step down and sell the remainder of his shareholding at the end of 2023. Murray has made a significant contribution to the business and is well respected across the industry by growers, customers and exporters alike, and he will continue to work in a part-time capacity for Te Mata managing some of our key strategic relationships.

On 5 November 2023, Te Mata’s parent company MG Marketing will mark 100 years as a New Zealandowned cooperative marketing and distributing fresh produce on behalf

of its family growers. Can you give us a sense of the size and influence of the group today?

SM: While the heart of MG’s business is the large network of wholesale markets across Australasia, over the years the cooperative has expanded to become more than just a produce marketing company. It is a diversified and integrated business, owning or having a stake in a number of complementary businesses, including growing, intellectual property, category supply, sales, distribution, marketing and auctioning flowers, as well as exporting through Te Mata Exports.

The theme for MG’s centenary year is ‘growing together for 100 years’, which reflects the strong sense of togetherness of the cooperative and is a nod to the significant progress it has made alongside grower-shareholders since MG first started operating as a small market in Wellington 100 years ago. A

TOP LEFT—Murray Tait is stepping down as director of Te Mata at the end of this year ABOVE—Te Mata runs a significant mandarin export programme out of Queensland

Riverking celebrates 20 years

Having spent the past two decades building its supply chain capabilities, Riverking is now looking to deepen its connections with the global fruit industry.

LEFT— New varieties will drive China’s market growth

key supplying countries such as Chile, Peru, Thailand and Vietnam, Riverking is more confident than ever about its commitment to create unparalleled value for its global partners, especially when the China market is still facing recovery challenges.

“As our track record over the years demonstrates, suppliers home and abroad trust us with their products. They know they will achieve the best returns,” says Sean Chen, commodity director at Riverking.

Riverking operates in 11 major fruit wholesale markets, and has ten processing and distribution warehouses in China. Chen says the wide coverage allows the company to diversify distribution and explore new growth opportunities outside the major cities.

“In the last few years, we’ve been seeing strong demand for quality products in in-land cities such as Chongqing and Chengdu. Consumers are willing to pay a good price for cherries and gift packs,” he says.

Riverking sees novel and unique fruit varieties as another driving force reinvigorating the China market.

“In the coming years, new and flavoursome varieties will be a growth area, such as cherry plums from Chile,” Chen explains. “This product has a complementary supply window; it is new, juicy, sweet and crunchy.”

This is a milestone year for Riverking, as China’s leading fruit importer and distributor celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Established in Shanghai as a fruit import trader in 2003, Riverking has since evolved into a comprehensive supply chain enterprise, boasting six clearlydefined business divisions. These divisions include production origin; product; deep processing; sales; wholesale; and channel.

With a distribution network spanning major cities and regional markets in China, and far-reaching sourcing capabilities through its procurement hubs and packing facilities located across the globe in

In an increasingly competitive market, Riverking strives to find new varieties, packaging solutions, channels and markets, which now also include neighbouring South-East Asian markets.

“Last year, we did some export trials to SouthEast Asian markets, including Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore,” says Chen. “As we all know, there is an increasing appetite for premium imported fruit in South-East Asia in recent years.”

Riverking plans to invest more time and effort to develop the South-East Asia market in the coming years. The company believes it will serve as a key market for global suppliers to diversify their growing supply.

“Riverking is committed to providing excellent services, drawing on our expertise and credibility. From upstream to downstream, from wholesale markets to retail channels, we possess in-depth knowledge of the market and consumers,” Chen says. “We welcome collaborations with high-quality agricultural companies from all over the world.” _

BOTTOM—Sean Chen, commodity director at Riverking

Expanding beyond the big cities in Vietnam

While Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi have driven the boom in Vietnam’s fruit imports over recent years, Biovegi sees great untapped potential in other parts of the country.

by John Hey @johnfruitnet

Developing sales into regional cities beyond the major population centres will be key to maintaining the impressive growth rates witnessed in Vietnam’s fruit imports over the past several years.

So says Lu Minh Quang, import

director of leading importer Biovegi, which is investing to expand its footprint across the country.

Family-owned company Biovegi was established 16 years ago with an initial focus on Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, but it has since

opened branches in a number of other cities.

“Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh are well established markets now, so they’re kind of reaching their full potential. We see them approaching a point of saturation, so for us to keep pushing there is not going to bring good results,” says Lu.

“Outside those big cities, Vietnam still has a huge population. There might be around 8m people in Hanoi and 9m in Ho Chi Minh, but there are another 75m people in other provinces.

“So that is where the next growth phase is going to come from. We’re already seeing a lot of international investment in these secondary regions, with many new factories being set up. So the middle class will be expanding, the standard of living will be increasing, and right now we’re putting in place new distribution hubs in these areas to prepare for the future.”

BRANCHING OUT

Biovegi recently opened its sixth Vietnam branch in Buon Ma Thuot City, which is located in the heart of the Central Highlands region in Dak Lak Province. Five key retailers already have a presence in the region, including Winmart, Go!, Coopmart, Bach Hoa Xanh and MM Mega Market, and the company sees good opportunities to develop new business.

“We’ve set up an office there to help develop not only the retail supply but also the wholesalers and fruit shops in the area,” says Lu. “Our offices will offer an enhanced cold chain and deliver higher quality fruits to the region. We’ll also provide support with marketing and promotional activities to our subdistributors in the area.”

In addition to this new operation and its core hubs in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, Biovegi has branches in Da Nang in the centre of Vietnam, Vinh City in Nghe An Province and Can Tho in the Mekong Delta.

Lu says the next major focus in terms of geographical expansion for Biovegi is Quang Ninh. The coastal province in the northeast of Vietnam is enjoying a boom in tourism and mining centred on cities such as Ha Long and Cam Pha.

Most companies in Vietnam’s fruit import business continue to focus on Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, according to Lu. Some of them are establishing

“There might be around 8m people in Hanoi and 9m in Ho Chi Minh, but there are another 75m people in other provinces”

operations in Da Nang, the nation’s third largest city with a population of around 1.5m. However, he says most of these companies are wholesalers, so their customers are concentrated around one area, limiting their reach.

“Biovegi is one of the few importers that supplies both modern retail and traditional wholesale channels,” says Lu. “Our business is split evenly between the two and we supply every single retail channel and all the major retailers.”

BRAND-BUILDING

Biovegi already works with a host of leading international fresh produce brands from key supply

OPPOSITE—Lu Minh Quang, import director of Biovegi

ABOVE—Biovegi recently opened its sixth Vietnam branch in Buon Ma Thuot City

LEFT—Supporting a joint event between OneCycle and Dazzle apples

BELOW—Biovegi is a licensed distributor for T&G Global in Vietnam

origins, such as the US, New Zealand and Australia, and it is a licensed distributor for Zespri and T&G in Vietnam. While the importer has been enjoying strong

annual growth rates of 20-30 per cent in recent years, Lu stresses Biovegi is not a trading company.

“We take a long-term outlook focused on brand-building with the right partners,” he says. “We’re looking for consistent quality and for partners who understand how to build a brand, because we want to be a collection of brands that we can bring to the new tier-one and -two cities and provinces.”

Biovegi has developed its marketing capabilities and takes a proactive approach to building products and brands in-market, Lu notes. In addition to its extensive promotional activities for Zespri in various cities, the company helped to launch Sunkist oranges in Vietnam.

It recently supported a joint event between OneCycle, the first rhythm indoor cycling boutique in Vietnam, and Dazzle apples supplied by New Zealand growerpacker-marketer, Mr Apple. “This was the first time an apple brand partnered with a sports brand to promote healthy eating within the fitness community,” says Lu. A

Brightening outlook for China market

Despite overall low consumer confidence in China, leading fruit distributors and retailers are optimistic about market recovery.

by Yuxin Yang

harbxin

Since pandemic control measures were removed last December, China’s fresh produce market has been

regaining momentum in the first three quarters of 2023, with various distribution channels showing significant year-on-year growth.

“In the first half of this year,

Goodfarmer’s fruit business grew 41 per cent yearon-year. We see substantial growth in products such as bananas, pineapples, young coconuts and durian,” says Jack Gao, product development director at Goodfarmer, one of China’s leading fruit importers

RIGHT—Goodfarmer continues to invest in brand marketing

OPPOSITE LEFT—Huang Ying, City’super fresh produce buyer

OPPOSITE, TOP RIGHT—Jack Gao, product development director at Goodfarmer

OPPOSITE, MIDDLE RIGHT—Raymond Mou, Yonghui Superstores’ senior procurement director

OPPOSITE, BELOW RIGHT—Jiao Yue, executive VP and retail business division president at Pagoda

and distributors. “Wholesale markets are lively, and retailers are increasing activities, with good overall business recovery.”

Brick-and-mortar retailers have also regained foot traffic since life returned to normal in China, according to Raymond Mou, Yonghui Superstores’ senior procurement director.

“Businesses no longer need to worry about shutting down, and more consumers are back shopping in person. So overall, business has recovered quite well,” he says. “Looking at our first quarter data for the fruit category, imported cherries and blueberries during the Chinese New Year holiday, as well as Thai durians in April and May, all have achieved significant yearon-year growth.”

Jiao Yue, executive VP and retail business division president at Pagoda, China’s leading fruit retail chain, points out that the smooth operation of the supply chain after the pandemic has provided important conditions for the market’s recovery.

“China’s fruit and vegetable supply chain has fully recovered.

Since the lifting of restrictions, Pagoda has seen that both domestic fruit production and customs clearance of imported fruit have been operating smoothly,” he says. “Especially for imported fruit. With the removal of Covid testing in 2023, the clearance rate has improved, resulting in increased freshness of fruit, which significantly boosted global suppliers’ confidence in the China market.”

However, Huang Ying, fresh produce buyer at boutique supermarket City’super, argues that until Chinese consumers’ purchasing power fully recovers, challenges persist in the premium fruit business.

“The supply chain has recovered, but the consumption downturn is

causing some boutique farms to feel the pressure, as their products can’t compete with commodity products on price. They will choose to wait and refrain from making planting plans for the time being,” she says.

NEW TRENDS

Some new fruit consumption trends which emerged during the pandemic are now becoming fully established, such as demand for standardised products and premium domestically grown fruit.

“Chinese consumers are starting to rely on brands when buying fruit. Products from established Chinese brands like Goodfarmer bananas, young coconuts and durian, as well as international brands like Zespri kiwifruit and Driscoll’s blueberries, have become popular,” says Gao. “Premium Chinese fruit is becoming more competitive – domestically grown products such as Shine Muscat grapes and Qilin watermelons are becoming the preferred choices of the season, attracting consumers’ attention.”

However, it will require more time to fully grasp the deeper meaning of market development trends, according to Mou.

“As current sales data shows, some medium to high-end products, such as Chilean cherries, Thai and Vietnamese durian and Yunnan blueberries are showing tremendous growth potential. But on the other hand, some domestic fruit, such as traditional commodities like apples and pears, are not developing well,” he points out. “The trend in the first half of 2023 can be described as: inflationary consumption for high-priced items and deflationary consumption for low-priced items. Whether this will form a lasting trend remains to be seen in the next season.”

One thing is certain – consumers are more priceconscious than ever.

“While the demand for high-quality fruit remains unchanged, we can clearly feel that middletier consumers are more price-sensitive. They are especially likely to compare prices when purchasing common products,” says Huang.

Like many retailers, Pagoda observes the same trend and has been adjusting its product selection and business strategies accordingly.

“Consumers are pursuing higher cost-effectiveness. Therefore, along with our supplier partners and franchise stores, Pagoda is adjusting strategies in packaging specifications, pricing, and product selection to respond to this trend. Our dedication to high-quality fruit remains unchanged,” says Jiao.

RETAIL ‘COMPLEX’

Consumers flocked to online platforms in the past few years due to travel restrictions and health »

LEFT—Livestreaming and other online channels have become the new norm

BELOW—Yonghui continues to build its global sourcing capabilities

Huang believes ‘instant retail’, which integrates online and offline capabilities, will be a battleground for physical retailers in the future.

“Major supermarkets are currently competing for market share in instant retail. For City’super, we are increasing exclusive online offers to grow traffic, while also putting all product categories online to gain exposure,” she says.

Pagoda is currently active on several third-party online platforms. Its home delivery service sees great market potential for value-added fruit products.

premium fruit continues to improve, we have also embarked on a journey to develop in this area as well. Consumers crave better-tasting fruit, organic fruit and convenient freshcut products. Goodfarmer is well prepared to introduce many new products gradually, to satisfy new consumer demands.”

While consumer confidence remains low, the unique position fresh fruit products occupy allows the industry a positive outlook.

fears. Now, many are used to buying fresh produce online. Mou believes the rise of online channels will contribute to the overall growth of the fruit industry.

“More and more new e-commerce channels, such as Tiktok, Pinduoduo and community groupbuying platforms, are actively selling fruit products. The increase in distribution channels is a positive development for the China market’s overall fruit sales,” he says. “For some premium and standardised fruit products, online channels are becoming the preferred outlet.”

Online has also become an important space for consumers to learn about products.

“Chinese consumers have solidified their habit of online fruit shopping during the pandemic. They would consume product content online first before making a purchase. Sometimes the final purchase may even happen in physical stores,” says Jiao.

As a leading fruit distributor in China, Goodfarmer observes that some small retail formats, such as fruit shops and community convenience stores, have become substantial sales channels offline for premium fruit.

“These formats usually handle the presentation of fruit products well, and they have a sizeable demand for premium fruit. It makes them a crucial link in the wholesale distribution chain,” says Gao. “On the other hand, while some membership club formats perform well, many larger-format retailers still face challenges.”

In recent years, leading retailers like Yonghui, Pagoda and City’super have all invested heavily to grow their online presence.

“Yonghui’s retail business combines online and offline. Online consumption (of fruit) is an irreversible trend,” Mou says. “Many other peer retailers are also learning to adapt to this complex consumption era.”

“I believe the home delivery business will indeed bring us sales growth in the future. While whole fruit products remain the mainstream, small-sized or processed products like fresh-cut show great prospects,” notes Jiao.

POSITIVE OUTLOOK

Regardless of economic conditions and retail trends, the key to growing the fruit industry still lies in the products themselves, according to Gao.

“Goodfarmer group is increasing its investment in brand building. Products like Goodfarmer-branded bananas, coconuts, durian and melons are now widely available in the market, elevating our brand power to new heights,” he says. “As the quality of domestically produced

“In the short to mid-term, we remain very optimistic about the development of China's fresh fruit market. All the signs across the supply chain are showing us that the demand for fresh fruit is growing,” says Jiao. “Fruit is perhaps enjoying the ‘lipstick effect’ – in times of economic uncertainty, consumers are more willing to buy fruit, because it is good for their health, and can be shared with family. It can also serve as a substitute for luxury goods when gifting to others.”

Mou shares his optimism. “The Chinese consumer market is still as vast as ever, and the demand for high-quality fruit is always there,” he says. “Yonghui will continue to engage in demand-driven sourcing globally. We are highly optimistic about the market prospects for imported fruit, especially for premium fruit that is unique or counter-seasonal.” A

Hongjiu Fruit takes flight

Deng Hongjiu, Hongjiu Fruit founder and chairman, says 20 years of foundation-building has produced the “flywheel effect”, which allows the group to withstand market challenges and achieve continuous growth. Following its listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Hongjiu Fruit is looking forward to its first showcase at Asia Fruit Logistica this year.

by Yuxin Yang harbxin

Hongjiu Fruit became the "first Chinese fruit company to go public in Hong Kong'' last September. Now almost a year on, what has been the most significant change the listing has brought for the company?

Deng Hongjiu: By going public, the general public and the capital market now have a better understanding of our brands and our ideology. It has an endorsement effect which earned us more trust from our partners. We’ve also gained more opportunities to collaborate with local governments in China’s high-quality producing regions.

According to your official data, between 2019 and 2021, Hongjiu Fruit’s revenue grew by 69.48 per cent, 177.78 per cent, and 78.12 per cent year-on-year respectively. What were the main drivers of Hongjiu's sustained growth, especially against the backdrop of the pandemic and China’s economic downturn?

DH: The main reason we continue to grow is the “flywheel effect” that we achieved, thanks to our strong capabilities in product selection,

supply source management and end-to-end supply chain assurance.

In terms of product selection, production determining sales is common practice. This typically involves conducting geographical research to create products and build brands. However, our approach is different. We determine production with sales, by identifying consumer demand. If a particular product sells well, we then search globally for the highest quality production regions for that specific product.

In terms of sourcing, we have set up teams and facilities in production regions, to directly source from local orchards. By doing so we can secure the best supply.

In terms of supply chain, Hongjiu Fruit has six designated departments to manage all segments of the chain, from sourcing, processing and exporting from overseas, to importing to China and the subsequent wholesaling, distribution and sorting. We even developed a proprietary digital supply chain management system to manage the entire supply chain in an efficient manner.

Hongjiu is headquartered in Chongqing. It recently established the ASEAN Agricultural Produce Distribution and Trading Centre in the city this year. With the development of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative, what role do you think Chongqing will play in the future for the fresh produce trade in China?

DH: Chongqing is accelerating the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. The city positions itself as an “inland open highland”, and sees it as its mission to establish logistics channels between China and ASEAN, and to promote trade through the corridor.

As the largest distributor of South-East Asian fruit in China,

ABOVE—Deng Hongjiu, Hongjiu Fruit chairman OPPOSITE—Durian is one of Hongjiu Fruit’s core categories

Hongjiu Fruit will leverage its advantages in sourcing regions, and its nationwide digital endto-end sales network, to support the construction of the ASEAN Agricultural Produce Distribution and Trading Centre. From Chongqing to the entire nation, we will facilitate the digitalisation and brand development of China's fresh fruit industry.

Tropical fruit from South-East Asia, such as durian, is one of Hongjiu’s core businesses. Now that durian has become China’s biggest fruit import by value, how does Hongjiu maintain its competitiveness and continue to grow its durian business?

DH: Durian is called ‘the king of fruit’ due to its nutritional value. It is also ‘the king in sales’, because of its increasing sales volume in China and high unit prices; it has become a highly sought-after item by consumers. However, durian is also the "king of challenges" because it requires the collaboration of many parts of the supply chain, to bring the fruit from its origin in Thailand and Vietnam to the consumers' dining tables. Any slight mishap

can result in a significant decline in the quality of the entire container of durian.

Thanks to Hongjiu’s digitised end-to-end supply chain, we have established a grade-based freshness preservation process, ensuring strict quality control at every step. The entire cold chain process is monitored in real-time, from the origin to retail terminals.

All the above significantly shortens the middle section of the durian supply chain, allowing consumers to enjoy more delicious and affordable durian, fulfilling their desire for ‘the durian freedom’.

Other than durian, Hongjiu has also identified mangosteen, longan, dragon fruit, cherries, and grapes as ‘core categories’. Which do you think have the most growth potential in the short-term future?

DH: Avocados and seedless grapes. On top of the core categories, in recent years, adhering to our product selection principle: ‘premium region, premium quality, premium taste and premium products’, we have discovered many other quality products within China, such as Fengjie yellow

peaches, Xifeng kiwifruit from Guizhou, and Hainan mangoes and lychees. We launched proprietary brands for these products and promoted them with stylised visual designs and unique IP activities.

In the future, Hongjiu will continue our multi-category, multibrand strategy, and take a leading position in developing brands in China's fruit industry.

Developing exports of high-quality domestic fruit products to ASEAN countries is another of Hongjiu’s priorities in the short term. What progress have you made so far?

DH: Hongjiu signed a cooperation agreement with the Pujiang county government in Chengdu back in February. The agreement focuses on jointly building and operating a demonstration planting base for Pujiang’s specialty fruit and a ‘Hongjiu Industrial Operation Centre’, as well as developing Pujiang specialty fruit brands through deep collaboration.

The Hongjiu Industrial Operation Centre is scheduled to be completed in 2024. It will serve as a national sorting centre, an in-market warehouse for »

imported fruit, a fruit trading hub for south-west China, a smart system for specialty fruit, a food inspection and testing centre, and an agricultural talent training base. Once in operation, it will become a crucial engine for the high-quality development of the entire industry supply chain for specialty fruit in the south-west.

Babagan (Harumi mandarin) is one of Pujiang’s speciality fruits, and a key product in Pujiang’s ‘two-replacements’ project (organic fertilisers replacing chemical fertilisers, and biological control

replacing chemical control). With the establishment of the operation centre, we believe that Babagan’s brand power will strengthen, and expand its presence beyond domestic borders, and become more widely recognised and appreciated.

Hongjiu Fruit is exhibiting at Asia Fruit Logistica this year for the first time, and has been announced as the show’s first-ever ‘Official Fresh Produce Partner’. What will this appearance mean to you?

DH: Our debut as an exhibitor (at

RIGHT—Hongjiu Fruit has established packing facilities in key supplying countries BELOW—Deng Hongjiu says the company will continue to invest in producing regions

Asia Fruit Logistica) marks our first comprehensive public showcase as a Hong Kong-listed company. So we are honoured to be taking part as the show’s first-ever Official Fresh Produce Partner.

For us and many others in the global fresh fruit and vegetable business, Asia Fruit Logistica is an essential platform. It’s the place where we can engage in in-depth communication and cooperation with global suppliers, customers, and industry peers.

We’re looking forward to presenting Hongjiu Fruit’s capabilities as an international fruit company. We’ll showcase who we are, including our brand values and visuals, our business model and corporate culture. We also hope to share Hongjiu Fruit's experiences and ideas with the entire industry and society at this annual event, and work together for win-win cooperation. A

Jiaxing Yuehao focuses on creating value

Zhang Yuehao, Jiaxing Yuehao chairman, believes the company’s pragmatic approach is key to its rapid growth.

In the space of just a few years, Jiaxing Yuehao has become a leading wholesaler of imported fruit in the Jiaxing Haiguangxing Premium Fruit Market. What is the scale of your business today?

Zhang Yuehao: Jiaxing Yuehao is a fruit importer and exporter headquartered in the Jiaxing fruit market. We have multiple wholesale stalls in the market, employing a sales team of more than 100 people. Yuehao not only trades Western products (fruit from Western countries), for which we are well known, but also premium domestically grown fruit from China and tropical fruit from SouthEast Asia. We’re a real one-stop shop.

Yuehao’s annual sales revenue has surpassed the Rmb800m-1,000m (US$111m-139m) threshold, and continues to grow exponentially year-on-year. Cherries, blueberries, citrus, grapes and stonefruit are our core products. Sales are our strong suit, and we have a sales team of 100 people in Jiaxing.

Jiaxing Yuehao has also expanded into the retail business. Can you tell us more about that?

ZY: Yuehao currently owns 36 fruit retail stores across the Yangtze River Delta region. Each store covers over 200m2, and is equipped with cold storage to ensure the freshness of fruit and reduce

waste. These stores provide a sustainable and stable cash flow for the company. The retail stores are an important pillar of Yuehao's wholesale business. We plan to expand to 100 stores nationwide within five years, and also establish a comprehensive presence in second- and third-tier wholesale markets across China.

Online marketing and live-stream sales have emerged as a key growth drivers, particularly in the midst of the pandemic years. What progress has Yuehao made in this domain?

ZY: Yuehao established an e-commerce department last year to expand its online sales business. Within a year, our TikTok account gained nearly 100,000 followers, with annual sales of Rmb60m (US$8.32m), which continues to grow. Additionally, our TikTok department is training more livestreaming hosts to create influence in different regions and attract more consumers.

China’s economy has been slow to recover since the lifting of Covid restrictions. How will you continue to bring growth for international suppliers and create more value?

ZY: One of our philosophies at Yuehao is to “satisfy upstream customers’ needs, and generate more income for downstream customers". This is a down-to-earth expression in Chinese, but it genuinely reflects our attitude towards our suppliers, because that's exactly what we do. That's why, during and after the pandemic, more and more suppliers have deepened their cooperation with us. Since its establishment, Yuehao has been aggressively developing its distribution channels. We have gained insights into the most suitable products for each channel. Combining that with the excellence of our 100-person sales team in the wholesale market, we can sell products at a higher value.

ABOVE—Zhang Yuehao, Jiaxing Yuehao chairman

“One of our philosophies is to satisfy customers’ needs, and generate more income for downstream customers”

China beckons for Spanish persimmon producers

The growing popularity of Spanish Rojo Brillante persimmon in South-East Asia augurs well for producers celebrating the recent opening of the China market.

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

Persimmon has become the latest Spanish fruit to secure access to the China market. The news was announced during a visit by Spanish premier Pedro Sánchez to Beijing last March, during which agreement was also reached for the export of Spanish almonds to China.

Juan Carlos Martinez, chief executive of The Natural Hand, says the opening creates a significant opportunity for the sector. As the world’s leading persimmon producer, China has a long tradition of consuming this fruit and Rojo Brillante – Spain’s main export variety – is already in high demand in markets like Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.

“China is a very difficult market, firstly because of the level of

quality it requires, and secondly due to the long transit times involved. We will have to work hard to do things right from the outset, but if they are, we believe China has the potential to absorb high volumes and could be a very promising market in the long term,” he says.

The opening of the China market marks the culmination of several years of work by the Spanish government, the main marketing organisations and leading exporters of this fruit.

Rafael Perucho, manager of the Regulatory Council of the Kaki Ribera del Xúquer PDO, believes China could provide an important outlet for the sector, which was hit hard by the closure of the Russian market in 2014. “Chinese buyers

have already had the chance to familiarise themselves with Rojo Brillante at trade events in Asia and we’re confident it will be very well received by consumers,” he says.

While the long-term outlook for exporters is bright, it is unlikely that they will be able to make much headway in the coming season, not least because the details of the protocol have yet to be finalised. “We assume it will require the inspection and registration of farms, and subjecting fruit to cold treatment during transit,” says Ignacio Juárez of Anecoop, one of Spain’s leading persimmon exporters. He points out that the cultivation of persimmons has become increasingly complex in Spain over recent years due to the appearance of unforeseen pests like cotonet, which has also wreaked havoc in citrus. “We’re still in the initial phase of developing biological defence strategies to deal with these pests. I think it’s safe to assume that we won’t see many farms registered during this first year,” Juárez says.

Perucho notes that while cold treatment is unlikely to affect fruit quality, there is a big question mark over how well persimmons will withstand the prolonged shipping time. “Their shelf-life is not as long as that of other products, so we will have to see how we are able to maintain quality levels. We are talking about much longer journeys than we are used to. Most of our persimmon is sold in Europe, although we also ship to markets like the US,” he says.

Martínez is not phased by the challenge – indeed as a company that specialises in supplying long-distance markets, he’s confident that The Natural Hand will find a workable solution. “We have been preparing for this moment for many years and we know that we can do it,” he says. A

ABOVE LEFT—Juan Carlos Martínez, centre, at last year’s Asia Fruit Logistica ABOVE—Spain’s main export variety is Rojo Brillante

Joyvio Durian - a top durian brand leading China’s durian market

LEFT—Joyvio Durian sets the standard for premium durian, providing consumers with superior quality

OPPOSITE TOP—A participant in TV show Extreme Challenge gives the thumbs up to Joyvio Durian

OPPOSITE BELOW—Joyvio Durian continues to expand durian product lines to satisfy diverse consumer demands

show China imported around 787,000 tonnes of durian from January to June in 2023, up about 57 per cent year-on-year. This is the largest total in the past five years and far surpasses 2019 (pre-Covid) levels.

JWM – one of the largest durian importers and distributors in China – has been at the forefront of developing the durian value chain, bringing premium South-East Asian durian to the Chinese market. It imported durian from Thailand and created Joyvio Durian, a high-end durian brand popular among consumers.

JOYVIO CRACKS THE MYSTERY BOX FOR DURIAN AND MAKES CONSISTENT QUALITY POSSIBLE

As demand for durian has surged, the “durian mystery box” concept has also gone viral on social media. Consumers shared their experiences of opening durian, some full of flesh but some only with little. Opening a durian has always been like opening a mystery box: you never know the quality before you open it and can only count on your luck.

To tackle this pain point, Joyvio Durian took the lead and set up a standard for quality durian. With a core brand positioning of “Joyvio

for Quality

JWM (Joy Wing Mau), created its high-end durian brand – Joyvio Durian – following thorough research into the durian market. With top productivity, channels and brand, JWM has established a mature value chain for durian products and a soughtafter high-end premium durian brand, setting a benchmark for quality and branding in China’s durian market.

JOYVIO DURIAN TAKES OFF WITH THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF THE DURIAN CONSUMPTION MARKET

According to Xinhua News Agency, durian has been China’s number one fruit in terms of annual import volume since 2019. Statistics from China Customs Administration

Durian”, Joyvio conducts strict quality control along the whole value chain, from origin to processing to transportation.

To ensure durian quality, Joyvio Durian builds long-term cooperation with top orchards in SouthEast Asia. In Thailand, Joyvio Durian partners with orchards that own ten-to-20-year-old durian trees and have achieved GAP (Good Agriculture Practice) certification. More than 90 per cent of Joyvio durian comes from these orchards.

While cooperating with premium durian orchards, Joyvio Durian has also built an expert durian team with up to ten years of experience. It continues to

upgrade its core technologies with after-ripening technology, flash freezing with liquid nitrogen, and cold chain transportation technology.

Drawing on its advanced afterripening technology, Joyvio Durian can ensure quality by dynamically monitoring and adjusting moisture throughout transportation based on weather conditions, ripeness and other factors.

Additionally, Joyvio Durian can also control the durian’s ripeness, sweetness, and taste in the afterripening stage based on consumer preferences to meet diverse demands in different regions.

By leveraging flash freezing with liquid nitrogen to preserve freshness and cold chain transportation under -18 °C, Joyvio Durian has developed a variety of frozen durian products, including completely frozen pieces and frozen peeled flesh, offering more choices for durian consumption.

Besides technical measures to maintain durian quality, Joyvio Durian also strives for consistent quality by enhancing distribution. By continuously boosting its channels, such as adding new direct flights between Thailand and Nansha port in Guangzhou, Joyvio Durian provides its distributors with diverse choices in logistics.

Joyvio Durian has also added nearly 20 new fruit wholesale markets to its distribution network, expanding its strategic landscape in East China and North China,

enabling the brand to quickly access fruit wholesale markets, supermarkets, fruit stores, and leading e-commerce platforms nationwide. In the first half of 2023, Joyvio Durian delivered over 10,000 tonnes of durian to consumers through its transportation network that covers more than 300 cities across China.

INNOVATIVE BRAND MARKETING

As durian has gained popularity, consumers have become more demanding on durian quality and customer experience. Joyvio Durian has used innovative marketing to advocate its core positioning of “Joyvio for Top Quality Durian” while reaching consumers in a fun manner and deepening their awareness and impression of Joyvio as a topquality durian brand.

In 2018, the slogan of “Joyvio for Top Quality Durian” was announced. With an advertisement on the Guangzhou Tower, Joyvio made a solemn commitment to consumers on “Joyvio for Top Quality Durian”.

To reinforce its image as a top quality durian brand, Joyvio Durian became the official supplier of China Women’s National Volleyball Team in 2020. The team’s coach Lang Ping and her daughter Bai Lang were invited to film a promotional video, interpreting the brand voice of “Live up to dream and strive for the best”.

Joyvio Durian also worked with Chen Xiaoqing, a famous food documentary director, for a gourmet event in an effort to build the brand’s premium quality image. In 2022, Joyvio became a partner fruit brand for China’s aerospace industry and released a TVC demonstrating the brand’s “top quality, top flesh, and top taste”.

To convey the message of “Joyvio for Top Quality Durian” to more consumers, Joyvio Durian blazed the path of cooperation between the fruit industry and the entertainment business by joining hands with China’s aerospace industry and a popular variety show called Extreme Challenge. As the show was well received, several brand marketing topics such as ‘fruit that tastes like heaven’ attracted tens of millions of participants.

Under the slogan of “Joyvio for Top Quality Durian”, Joyvio Durian also actively interacted with over 5.5m fans across Joyvio’s online platforms by collaborating with popular live-streamers, working with KOLs, and launching campaigns. Therefore, more potential consumers were attracted in a fun manner.

On the e-commerce platform Jingdong, Joyvio Durian consistently ranks as a top-three durian brand. On the Little Red Book (Chinese version of Instagram), Joyvio Durian stays at the top of the durian category in terms of discussion, topic, and popularity.

Through the long-term marketing of “Joyvio for Top Quality Durian”, Joyvio Durian enjoys great exposure with its “Top Durian” quality recognised by more consumers and its brand influence is continuously enhanced. Joyvio Durian, with its slogan of “Joyvio for Top Quality Durian”, is becoming the first choice for more durian consumers.

Durian, a popular fruit, enjoys a unique charm and a steadily growing number of consumers as there is still vast market demand in China for durian. In the future, Joyvio Durian is committed to bringing more premium durian to Chinese consumers by meeting consumer demand and working with more premium durian growers.

By satisfying consumers’ diverse demands through the expansion of product lines and the creation of new consumption scenarios, Joyvio Durian is set to become China’s high-end durian brand that leads the development of China’s durian market.

India breakthrough for US apples

India’s removal of a 20 per cent retaliatory tariff on US apples comes just in time for the start of the new-season campaign.

by John Hey @johnfruitnet

India will lift a 20 per cent supplementary tariff on US apple imports before the end of September, the US House of Representatives announced on 22 June.

The news came as a major breakthrough for US apple shippers. The tariff, imposed in 2019 in retaliation for US Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium, has had a devastating impact on the industry’s exports to India over the past five years.

The supplementary duty ramped up the total tariff on US apples to 70 per cent versus 50 per cent for all competing supply origins.

Once Washington State’s second-largest export market, shipments to India plummeted from around 8m (18kg) cartons worth US$120m in 2017/2018 to just

55,000 cartons worth US$760,000 in the 2022/23 season, according to industry data.

“EQUAL FOOTING”

President of the Washington Apple Commission Todd Fryhover hailed the announcement as “a big win for trade policy and for Washington apple growers”, noting that it put the

industry back on “an equal footing” with competitors in the Indian market.

“The Washington apple industry has worked hard to develop the Indian market for our world-class apples, and this will help us to regain our lost market position,” said Fryhover in late June. “Implementation is 90 days out, which aligns perfectly with the beginning of our 2023 apple crop.”

Since the tariff was imposed in 2019, Turkey, Iran and key EU apple exporting countries have become the dominant suppliers of imported apples to India during the Northern Hemisphere season.

Washington State growers saw their market share drop from 53 per cent in 2017/18 to less than 1 per cent this season, according to the Washington Apple Commission, a loss it put at roughly US$175m.

Indeed, Fryhover was under no illusions about the task ahead to rebuild market share. “The road to market share recovery will be long and challenging, but we’re ready for the challenge ahead with new and innovative promotional programmes,” he told Asiafruit

WINNING DEAL ANNOUNCED AT WHITE HOUSE

US President Joe Biden announced the tariff removal during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second state visit to the White House in June.

US Apple Association president Jim Bair, who was at the White House to welcome Modi with colleagues Chris Gerlach and Dianne Kurrle, also hailed the news.

“US Apple Association has advocated for this for five years, including a meeting of our board of directors with White House officials in March,” said Bair.

“The apple industry applauds President Biden, US Trade

“The road to market share recovery will be long and challenging, but we’re ready for the challenge ahead”

Representative Katherine Tai and Chief Agricultural Trade Negotiator Doug McKalip for this huge victory.

“US apple growers stand ready and able to once again ship great apples to an important trading partner.”

In a media release, Washington Apple Commission (WAC) also hailed Washington State senator Maria Cantwell for her “instrumental role” in achieving the removal of the tariffs.

“Back in February, senator Cantwell visited Prime Minister Modi, along with other US Congressional delegation, in India, touching on trade issues and highlighting the effects the tariffs have had on Washington growers,” WAC said.

“Cantwell joined senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) in Wenatchee, Washington in early June for a forum to discuss the Farm Bill and trade with nearly 30 Washington

State agricultural leaders. She also fronted the letter to the Biden administration, standing up for apple growers, and asking President Biden to help re-open the Indian market.”

The removal of the tariff on apples was part of a bilateral agreement to resolve six WTO disputes. India has also agreed to lift retaliatory tariffs on other key US agricultural imports, including almonds and walnuts. A

Rockit signs Lulu deal in Middle East

New Zealand-based apple brand Rockit Global has championed the first memorandum of understanding (MOU) in its category, signing a 12-month deal with Lulu Hypermarkets across the Middle East.

The partnership agreement – dubbed the Rockit Apple Partnership Programme (RAPP) – determines the relationship and intention between both parties to grow the Middle Eastern market for Rockit and Lulu Hypermarkets. Rockit market manager for the Middle East, Ziad El Chawa, says Rockit ”couldn’t be prouder” to be collaborating with Lulu Hypermarkets to ”make a huge impact in-store and online to drive Rockit sales”.

“The RAPP will enable us to share information and ideas to create strong localised campaigns together, driven by local insights,” says El Chawa.

”This will see more large format displays in-store, along with strong consumer-led omnichannel campaigns and engaging promotions that disrupt the category and introduce Rockit to millions more consumers.”

Global business development manager Charley Grant says Rockit is looking to sign RAPP agreements with a select few retailers spanning multiple markets to help drive an increase in sales of up to 50 per cent year-on-year.

OPPOSITE—WAC president Todd Fryhover (pictured right with Lindsey Huber) hailed the tariff removal as “a big win”

ABOVE & RIGHT— Washington apple shippers are seeking to claw back market share in India now they can compete on an “equal footing”

“The RAPP agreement will allow us to span over multiple countries with the same retailer, providing these retail partners access to unique and exclusive activations and insights to help drive Rockit sales,” says Grant.

Jazz and Envy brands joined by Joli

Latest addition to T&G’s premium apple portfolio will be trialled in New Zealand over the next three years, and extended to other countries as availability grows.

by Liam O’Callaghan @liamfruitnet

T&G Global has launched Joli, a new global premium apple variety, which joins the company’s established portfolio of Envy and Jazz apple brands.

Joli, which consumers will be able to enjoy from 2028 onwards, was developed in New Zealand over the past ten years. Its breeders describe it as a productive, large, full-flavoured, bright-red and juicy apple.

T&G Global chief executive, Gareth Edgecombe, says Joli harnesses New Zealand’s great intellectual property, and suggests its addition to the company’s premium apple portfolio will help build a stronger horticulture sector.

“New Zealand has an enviable global reputation for innovating, developing and sourcing the world’s best plant genetics and growing world-class premium apples, and T&G’s growth strategy is focused on utilising this to create value for our growers, regional communities and economy,” he comments.

“This is critical in order to succeed in what is a highly fragmented and commoditised global apple market. The launch of Joli builds off the success of T&G’s premium Envy and Jazz brands, perfectly complementing them by appealing to a different group of global consumers.”

Edgecombe adds that Joli would appeal to consumers and growers around the globe. “Joli is an outstanding apple with fantastic attributes. It’s a bright, shiny, large red apple, with a full-flavoured balanced sweetness, which bursts with juiciness. Joli’s size and taste profile make it a perfect everyday premium apple for sharing occasions.”

For growers, Joli is said to offer strong attributes, including high yields and an ability to grow throughout New Zealand. “Furthermore, Joli’s harvest profile balances our premium Jazz and Envy brands, harvesting in mid- to late-March,” Edgecombe explains.

Joli is the latest variety to roll off the production line at VentureFruit, T&G’s IP management and commercialisation business, which has worked closely with innovation company Prevar and Plant & Food Research, whose world-renowned apple breeding programme aims to deliver new varieties that meet future market demand.

In February, VentureFruit unveiled Tutti, a new climate-resistant variety that was the first branded fruit to be released from the Hot Climate Programme, a collaboration between scientists located in New Zealand and Spain.

T&G is the global exclusive license holder for growing, marketing and selling Joli, and plans to plant 27ha on its own orchards over the next three years.

The company is also seeking expressions of interest from independent growers across New Zealand to be part of the commercial growing pilot. Over the next five to six years, as additional trees become available, T&G will extend the opportunity to apple growers in other countries. A

LEFT—Joli is a large, high-yielding apple variety with global consumer appeal

Captivating marketing collaborations elevate Envy campaign

T&G Global engages in eye-catching partnerships across Asia to drive brand awareness for Envy apples.

by Liam O’Callaghan @liamfruitnet

Asia is one of the key global growth regions for T&G Global’s Envy apple brand, and the company plans to roll out a number of innovative marketing programmes this year in an effort to inspire consumers.

Head of marketing Rebecca Chapman says T&G has extended its presence to further markets, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Cambodia, through both its export teams, and network of distributors and agents.

T&G also has in-market teams located in China, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and Japan that work to provide even closer links with

customers, and seek to develop an in-depth understanding of consumer needs in each market.

Collaborations can serve as another useful tool to elevate brand awareness, and Chapman reveals that T&G has been creative with some of its partnerships this year.

“One of our unique marketing programmes for Envy in China is a collaboration with The Van Gogh Heritage Foundation, where four of Van Gogh’s famous flowers masterpieces are featured on limited-edition giftboxes, gifts with purchase and in-store displays,” Chapman explains. “In Vietnam, the Envy roadshow convoy is out

on the streets of Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, led by an Envy-branded VW beetle driven by our Envy brand ambassador, followed by the Envy sampling crew on scooters handing out Envy apples and visiting key supermarkets and shopping centres where impactful Envy displays, brand ambassador special appearances, and Envy prize giveaways are creating a buzz in-store,” she continues.

“This is in addition to our full marketing programmes across Asia, with an out-of-home advertising campaign that includes buses, metro and large format digital advertising,” adds Chapman. "Local brand ambassadors creating recipes with Envy apples and posting on social media platforms continue to drive brand awareness and reach consumers.” A

BELOW—A sampling team riding on scooters will hand out Envy apples on the streets of two key cities in Vietnam

Mr Apple maintains hunger for New Zealand apples

Effectively engaging consumers helps New Zealand apple exporter weather a challenging season and fuel demand for future production growth.

by Liam O’Callaghan @liamfruitnet

RETAIL MANAGEMENT

Mr Apple is working closely with its key retail partners across a range of export markets to develop attractive branded fruit offerings for consumers that will help to cultivate demand for growing volumes of fruit.

The appetite for Mr Apple’s premium proprietary apple varieties across Asia has not dulled in the face of a reduced crop, and the New Zealand exporter is ready to feed this hunger with more fruit going forward.

Chief executive Andrew Van Workum says when Cyclone Gabriel hit Hawke’s Bay in February 2023 it initially reduced Mr Apple’s crop by about 20 per cent.

Although volume was down, Mr Apple’s commitment to quality ensured only the best fruit was shipped, and as the clean-up continues Van Workum is confident of a return to form next year.

“Our teams have worked hard on the clean-up and we’re pleased to say that we’ve managed to restore the majority of our impacted orchards, and we’re optimistic about the 2024 harvest,” says Van Workum.

“It’s clear that the weather patterns are changing slightly, but our focus on agility and adaptability means that we have the expertise and technology to adapt,” Van Workum continues. “Our superior screening and quality control mean that the fruit we pack meets our high standards.”

Global sales and marketing manager Ben McLeod says Mr Apple expects growth across a number of proprietary varieties.

“2024 will see an increase in volume of Dazzle, which has been very successful and has sold out early in the season this year,” confirms McLeod. “We’re also excited to be offering more Posy in 2024 which is our early season apple that is delicate and delicious.”

Jo Turner, marketing manager of Mr Apple, says the need to the need to create value in the eyes of the consumer through brand and premium varieties is increasingly important in today’s retail environments.

“By working collaboratively, the Mr Apple team has been able to grow sales of premium apple varieties with partners in China and Vietnam,” Turner notes.

“We’ve been able to increase consumer pull and engagement through the right mix of digital, POSM, packaging and in-store experience. These aren’t new tools but getting the right mix and the right message makes a big difference to the results.” A

ABOVE—A mix of marketing tools are being used to grow sales LEFT—Celebrating the start of the Dazzle season in Hanoi, Vietnam

GBF reports strong demand for Cherish

New Zealand apple marketer says consumers across Asia are attracted to the variety’s candy-pink colour and “tropical flavour notes”.

by John Hey

@johnfruitnet

New Zealand growerpacker-marketer Golden Bay Fruit (GBF) is finetuning its marketing for Cherish apples to highlight the key attributes driving growing demand for the variety across Asia.

The branded Cherish variety was launched in 2018, with GBF sending 100,000 pieces of fruit to selected Asian markets. Volumes have grown to 70 containers in the space of five years, according to a media release from the company, which reported strong demand across a range of markets, particularly China and Vietnam.

GBF is supporting retailers with marketing and promotional activities, and the company says it has refined its key messaging for

BELOW—

Cherish based on sales insights and commentary.

“The factor that differentiates Cherish is the candy-pink hue and tropical flavour notes,” explains marketing director Eleni Hogg. “So we wanted to play up those elements in the brand storytelling and also bring the Cherish name and ‘feel the love’ tagline to life with cute romantic graphics and supporting video.

“These assets have been localised and rolled out across key Asia markets in point-of-sale, online retail and gift-with-purchase materials.”

Cherish has been particularly well received in China, according to GBF, with consumers reportedly attracted to the variety’s pink hue and sweet flavour. Premium retailer Hema Fresh has also begun stocking the apple. “This is a real testament to the quality our New Zealand team has achieved with Cherish and the unique attributes of the brand,” says GBF’s Asia commercial manager, Wendy Cai.

Meanwhile, in Vietnam, Cherish was featured at the recent Made with Care showcase supported by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. The brand is available at several premium retailers in Vietnam, according to GBF, supported by regular in-store tastings and gift-with-purchase and display promotions.

“We’re delighted to see Cherish succeed in-market,” says GBF’s managing director Heath Wilkins. “This is one of the harder varieties to grow, it has taken hard work at an orchard and packhouse level to make sure Cherish arrives in prime condition. In the last couple of years this work has paid off and we’re seeing customers come back for more.”

Wilkins says Cherish production from existing plantings will peak at 100 containers, but he adds that GBF is continuing with its planting programme to ensure the company can meet future demand. A

ABOVE—Cherish featured at a recent Made with Care showcase in Vietnam supported by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise

Photo: NZTE Vietnam

The variety stands out for its candy-pink colour, which is attracting consumers in Asia

Truly South African Gala makes waves

South Africa-bred variety Bigbucks and its Flash Gala brand are changing the apple sector in South Africa.

by Fred Meintjes

Game-changing varieties are not often found in the apple and pear category but Bigbucks – branded as Flash Gala – is on track to achieve just that for South Africa.

Flash Gala was first discovered in a Corder Gala orchard at the iconic Elgin apple estate, Oak Valley, by industry personality Buks Nel. Along with other Gala types already long planted and exported from South Africa, it has helped to propel the Gala category to the top of the country’s apple industry.

Flash Gala is marketed as a distinct Gala offering because of its unique quality of colour and taste. Once again this year it has garnered great reviews following promotional campaigns for South African apples and pears in China and India.

Sachin Khurana, South Africa’s apple and pear industry representative in India, says interest has been strong.

“Several buyers have highlighted the quality, which is a good sign,” comments Khurana. “Our reception in March for the Indian trade was very successful, and we got a lot of interest from the attendees. We now see a very strong demand for our product from all sectors.”

At the South African home of the variety, Anthony Rawbone-Viljoen of Oak Valley Estates – one of the holders of the Plant Breeders Rights (PBR) to Bigbucks and Flash Gala – reveals that India represents a market of particular interest because Flash Gala has received widespread attention from both local growers and marketers.

“We continue to promote the Flash Gala brand in the markets of the world using fruit grown in, and exported from, South Africa,” explains Rawbone-Viljoen. “The commercialisation of the variety is done under the authority of ABCz Nursery in Belgium, who are the master licensees worldwide. In sub-Saharan Africa the company Pink Vein manages the process.”

The emergence and dramatic growth in plantings of Flash Gala marks a historic milestone for the South African industry. For the first time, traditional offerings in the red apple category and Golden Delicious have been overtaken in terms of total apple production.

Viljoen says Bigbucks is in the process of being established in the European Union, the US – where Plant Patent Rights have been granted – and in Australia. Plant breeders rights for the variety are pending in Chile, China, India and New Zealand.

Rawbone-Viljoen claims Bigbucks is the ideal fit for the Indian market. “The proven ability of Bigbucks to develop exceptional colour in warmer areas should create an opportunity for the expansion of the variety in India where the consumer preferences are for red and sweet apples, making Flash Gala the perfect fit,” points out Rawbone-Viljoen.

Although Bigbucks and the Flash Gala brand are making waves, and plantings in South Africa have progressed rapidly, it is likely that plantings will slow down somewhat during tough economic times. As a category, however, the variety has helped Gala to take centre stage in South Africa. A

ABOVE—Breeding rights are pending in Asia and New Zealand

BELOW—Buks Nel, who discovered the variety at Oak Valley

Soluna builds brand from Bravo roots

Revised promotional campaign rolled out in export markets has communicated the brand change ahead of new-season arrivals this year.

by Gill McShane

Markets throughout Asia and the Middle East have welcomed arrivals of the Australia-bred, burgundyskinned apple variety ANABP 01 under the Soluna brand for the first time this season, following the transition from its original Bravo trademark as announced last November at Asia Fruit Logistica. Marketing programmes in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia,

Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines and the Middle East have undergone a transformation to showcase the Soluna brand via digital marketing, TV segments, commercials, in-store sampling, and point-of-sale activities. These are complemented by workshops with store managers, competitions, and other initiatives.

This year marks the seventh commercial season for the variety

which was developed by renowned Western Australiabased breeder John Cripps, who also bred Cripps Pink (Pink Lady). As the Australian crop has grown this season, marketers have worked with international export markets to support the brand change.

“Starting the additional work when the brand was launched in November has meant that the pre-work with each market was done prior to the fruit being exported,” explains Rebecca Blackman, executive manager of WA Farm Direct, which manages the marketing of Australia-grown Soluna together with Australian licence holder Fruit West.

Blackman says a diverse range of consumers are attracted to Soluna apples, so called for their dark skin and creamy, crisp white flesh. “From kids’ lunches to elegant fruit platters, Soluna’s explosive balance of sweet and tangy [flavours], healthy flavonoids and super slow oxidisation (it is slow to turn brown) elevates every experience,” she comments. “Bite into a Soluna and taste what we mean by stunning with substance.” A

TOP LEFT—The new brand name embodies the moon and sun

TOP RIGHT—Sean Engelbrecht of WA Farm Fresh (right) preparing Soluna apple recipes with a chef in Thailand

ABOVE RIGHT—The dark-skinned and creamy, crisp whitefleshed apple is said to appeal to many consumers

APAL awards recognise industry excellence

WA Farm Direct’s Jenny Mercer won Marketer of the Year, Ann Lyster received the Women in Horticulture Award, and Murray Collins took home Grower of the Year.

by Liam O’Callaghan @liamfruitnet

The 2023 APAL Awards for Excellence, held in Melbourne, Australia, on 1 June, acknowledged some of the Australian apple and pear industry’s greatest contributors and achievements.

Among the list of winners was Jenny Mercer, managing director of

WA Farm Direct, who received the APAL Marketer of the Year Award; Ann Lyster, Fruit West Cooperative chair and Lyster Orchards’ director, who received the APAL Women in Horticulture Award; and Murray Collins of Collins Bros Orchards, who received the APAL Grower of the Year Award.

The APAL Marketer of the Year award was handed out in recognition of Mercer’s expertise and dedication in driving the Bravo and Soluna apple marketing campaigns which increased brand visibility, and effectively communicated the unique qualities of Australian apples. Her approach contributed to expanding the market reach of Bravo and Soluna apples, and elevated the reputation of WA Farm Direct as a leading player in the horticulture industry.

Speaking at the awards, Mercer said her collaborative approach fostered strong relationships with her team at WA Farm Direct, industry partners, retailers, and growers; further strengthening the position of Australian apples in the domestic and international markets.

“I am deeply honoured to receive the APAL Marketer of the Year award,” commented Mercer on receiving the accolade. “This recognition is a reflection of the collective effort of our team at WA Farm Direct, and the support of our ANABP 01 growers. It is a privilege to work with such a remarkable team that is dedicated to delivering exceptional Australian apples to consumers across the globe.” A

All eyes on Europe

With Northern Hemisphere apple stocks already depleted and lower volumes coming from the South, French and European growers are excited for the start of the season, says Marc Peyres of France’s Blue Whale.

by Tom Joyce @tomfruitnet

Marc Peyres, commercial director at French exporter Blue Whale, describes the country’s new apple crop as “probably the best of the last five years”. Considering last year’s woes, with record-breaking summer temperatures doing most of the damage, it is no surprise that Peyres admits to being excited for the commencement of a fresh campaign.

“Spring has been quite favourable,” he says. “In the biggest apple growing area, which is the southwest of France, the crop will be very big. The conditions so far have been quite good in terms

of temperature and water so the fruit is larger than expected. In the southwest of France, we are expecting maybe even a record crop.”

With apple stocks across the world largely depleted, partly a result of quality issues brought about by the European heat wave, there may never be a better time for French growers.

“There are no Northern Hemisphere stocks left,” says Peyres. “At the same time, the 2023 Southern Hemisphere crop has not been good, so the volumes coming from the Southern Hemisphere are less than usual. So stocks are very

low all over the world and every market is waiting on the start of the new European season. We are quite excited to get started.”

According to Peyres, much will depend on the volumes produced across the various European countries, as well as the US and India. “We have the feeling now that the European crop will not be as big as last year,” he says. “We had a spring with a lot of storm and hail, so production that is not well protected could have some issues. Poland is not expecting a large crop after last year’s big one. So we are thinking that next year the balance between supply and demand could be quite favourable for the growers.”

This year, Blue Whale plans to double its volumes of its Candine variety, which has proven successful in Asian markets including Vietnam, China, Singapore and Thailand, as well as in South and Central America. “We've been very pleased with the success of our Candine in many countries,” says Peyres. “There is huge potential in terms of volume. Candine is already being produced in Italy, Spain, Portugal and France, and it will soon start in the Southern Hemisphere. The variety also offers some disease resistance, which is very important for the future because we have to think about producing varieties differently from the past.

“We should pack around 400,000 boxes this year. People love the taste. They love Candine, because it is sweet, juicy, and has more flavour than any other sweet apple at the moment. In the last few years Candine is probably the most exciting one in terms of returns and taste.” A

LEFT—Blue Whale’s Marc Peyres presents Candine

By choosing Blue Whale fruit, you are recognising 50 years of experience within the fruit industry and supporting our French growers.

Our quality produce is the result of continuous improvements honoring our commitment to the environment and sustainable farming practices hand in hand with modern technology and continuous development.

While you eat our fruit you combine this with choosing a healthy and nutritious snack.

Blue Whale SAS

Market ripe for Belgian Conference

With no stocks of Conference remaining due to last summer’s heat, Belgian pear producers are cautiously confident ahead of the start of the new season.

by Tom Joyce @tomfruitnet

The impact of last summer’s record heat in Europe continues to be felt in the world of pears, but this time to the benefit of growers. Stocks of last year’s heat-affected crop had all gone a whole month before harvesting was due to start on the new crop. Meanwhile, Southern Hemisphere volumes are mercifully low, giving European growers hope that the new season might bring improved prices.

“The end of the last season was beyond anything we’d seen before,” says Tony Derwael, CEO of Belgian exporter Bel’Export, “with demand

so high for small fruit sizes, and pears under 55mm selling at over €1.”

Marc Evrard of Belgian Fruit Valley says it’s encouraging to see the market uninhibited by higher prices for Conference pears.

“Appreciation of the Conference is growing all over Europe, but also outside,” he says. “We still need to maintain our efforts as far as marketing and promotions are concerned. That’s something we’ll be focusing on.”

Evrard says he expects the Belgian Conference crop to be larger than last year’s by 10-25 per cent, depending on the region. “It’s

still early days,” he says, “but the trend we’re seeing in pear production is clear, with southern Europe losing out to Belgium and Holland, who manage to have a consistently high quality crop grown in a sustainable way and averaging rather good yields year after year. Of course we’re all facing issues with the climate in Europe, but the way these weather conditions are manifesting themselves in southern Europe is a bit more severe than we’re seeing in Belgium and Holland.”

“As far as pear production in Europe is concerned, if we look at profitability, quality, reliability and consistency, Belgium, together with the southern parts of Holland, is increasingly becoming the benchmark for exports outside of Europe as well as internally in Europe.”

In Asia, China is the main market for Belgian Conference pears. This autumn, Flanders Agricultural Marketing Board (VLAM) will launch its ‘Taste of Europe China’ campaign to promote the pear to Chinese consumers both offline and online.

Belgian Fruit Valley also sends smaller volumes to Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam, according to Evrard. “We’re planning our next promotion in India for the coming season with major retailers there,” he adds. “We had hoped to expand even more over the last few years, but because of the Covid-related fallout, we mainly consolidated in our existing markets. This wasn’t so bad considering the lockdowns, closure of shops, transport issues, lack of tasting opportunities or face to face meetings. Even online sales were an issue as those doing the deliveries were also in lockdown. So there were quite substantial challenges.” A

LEFT—Conference pear growers in Belgium are hopeful for improved prices

Vog making steady progress in Asia

The rise of new varieties such as RedPop and Giga is boosting the Italian apple consortium’s efforts to grow its presence in the region.

by John Hey @johnfruitnet

South Tyrolean apple consortium Vog says it is making headway in its efforts to build its presence in Asia.

Europe remains by far the largest market for the Italian group. The domestic market alone consumes around a third of its production, and a further 40-45 per cent of its fruit is exported to markets within Europe.

But Vog is on a drive to reduce its dependency on Europe and diversify export markets, with Asia firmly in its sights.

“We need to increase our presence outside Europe,” says Klaus Hölzl, Vog’s sales manager. “We’re already moving in this direction, with more than 25 per cent of our turnover coming from outside Europe. We’ve been exporting to South America and Central America, the

Middle East, and North Africa and of course we also go to Asia. We’re investing in developing our presence there, but Asia is not an easy market.”

Asian markets currently only account for around 3 per cent of Vog’s total sales turnover, but the consortium sees significant growth potential in the region. Nevertheless, numerous challenges remain, not least market access.

“At the moment, we only have phytosanitary protocols for a few countries. Until recently, we could only export to Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, but Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan have openedup in the past couple of years,” says Hölzl.

“Thailand has stepped up and we've shipped good volumes there the past two seasons. It’s becoming an interesting market for us. But we’re also fighting to get access to other countries

TOP—Vog’s sales manager Klaus Hölzl says Thailand is becoming “an interesting market”

ABOVE—Marketing manager Hannes Tauber says RedPop is perfectly suited to the requirements of Asian markets

LEFT—Giga is a newer variety with promising prospects in Asia

such as mainland China and Indonesia.”

Another challenge centres on matching apples to the requirements and “taste preferences” of these markets, particularly as they differ significantly from those of Vog’s main customer base across Europe.

Gala, Granny Smith, Red Delicious and Pink Lady are traditionally the mainstays of Vog’s apple exports to Asia. Now, the rise of new varieties with attributes ideally suited to Asian markets is

Home of apples

The Origin of our apples, Expertise that has ripened over years of working together, a focus on Sustainabilty: this is where our wide variety of Products and Brands comes from. These are the building blocks of our company, where the best apples can always be found.

boosting the consortium’s efforts to build its presence in the region.

“Over the past year, Vog's Asian focus has been centred on Thailand, featuring a mix of brands that includes the Marlene varieties and new apples like RedPop,” explains Hölzl.

“Despite some initial challenges, RedPop has been well-received and has the potential to become a strong product in the region. Other highly promising apples in Asian markets include Giga, Crimson Snow, Envy and Joya.”

REDPOP POTENTIAL

Vog has particularly high hopes in Asia for RedPop, which was introduced in 2021. Described as a red crunchy apple with a rich balanced taste, RedPop is also robust and boasts strong storage life, which lends it to shipping over long distances.

Marketed under the slogan ‘Little big sweetness’, RedPop made its debut at Asia Fruit Logistica 2022 and it has garnered a positive market reception.

“The countries of the Far East and South-East Asia have a strong appetite for sweet, crunchy and aromatic apples, as well as a need for apples with a high tolerance to transport in terms of quality,” says Vog’s marketing manager Hannes Tauber.

“RedPop perfectly meets these needs, as demonstrated by the excellent sales results. The visual identity and packaging, which communicate our apple’s pop character, were also very well received.”

Tauber says the small to medium size profile of RedPop is appealing to key Asian markets, and he believes the brand can fill a gap in the premium red apple segment.

“If you look at the Asian market and red apples in the premium segment, you have the miniature

Rockit apple, which is well-known, then you have your large-size Envy, but in the mid-size range, we didn’t have anything so far. We have Gala but that’s more of a commodity apple. RedPop is the product that can supply a new red apple that’s sweet in taste and very robust to the Asian market.”

Another key strength of RedPop is its ability to be stored and supplied year-round, Tauber notes.

“When you think about a brand like RedPop that’s clearly oriented to a younger consumer, there are certain values connected to the brand.

“It’s important you can supply that product 12 months of the year. Right now, Vog is the exclusive supplier of RedPop. Whether that remains the case in future we’ll see. But at the moment, we focus on supplying the brand to consumers who are looking for this product 12 months of the year.”

Production of RedPop is still in its infancy. This season, Vog produced around 2,500-3,000 tonnes, an increase of roughly 50 per cent compared to last year. But volumes are set to ramp up to 17,000-18,000 tonnes when current plantings reach full production.

Year-round availability is also a feature of other new-generation varieties such as Giga. “They store incredibly well, and we can manage to hold them for up to 12 months,” says Tauber.

This long-term availability –coupled with Vog’s varietal range –helps the consortium to compete in the Asian market, according to Hölzl. “It gives us the potential to meet demand even when Northern Hemisphere supply is temporarily unavailable,” he notes.

MANAGING INDIA GROWTH

India is another market where Italian apples have made inroads

over recent years, building a “solid reputation”, Hölzl notes. “Red Delicious is still the dominant variety, but we’ve seen increased demand for varieties such as Gala, Granny and new club varieties,” he says.

Nevertheless, Hölzl says Vog is treading carefully in India. “Vog has sent significant volumes to India, and it’s an impressive market opportunity. The problem is everyone is trying to export to that market, and it can only absorb so much volume.”

“Unfortunately, last year it was used as an outlet for Southern Hemisphere suppliers looking for a home for fruit they could not send to other markets such as China. Their fruit was in the market until December, where usually it’s finishing by September.”

The long transit time from Italy further increases the risk for suppliers, according to Hölzl. “You have to be careful in India. It’s a market that can only absorb so much fruit, but our apples spend up to six weeks on the water, and it can take a few weeks to realise there is an oversupply.”

In addition to low-cost imports from the likes of Iran, Turkey and Poland, Italy must also now contend with renewed competition from high-quality, higherpriced apples from the US, Hölzl notes. “Tariffs on US apples have just dropped back to 50 per cent, down from 70 per cent in recent years, so they’re on the same level as us now,” he cautions. A

BELOW—Vog is seeing growing demand in Asia for Marlenebranded apples from South Tyrol

Astra peeling machines address labour issues

More info

In today's business climate, labour shortages and high labour costs are widespread concerns. Fortunately, Astra's innovative peeling machines offer a powerful solution to these problems, providing significant benefits across various industries.

Take, for example, an Orlandobased mango factory. This business was struggling with escalating labour costs until it turned to automation. By integrating an Astra KA-750PM peeler into its process, the factory significantly reduced its labour force from 14 to a more manageable eight. This substantial decrease in workforce led to drastically lowered expenses, ensuring the factory's successful continuation amidst financial challenges.

Similarly, a California supermarket found a solution to high labour costs in Astra's cuttingedge technology. By employing the KA-750PM, the supermarket was able to almost halve its labour hours. Moreover, the investment

in the machine was recouped within an impressive two months. This peeler did not just reduce labour costs; it also enhanced hygiene standards – an increasingly important factor in today's healthconscious society.

Even small-scale businesses are reaping the benefits of Astra's automatic peelers. A Japanese entrepreneur, for example, boosted his fruit brand's production efficiency by a staggering tenfold using the KA-700H peeler. This machine demonstrates outstanding versatility, being able to handle

different types and sizes of fruits with ease and precision. But Astra's automatic peelers are not only about cost-saving and efficiency. They also offer substantial improvements in product quality. By ensuring consistent and precise peeling, these machines decrease waste and lengthen the shelf-life of products. Businesses can easily set the peeling programme to get the ideal peel each time, leading to a reduction in waste by up to an impressive 30 per cent.

Investing in Astra's peeling machines can be a strategic move to address labour challenges, cut down on costs, and increase operational efficiency. Beyond that, these machines can also improve product hygiene and quality, leading to happier, healthier customers. Make a strategic investment in Astra's technology today to secure your business' future.

ABOVE & RIGHT—

Astra’s peeling machines reduce labour requirements

Rijk Zwaan hosts Leafy Hydroponics Event

Leading seed company brings together customers and partners from across the leafy hydroponics sector for seminar ahead of Asia Fruit Logistica.

by John Hey @johnfruitnet

Global seed breedermarketer Rijk Zwaan is hosting a seminar event to discuss the latest trends and technologies in the leafy hydroponics sector in conjunction with this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica on 6-8 September in Hong Kong.

The Leafy Hydroponics Event takes place the afternoon before Asia Fruit Logistica on Tuesday 5 September and is co-located at AsiaWorld-Expo.

Rijk Zwaan is bringing together customers and partners in the leafy hydroponics business from across Asia-Pacific for an afternoon of insights, discussion and networking.

“We’re seeing strong interest from our customers in leafy

hydroponics as this market is still growing fast,” says Jan Doldersum, Rijk Zwaan’s manager of chain and retail. “So we’re organising this event to share experiences, market developments and technological solutions.”

“We’re expecting around 80-90 delegates active in the leafy hydroponics business from throughout the value chain –growers, traders, processors, food service companies, retailers and new investors as well as tech companies supplying horticultural systems and solutions.”

Rijk Zwaan has invited customers and partners from China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.

LEFT—The event explores trends in the fast-growing leafy hydroponics market

BELOW—Technological advances for the sector are also in focus

WHAT’S ON THE PROGRAMME?

The event focuses on three core areas: market trends in leafy hydroponics; technological advances; and marketing and sales.

Rijk Zwaan hosts the first segment on market trends. Marketing and leafy green specialist Bauke van Lenteren kicks off with an overview of the global landscape in leafy greens, convenience market developments and Rijk Zwaan’s solutions. Friso Klok, area sales and chain manager for South-East Asia, then looks at hydroponic market developments in the region and profiles Rijk Zwaan’s leafy product assortment.

Turning the focus to technology developments, a panel of leading specialists – from greenhouse builders through LED lighting companies to suppliers of climate and irrigation technology – discusses the latest advances and solutions for the sector.

The final part of the event focuses on marketing and sales, with presentations from prominent companies in hydroponic leafies, followed by a panel discussion. Tracey Lam of Hong Kong-based hydroponic greens supplier AquaGreen, which recently opened a new operation in Thailand, will be on-hand to discuss the company’s journey. Leading growermarketers, food safety specialists and retailers from key markets across Asia join the ensuing panel discussion. A

Rijk Zwaan’s Leafy Hydroponics Event takes place on 5 September 2023 from 15:00-17:00 at AsiaWorld-Expo. Those interested in attending the seminar can email export@rijkzwaan.nl before 28 August.

Asia Fruit Logistica back at full scale

Asia’s premier trade show returns to Hong Kong on 6-8 September ready to reunite the global fresh fruit and vegetable business.

by John Hey

Asia Fruit Logistica is preparing for a sellout show as it returns to its long-established location at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong on 6-8 September 2023.

With more than a month to go before it opened its doors, Asia’s premier fresh produce trade show had almost sold out of exhibition space, according to organiser Global Produce Events (GPE).

Bookings from China are at record levels this year, GPE says, with exceptionally strong demand after the lifting of Covid19 restrictions. China is once again the single-largest exhibiting nation at Asia Fruit Logistica. Australia, the US, New Zealand, and Egypt also have a prominent presence on the show floor, with each country booking sizeable display areas.

Around 600 exhibitors from some 40 different countries and regions are registered to showcase their products and services at Asia Fruit Logistica, including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile,

China, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the UAE, Ukraine, the UK, the US, and Vietnam.

Asia Fruit Logistica features some 24 national or regional pavilions from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, Moldova, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, the US, and Vietnam.

MOLDOVA MAKES DEBUT

Moldova is exhibiting at Asia Fruit Logistica 2023 for the first time. Moldova Fruct, the East European

@johnfruitnet

OPPOSITE—Asia

Fruit Logistica is back in Hong Kong for the first time since 2019

TOP—Some 600 exhibitors are taking part

MIDDLE—A wide range of high-tech machinery is on display

BELOW—The Asia Fruit Award winners are announced on Day Two at Asiafruit Congress

country’s fruit producers and exporters association, is hosting a national pavilion.

“Moldova Fruct is excited to participate in Asia Fruit Logistica for the first time,” says executive director Iurie Fala. “Moldova wants to break into new markets and introduce our exceptional products to the world. We’re ready to showcase the finest flavours our country has to offer under the ‘Moldova – Taste Makes the Difference’ brand.”

Moldova Fruct has more than 180 members. They include large agribusiness companies that specialise in apples, pears,

stonefruit, and table grapes. Moldova has built its profile at Fruit Logistica and the association now wants to extend it into Asia at Asia Fruit Logistica.

“We’ve had a great experience participating at Fruit Logistica in Berlin,” says Fala. “We established new contacts and made longterm relationships with different countries. Our producers and exporters are looking to diversify their export markets. Asian markets are a priority.”

MACHINERY AND TECH SHOWCASE

Asia Fruit Logistica also showcases a variety of technologies and solutions from across the entire value chain. Visitors can find a wide range of high-tech machinery, from automation and sorting technology, through packing and processing, to IT solutions and POS equipment. Key exhibitors include Fuji Machinery, Greefa, Maf Agrobotic, Reemoon, Tomra Food, Tosca, Unitec, and Weber Cooling, according to GPE.

New technology, from smart agriculture to greenhouse solutions, is also on display. Exhibitors include major tech companies such as AgroFresh, DeltaTrack, Green Agrevolution, and Sensitech.

MEET LOGISTICS LEADERS

The logistics sector is also well represented at this year’s show, with leading players on-hand to discuss the latest trends, services and solutions. Exhibitors include AP Moller-Maersk, CMA CGM, Cosco, DHL, Fato Cargo Services, Hapag-Lloyd, Hong Kong Seaport Alliance, Kuehne and Nagel, MSC, Ocean Network Express, OOCL, Pacific International Lines, Shenzhen Asia Global, Wan Hai Lines, Wiseway Logistics, Yantian International Container Terminals, and ZIM.

ASIA FRUIT AWARD WINNERS IN 2020S

Marketing Campaign of the Year

Joy Wing Mau

T&G Global

Importer of the Year

Suri Agro Fresh

Euro-Atlantic

Produce Retailer of the Year

ClemenGold Goodfarmer Makro (Thailand)

NTUC FairPrice

JD Fresh

Impact Award

Nick Kukulan & Paramount Export Company

Costa JV

Noel Shield

ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS

Visitors and exhibitors at Asia Fruit Logistica 2023 can look forward to a wide-ranging event programme packed with information and insights.

Asiafruit Congress and Asiafruit Business Forum take place on the show floor across two stages, with both events free to attend for all Asia Fruit Logistica ticketholders.

Asiafruit Congress is back with a top-quality programme exploring the latest market trends and opportunities in Asia. Asia’s premier fresh produce conference takes place on the main stage across all three days of Asia Fruit Logistica on 6-8 September 2023.

High-level speakers from across the global fresh produce industry and the wider business world discuss the big issues in the fast-

moving Asia markets through a mix of expert talks and lively panel discussions.

Day One focuses on Marketing & Consumers, Day Two is themed around Tech & Innovation, and Day Three takes a deep dive on Markets & Trade (see p70-71 for full preview).

ASIAFRUIT BUSINESS FORUM

In addition to gaining strategic insights at Asiafruit Congress, visitors can join a wide-ranging programme of informal workshops at Asiafruit Business Forum.

Asiafruit Business Forum presents three days of workshops under different tracks.

New for 2023, the Launchpad on Day One provides a platform for exhibitors to showcase a range of exciting products, technologies and solutions.

Day Two at Asiafruit Business Forum features Partner Content. The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) delivers an education programme focused on food safety and retail merchandising.

Asiafruit China also hosts a series of Chinese-language workshops with practical advice on developing a premium domestic fruit brand in China, from production through post-harvest to marketing.

Asiafruit Business Forum concludes on Day Three with the Logistics Hub, a series of workshops on cold chain logistics (see p72-73 for full programme preview).

ASIA FRUIT AWARDS

The Asia Fruit Awards, the prestigious awards celebrating excellence across Asia’s fresh produce business, are also presented at Asia Fruit Logistica. The winners are announced in a special ceremony on the show floor at Asiafruit Congress on 7 September.

The Asia Fruit Awards are given in three core categories – Marketing Campaign of the Year, Importer of the Year and Produce Retailer of the Year – while the Impact Award recognises a person or organisation for their significant contribution to developing Asia’s fresh produce business.

Visitors to Asia Fruit Logistica enjoy free entry to Asiafruit Congress, Asiafruit Business Forum and the Asia Fruit Awards ceremony.

The online ticketshop for Asia Fruit Logistica is now open. Visitors can skip the queues in Hong Kong and save up to 40 per cent by purchasing their tickets online versus onsite rates. A

FULL PREVIEW

Over the next 40 pages, Asiafruit’s editorial team provides an exclusive preview to the event programme and the exhibitor offerings on display at Asia Fruit Logistica. Our exhibitor preview offers a region-by-region guide:

Asia – p74-82

Australasia – p84-91

Europe, Middle East & Africa – p92-104

Americas – p106-110

More info

For more information on Asiafruit Congress, visit www.asiafruitcongress.com

For more information on Asia Fruit Logistica, visit asiafruitlogistica.com

To purchase tickets, go to the online ticket shop: https://ems.asiafruitlogistica.com/Pages/ticketshop/buyticket. shtml

TOP—High-profile speakers discuss the big industry issues at Asiafruit Congress ABOVE—Asiafruit Business Forum offers a wide-ranging programme of workshops

Hear from industry leaders at Asiafruit Congress

Top line-up of speakers ready to share their expert insights on key market trends and opportunities at Asia’s premier fresh produce conference.

by John Hey @johnfruitnet

Asiafruit Congress is back with a high-quality programme of expert talks, interviews, and discussions at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica.

Asia’s premier fresh produce conference event takes place on the main stage of the show floor across all three days of Asia Fruit Logistica on 6-8 September 2023.

Leading names in the global fresh produce industry as well as expert speakers from the wider business world share their strategic insights on the key trends and opportunities in the fast-moving Asia markets.

Each day of Asiafruit Congress has a different theme, with Day One focusing on Marketing & Consumers, Day Two on Tech &

Innovation and Day Three on Markets & Trade.

MARKETING & CONSUMERS

Day One (6 September) kicks off with a look at new market demographics in Asia. India has just overtaken

China as the world’s most populous nation. Mid-tier cities are on the rise across India and South-East Asia. And Asia is now home to more empty-nesters with more to spend on premium products.

Prerna Garg, equity strategist at HSBC, discusses Asia’s tectonic demographic shifts and what they mean for marketers.

Chris Baker, CEO of marketing agency Totem Media, then maps the post-Covid marketing landscape in Asia. Baker outlines the key demographic trends in China and analyses moves by global brands to diversify into other markets across Asia. Plus, he shares tips and tactics for marketers seeking to optimise their use of e-commerce and social channels.

In the session ‘What’s next for food retail in Asia?’, Edwin Sun of NielsenIQ provides an overview of Asia’s changing food retail landscape, detailing the latest shifts in shopper behaviour.

An on-stage interview with Pagoda’s Yang Qian looks at what’s in store for the leading Chinese fresh fruit retail chain, which completed its IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange earlier this year.

The session wraps up with a focus on supplying retail in Asia. AMFresh’s Carlos Bonet and José Vottero of Fresh Fruit-X explain AMFresh’s highly successful model for supplying retail giants in the UK and Europe, and they discuss the opportunities and challenges

LEFT—Asiafruit Congress takes place on the main stage at Asia Fruit Logistica

BELOW LEFT—

Speakers on Day One include Yang Qian of leading Chinese fruit retail chain Pagoda (left) and Chris Baker of Totem Media OPPOSITE, RIGHT— Elad Mardix of Clarifruit (above) and DiMuto’s Gary Loh discuss the role of AI in the fresh produce trade on Day Two OPPOSITE, LEFT— ANZ’s senior economist Betty Wang (below) analyses the global trade outlook on Day Three while Unifrutti’s Kennard Wong highlights opportunities in the Japanese market

to bringing similar solutions to the market in Asia.

‘Masterclasses in fresh produce marketing’ is the theme for the final session of Day One. A panel featuring some of Asia’s leading brand marketers, including Julian Smith of Rockit Global and Konna Mu of Fresh Go (Joy Wing Mau), discusses the keys to cut-through marketing.

Turning the focus to India, Jan Doldersum of Rijk Zwaan shares the results of the seed company’s recent campaign to develop consumption of healthy snacking vegetables with key partners across the country under its Sn!bs brand.

TECH & INNOVATION

The Tech & Innovation Day on 7 September opens with a look at artificial intelligence and the new solutions it is bringing to the fresh produce trade. Clarifruit’s Elad Mardix explains how automated quality control is addressing a ‘quality mismatch’ between

stakeholders in the fresh produce supply chain and cutting food waste. Gary Loh of agrifood trade solutions company DiMuto also discusses the role of AI in forging more transparent fresh produce trade and helping to secure financing.

New premium varieties are bringing fresh impetus to several fruit categories, be it grapes, apples or berries. A panel discussion with leading breeders and marketers looks at how these new varieties are reshaping their respective categories. Plus, it homes in on those cultivars targeted at Asia to explore how they’re being developed in-market. Hannes Tauber, marketing manager of leading Italian consortium VOG, is on-hand to discuss the latest advances in apples, while George Jessett of Costa Group explains how new genetics are propelling the ongoing boom in blueberries.

MARKETS & TRADE

Setting the scene for the Markets & Trade Day at Asiafruit Congress (8 September), Betty Wang, senior China economist at ANZ Bank, shares her expert insights on the shifting global trade landscape post-Covid.

A spotlight on Vietnam’s booming fruit import market hears from Lu Minh Quang of leading importer Biovegi on the key opportunities and challenges for global suppliers in the South-East Asian nation.

Fresh fruit distribution is evolving fast in China. Port decentralisation is a priority to cut down congestion and boost efficiency. New routes to market are also developing as demand grows from second- and third-tier cities. A panel of leading suppliers and distributors discuss China’s changing distribution landscape, including Ivan Marambio of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (Asoex), Wang Song of Qupai Fruit

(Joy Wing Mau) and Mike Chiue of Hongjiu Fruit. The final session of the Markets & Trade Day spotlights market opportunities in North Asia. Japan and Korea are well-established markets for imported fruits, but an expert panel analyses the untapped potential for emerging categories and suppliers across both markets. Speakers include Kennard Wong of Unifrutti Japan, June Choi of Soo Il Commerce, and Sarah McCormack of Australasia-based supplier Te Mata Exports. A

Statistics Handbook tracks trade

Asiafruit Congress attendees can pick up a copy of the Asiafruit Congress Statistics Handbook 2023. The annual statistical guide to Asia’s fresh fruit and vegetable business presents expert analysis of the trade covering 12 different markets.

Triple track at Asiafruit Business Forum

Wide-ranging programme of workshops includes Launchpad, Partner Content and Logistics Hub.

by John Hey @johnfruitnet

Asia Fruit Logistica visitors can join a diverse programme of informal workshops at Asiafruit Business Forum, which takes place daily on the trade show floor. Curated by Asiafruit Magazine, the Asiafruit Business Forum is back with a new format featuring three different tracks.

LAUNCHPAD

The Launchpad on Day One (6 September) provides a platform for exhibitors to showcase a range of products, technologies and solutions. Hans Liekens of Sekoya Fruit discusses the ‘blue skies’ for the blueberry business as consumption continues to boom.

Ting Yuan of Shenzhen Asia Global Fresh outlines how advances in global cold chain logistics will benefit the fresh produce business. And Basilio Huang of Lytone Enterprise showcases the LytoFresh quality solution for the fresh produce business, which helps to achieve uniform standards and minimise post-harvest losses.

PARTNER CONTENT

Day Two (7 September) at Asiafruit Business Forum features Partner Content.

The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) delivers an education programme focused on food safety and retail merchandising in the morning (11:00-12:30).

IFPA A-NZ chair Ben Hoodless moderates a discussion ‘Asian market – supply chain best practices’ with an expert panel including Luke Wood of supply chain traceability specialist Escavox, Michael Simonetta of major grower-marketer Perfection Fresh Australia, and Noel

BELOW—Asiafruit Business Forum features Partner Content, including Chinese-language sessions hosted by Asiafruit China

TOP RIGHT—Deon Mahoney of IFPA A-NZ (left) and Winstone Chee of Altitude Fresh share insights on food safety and retail respectively on the IFPA education programme

BELOW RIGHT—Pagoda’s Xu Churan (left) leads a Chineselanguage workshop on developing domestic fruit brands while Paul Cheng of Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals is one of a range of expert speakers at the Logistics Hub

Ainsworth of Queensland Department of Agriculture & Fisheries.

Deon Mahoney, IFPA A-NZ’s head of food safety, is also joined by Stacey Wang of Walmart China and Natalie Dyenson of IFPA to discuss ‘Food safety and supply chain in the modern era’.

The IFPA programme then switches the focus to retail merchandising and training. Winstone Chee of Altitude Fresh gives a talk on ‘The 3 i’s of merchandising: impulse, impact and incremental’. He also chairs a discussion on ‘How traditional merchandising meets modern consumer needs’ with Ruth McLennan of DFI Retail Group, Edgar Fernandez of Landers Superstore, and Lauren M Scott of IFPA.

CHINESE-LANGUAGE SESSIONS

In the afternoon of the Partner Content Day, Asiafruit China hosts a series of Chinese-language workshops with practical advice on developing a premium domestic fruit brand in China, from production through post-harvest to marketing. The Chinese-language sessions feature insights from leading Chinese companies, such as Pagoda, China’s premier fresh fruit retail chain. Xu Churan, Pagoda’s marketing director and content e-commerce general manager, shares Pagoda’s strategies and experience in developing its various domestic fruit brands.

ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA 2023

LOGISTICS HUB

Asiafruit Business Forum concludes on Day Three (8 September) with the Logistics Hub, a series of workshops on cold chain logistics.

Thomas Eskesen, founder of Eskesen Advisory, delivers a keynote presentation in the opening session on the current situation and future outlook for global reefer shipping.

Expert talks also look at new solutions for fresh produce shippers, with workshops on shelf-life extension technologies, cold chain distribution and traceability. Ivo Tunchel of StePac South America discusses the company’s fully automated modified atmosphere packing solution for cherries implemented in Chile. Paul Cheng of Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl) explains how it is catering to the increased volumes of perishable

traffic transiting Hong Kong with its new climatecontrolled facility. And Emerson Cargo’s Gerd Uitdewilligen shares some of the latest advances in supply chain tracking and traceability. A

Asia

The vast Asian continent will be well represented in Hong Kong this year, as exhibitors gear up to showcase their diverse offerings, find new customers and explore innovative solutions.

by Liam O’Callaghan, Maura Maxwell, Gill McShane & Winnie Wang @liamfruitnet @Maurafruitnet

FruitnetWinnie

GOODFARMER

Chinese fresh produce giant Goodfarmer is everpresent at Asia Fruit Logistica. This year its Fruit Business Unit, which mainly handles sales of premium fruits, will take the spotlight. During the last 12 months, Goodfarmer's Fruit Business Unit has made significant strategic adjustments; shifting from a ‘trade-oriented’ approach to a ‘consumer-focused’ model, and expressing a determination to strengthen awareness of Goodfarmer’s private brands.

Xie Hongqin, national sales manager of the Fruit Business Unit (pictured), emphasises that Goodfarmer not only provides fresh, premium fruits, but also delivers a joyful shopping experience. “Standing on a world-class stage like Asia Fruit Logistica, I believe we can find strategic partners with whom to build a healthy and efficient global fruit value chain,” she says.

strawberries – the company’s leading product – Shine Muscat table grapes, sweet persimmon, and pears.

Chang-Rak Farms also has an extensive cold storage operation in Korea to help support its activities.

FRESH DEL MONTE

Fresh Del Monte will showcase a variety of pineapples and other fresh fruits sourced from around the world, plus a range of pre-packaged fresh-cut fruit salads and cut/peeled vegetables.

One of the highlights of this offering will be Del Monte Pinkglow pineapples, which are pink pineapples researched and developed exclusively by Fresh Del Monte, and grown in Costa Rica.

CHANG-RAK FARMS

Leading Korean fruit grower-packer-marketer

Chang-Rak Farms is looking forward to exchanging information, building customer relationships and exploring new packaging solutions at Asia Fruit Logistica and Asiafruit Congress 2023.

Now supplying directly to new major retailers in three South-East Asian countries, Chang-Rak Farms says it is enjoying stable and sustainable expansion in its sales volume. During the upcoming season, the company will roll out a more aggressive marketing campaign for its fruit offer, which includes

The company is looking forward to meeting import, wholesale and retail customers who sell fresh and cut fruits across Asia Pacific and Middle Eastern markets.

AOMORI TRADING

Aomori Trading is eager to promote exports and develop new markets for Japanese Aomori apples. Highly regarded by importers worldwide for their premium quality, the company believes the Aomori variety will appeal to many buyers attending the show.

In recent years, some 30,000 to 40,000 tonnes of Aomori apples have been exported, mainly to eastern Asia and South-East Asia, where they are appreciated for their “high quality and delicious flavour”. Building on that success, Aomori has broadened its market research outside of Asia to include three Middle Eastern countries, India, and the US.

The firm is also keen to feedback to its government any comments from companies and regions that have not yet lifted the import ban on Japanese apples.

XIANFENG FRUIT

During the 26 years since Xianfeng Fruit was founded in 1997, the business has developed into a global enterprise with an integrated platform of retail, smart cold chain logistics and B2B supply operations.

Xianfeng Fruit is one of China’s leading fruit retail chains – the number of Xianfeng Fruit stores nationwide exceeded 2,400 locations as of July 2023. The group also operates 23 modern cold chain storage centres across the country, with locations including Hangzhou, Shanghai, Hefei, and Wuhan.

General manager of Xianfeng Fruit’s supply chain department, Wu Tao (pictured below), says that Asia Fruit Logistica and Asiafruit Congress taking place in Hong Kong provides important advantages.

“At Asia Fruit Logistica you can find fresh producerelated industry value chain and service support companies, as well as innovative products and ideas, which will benefit our further development,” Tao says.

CHASE INTERNATIONAL

Pakistan’s Chase International will promote newer varieties of its fresh potatoes, in addition to its wider offer which includes exports of mandarins, mangoes, and onions to over 30 countries worldwide.

In early 2022, the grower-processor-exporter inaugurated a coldstore for its new Mozika, Rosi and Zina Red potato varieties. The facility provides an endto-end cold chain solution that has enabled the firm to establish a year-round, consistent supply of superiorquality potatoes since they remain fresher for longer.

Looking ahead, Chase plans to increase its export volume by continuing to expand and advance its coldstore and technological capabilities.

FOSACHA

Fosacha has experienced a rapid rise since it was founded in 2021. The Vietnamese exporter returns to Asia Fruit Logistica in 2023 with a broad catalogue of fresh tropical fruits and a number of dried fruit lines.

Fosacha sources its products from carefully selected growers known for their expertise and commitment to sustainable farming practices. This helps to ensure its fruit meets the highest standards of taste, quality, and nutritional value, the company says.

During the past 12 months, Fosacha has entered into strategic partnerships in markets such as Australia, Japan, Korea, North America, the European Union, and the Middle East. These collaborations have expanded the company’s reach and enhanced its supply chain, enabling Fosacha’s products to appear in prominent retailers.

TOP FRUITS

Top Fruits returns to Asia Fruit Logistica with a vast durian and tropical fruit offering to promote. The Malaysian company has over three decades of growing experience, manages over 200ha of production area, and complies with all the top international certifications for its products to guarantee quality.

The firm is also working with local universities and students on research to develop new systems, technology and methods to improve efficiency, productivity, and sustainability.

Top Fruits will spotlight durian at this year’s event, both its upstream products, including frozen whole durian, fresh durian, frozen seed pulp, and frozen seedless pulp, as well as its ever-growing list of downstream products, such as gelatos, cheesecakes, swiss rolls, mochi and mooncakes.

K-BERRY

K-Berry will promote 11 “outstanding” varieties of Korean strawberries at this year’s show, as part of the export agency’s mission to introduce Korea’s premium fruit offer to the world. Although the varieties each have unique characteristics, K-Berry says all can be described as “fresh, sweet, juicy and fragrant”.

This year K-Berry plans to unveil new varieties in Hong Kong and Dubai, such as King’s Berry, Vitaberry and Highberry, following in the footsteps of Tinaberry, a premium brand that was launched in Singapore and Vietnam during 2022.

Currently, Korean strawberries are exported to 26 countries worldwide, a network built upon K-Berry’s reputation for compliance with strict global standards for pesticides, food safety and quality control in both Korea and its export destinations.

LYTONE ENTERPRISE

Taipei-based Lytone Enterprise has just opened a new sales office in Reno, Nevada, as it continues to grow the customer base for its post-harvest preservation solution, LytoFresh. The technology is now used to transport mangoes from Vietnam, mangosteens from Thailand, grapes from the US, and apples from Korea, amongst others.

“LytoFresh provides a spectrum of eco-friendly solutions for different stages of the supply chain to build resilience against unpredictable challenges and make supply chains more sustainable and efficient,” says sales and technical representative Basilio Huang.

The company will showcase a number of products at Asia Fruit Logistica, including biostimulants KaDoZan and Chitamin; Azolyte, a novel nutrient solution with more than 60 trace elements to support plant growth; Natacoat, an antifungal solution with whole profile food-graded ingredients for post-harvest coating and washing; and AnsiP, a patented technology with slow release 1-MCP for extending the shelf-life of produce.

ECOPLANTS

Ecoplants, the global supplier of post-harvest applicant FreshLong, will be looking for potential new customers at this year’s event, while searching for an innovative technology company

with which to cooperate in the future. Currently busy registering FreshLong in several countries, the Korean company says its patented ethylene management device contains a 1-MCP composition and a generator. Unlike other 1-MCP products on the market, Ecoplants claims FreshLong generates a highly concentrated 1-MCP gas, which reaches the optimal level in the shortest time compared with other available products. Ecoplants is confident this results in the best quality treatment to enhance the shelf-life of fresh produce for a competitive price.

ASTRA

Japanese peeling machine specialist Astra continues to expand. In the past 12 months, the company has added a new factory and achieved sales in more than 50 countries on every continent.

At Asia Fruit Logistica 2023 Astra will showcase its multi-fruit peeling machines, the KA-700H and KA-750PM. The advanced peelers can handle more than 20 types of fruit, streamlining the peeling process and significantly reducing labour expenses and fruit waste.

Astra is in the process of developing a state-of-the-art pineapple slicer and divider that will transform raw pineapples into perfectly sliced and divided pieces. The aim is to bring the new product to market in 2024. »

TRI-WALL

As a leading provider of professional packaging solutions, Tri-Wall says it constantly strives to innovate in order to satisfy the ever-changing needs of its customers. This June the Hong Kong-headquartered company launched an eco-friendly returnable packaging solution called Yoyobin to offer a new and sustainable choice for its customers.

At Asia Fruit Logistica 2023, Tri-Wall is hoping to repeat the “very successful experience” it had at the 2019 edition. “The show provides a valuable opportunity to showcase our new packaging solution, and to promote the range to a wider audience,” says Joan Zhu, a representative for the company. “I hope that we can achieve the same great results this year, and welcome visitors from all over the world.”

SINOLYCHEE

Chinese lychee specialist Sinolychee Agricultural Group has built a vertically integrated business model that covers varietal research and development, production, storage, sales and marketing.

To date, the group has more than 2,133ha of cooperative planting under its management, and exports lychees, citrus, pomelos, sweet potatoes, honey melons, and chestnuts to over 20 countries and markets. Most notably, the firm’s lychee brand, Lychee Huadan, which is themed on the Guangdong opera, has enjoyed marketing success on the global market.

“Asia Fruit Logistica is a must-attend event for us every year,” points out Ivy Chan, Sinolychee’s sales director. “We have been waiting for its return to Hong Kong to better showcase our company, our brand, and our products.”

LANHAI SUPPLY CHAIN

Lanhai Supply Chain will promote its global “doorto-door” logistics management services this year. The Shenzhen-headquartered company describes itself as a one-stop-shop, providing Chinese ports with customs clearance for fresh produce and other products, as well as import and export agency services, logistics distribution and storage facilities.

Lanhai is well placed to serve the Chinese market, having opened branches close to the country’s major ports, including: Fujian, Shanghai, Shandong, Tianjin, Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hong Kong. Lanhai also operates overseas branches in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

“Asia Fruit Logistica is a great platform to enable the industry to communicate – this year will be our fourth time participating,” says Lan Hongchang, GM of Lanhai. “We are eager to learn about global market trends, so we can align our offer to meet demand.”

MAGNUS FARM FRESH

Magnus Farm Fresh will promote two newly-launched table grape brands as part of its strategic expansion into promising new markets South-East Asia and China.

The labels – Simmba in China for 8kg grape packs, and Fruition in Malaysia and Singapore for 5kg packs – have gained in popularity this year. Now the Indian fresh produce exporter is eager to go deeper into these markets, with its sights also set on supplying Thailand and Taiwan during 2024.

Overall at Asia Fruit Logistica, Magnus plans to promote its export portfolio of bananas, fresh pomegranates, and mixed vegetables (green chillies, okra, onions and tomatoes). Following successful trials in 2022/23, the company sees great sales opportunities in North Africa, Malaysia, the Middle East.

S&W

S&W will be spreading the word this year about its Deluxe Premium pineapples from the Philippines. Launched in 2022, S&W says the naturally extra-sweet pineapple variety is delighting even the most seasoned and loyal customers thanks to its careful handselection process and harvesting at optimal ripeness.

S&W is a leading supplier-marketer of Sweet 16 pineapples in China, and ranks among the top three in northern Asia. Its reputation is built upon delivering “full-flavoured and superb-tasting” fruit produced on the largest MD2 pineapple plantation in Bukidnon, southern Philippines, where ideal growing conditions and sustainable farming methods are complemented by expertise handed down through generations of pineapple growers.

GWG FRESH

At Asia Fruit Logistica, GWG Fresh (GFresh) aims to raise industry awareness of the added value offered by its extensive fresh produce basket, which includes melons, papayas, strawberries, watermelon, cucumbers, pumpkin, sweetcorn, and tomatoes. By participating at this year’s trade show, the Malaysian supplier hopes to be able to establish valuable connections between its brands (StarBred, Fine Bucket and PickItGo) and the international market.

A subsidiary of Green World Genetics (GWG), GFresh was established in 2015. Since then, the firm has focused on introducing and supplying unique, high-value and superior quality products that have been developed by its parent company. To that end, export markets can expect further new products to be unveiled from GFresh in the future.

AARTSEN ASIA

Aartsen Asia handles everything fresh. This spans an extremely broad range of fruits and vegetables sourced directly from over 675 grower-partners located in every corner of the globe, ready for distribution to more than 17 countries across Asia.

Over the years, Aartsen Asia has established increasing numbers of distribution points outside of China’s big traditional cities or markets, plus throughout over 15 countries in South-East Asia. Next the company is targeting second-tier and, possibly, third-tier cities.

“The value of Asia Fruit Logistica lies in meeting our valued partners from around the world, and exchanging information and ideas which benefit all parties,” notes a spokesperson for Aartsen Asia. “We are always looking to improve our business, together with our partners, so we never sit still. Together we can achieve everything for which we strive.”

is very much looking forward to the trade fair. Since its founding in 1986, Yumsun has evolved into a leading vertically integrated agribusiness in China, handling all aspects of the trade from production and storage to domestic distribution and international trade.

DAEMYUNG FARMS

Daemyung Farms returns to Asia Fruit Logistica in 2023 with the hope of developing new relationships, and holding valuable discussions with long-term buyers. The Korean fresh produce company manages an expansive business that comprises importing, exporting and growing operations, as well as distributing over 55 SKUs to several Korean retailers.

Daemyung Farms is also a division of a leading Korean wholesale company Dongbu Wholesale, which has 65 individual wholesaler members in Busan. This extensive network across the Korean fresh produce supply chain ensures Daemyung Farms can efficiently and effectively meet the demands of its partners and customers, domestic and international.

HONGFONG

Hongfong Fruits and Vegetables produces premium produce in the Central Plains of China where the region’s unique geography brings a special flavour to the apple crop in particular, the company says.

Since its establishment in 2010, Hongfong has exported over 100,000 tonnes of fresh apples, in addition to the firm’s other main products: honey mandarins, tangerines, and red table grapes.

YUMSUN

As a company based in mainland China, Yumsun –like many other businesses – has been prevented from participating in international shows for the last three years due to the pandemic. To mark its return in 2023 Yumsun will showcase a wide range of products, including Chinese apples, pears, and citrus, as well as Vietnamese dragon fruit, New Zealand apples, and South African oranges.

Lu Jinpao, Yumsun’s director (pictured right),

As an exhibitor at Asia Fruit Logistica 2023, Hongfong plans to further explore overseas markets and boost the company’s international profile. A

Australasia

Growers, exporters and marketers from Australia and New Zealand will promote everything from new brands, varieties and packaging solutions to greater market presence.

by Liam O’Callaghan & Gill McShane @liamfruitnet

COSTA

Leading Australian grower-packer-marketer Costa Group will highlight new packaging formats for citrus and table grapes at Asia Fruit Logistica this year, including a new paper bunch bag.

Costa believes the formats will prove compelling to customers, and demonstrate its commitment to both sustainability and innovation. A seasonal range of the group’s avocado, berry, citrus, table grape, and glasshouse tomato categories will be displayed on its stand. As well as mandarins and lemons, Costa’s wellknown 2PH-branded mandarins and Vitor navels will be spotlighted, as orchards mature and volume grows to satisfy market demand.

Costa’s traditional and proprietary grape offering also continues to expand with highly-desirable varieties like Adora, Alison, Autumncrisp, Midnight Beauty, Sweet Globe, and Sweet Sapphire.

HORTINVEST

Hortinvest is excited to introduce three specialty apricot varieties bred in New Zealand for improved appearance and enhanced flavour, in addition to showcasing its Beyond-branded cherries.

Following two decades of effort, this summer Ardgour Valley Orchards – managed by Hortinvest –will launch the apricot varieties globally. Hortinvest says these “exciting” new varieties stand apart from others available worldwide for their “high-colour profile, crisp texture and intensely sweet taste”.

As well as making connections, discovering new technologies and gaining market insight, Hortinvest will share news about its cutting-edge Lindis Coolpac packhouse. Launched for the 2022/23 Central Otago cherry season, the facility features some of Tomra Fresh Food’s latest grading and packing technology.

T&G GLOBAL

T&G Global’s portfolio of premium apple brands will take centre stage at Asia Fruit Logistica. “Jazz is crunchy, tangy-sweet and perfectly sized for snacking, making it a popular apple for the whole family, and the ideal snack on the go,” says head of marketing, Rebecca Chapman. “Meanwhile, Envy is a beautiful premium red apple, larger in size, with a sophisticated flavour and fresh aroma, making it highly sought after and a natural fit for festivities and gifting occasions.”

BUDOU FARMS

Australian table grape exporter Budou Farms returns to Asia Fruit Logistica in 2023 with an expanded offer. Owner Enrique Rossi says Budou Farms grows SNFL grape varieties such as Ivory and Alison seedless, in addition to Crimson Seedless. “We have a focus on flavour so that consumers will remember our grapes and will want to come back for more,” says Rossi.

Budou Farms also recently launched Re:Budo, a juice made from its grapes, as part of an effort to minimise waste on its farms. Rossi highlights Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan as some of the Asian markets that Budou Farms aims to supply with its grapes and juice.

GOLDEN BAY FRUIT

Golden Bay Fruit will introduce its latest IP apple variety, Posh, at the show. The New Zealand grower will share a whole suite of premium apples and pears grown in the Nelson Tasman region, including samples of IP apple varieties Cherish, Miranda, and Ruby Star; new additions Posh and Sassy; plus PiqaBoo pears.

Bred from Honeycrisp and Sciros apples, Posh is described as an “elegant, crisp and honey-kissed” premium apple that has inherited the delicate texture of Honeycrisp, but is “far easier to grow”.

Over the course of the last year, the firm has planted a significant number of its IP varieties, and now has increased flexibility to pick, pack and store fruit on site after adding an additional ten coldstores to its main site in Motueka.

AVANZA

Leading New Zealand avocado exporter Avanza comes to Asia Fruit Logistica 2023 with plans to significantly increase its Asian market export volumes over the next five years. During over two decades of operation, Asia has typically only accounted for around 15-20 per cent of Avanza’s export volume but this share is looking like hitting 45 per cent in the next season, with plans to reach 70 per cent by 2027/28.

“We are always looking for new markets, with Vietnam the next country where we hope to gain access,” reveals marketing and communications manager Steve Trickett. “At the same time, we are seeking to achieve growth in our larger, moreestablished markets such as Japan, Korea, Singapore and Thailand, followed by newer markets with capacity for more volume such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, and, most recently Indonesia.”

Meet us at Hall No: 3 Booth 3J16

TESSARA

Tessara will be tackling the issue of postharvest decay at Asia Fruit Logistica 2023, equipped with its sulphur dioxide-generating sheets. Its products for fresh produce include Uvasys for table grapes, and Berrisys sheets specifically designed for blueberries. Berrisys sheets not only protect blueberries against postharvest decay, notably Botrytis cinerea, but also offer fully recyclable options that can be used to extend the storage time of blueberries.

Berrisys has also recently been approved in Australia by the APVMA (Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority) and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in the US.

Tessara’s manufacturing facilities are based in South Africa – where growers have been using Berrisys sheets with great success. There is a global distributor network to serve the needs of international customers.

READY. SET. ROCKIT.

ROCKIT

Snack-sized apple brand Rockit will highlight the story and journey of its apples as it engages with new and existing partners at this year’s exhibition.

“We will be showcasing new content of our unique Rockit story based on our special place and taste –where Rockit apples come from and how we’re taking on the world, one small bite at a time,” explains general manager global sales, Mark Pay.

Visitors to the stand can discover more about the Rockit Apple Partnership Programme (RAPP) which provides retail partners with access to unique and exclusive activations and insights to help create strong localised campaigns and drive sales. Plus there will be a world-exclusive preview of the soon-to-belaunched Rockit Club distributor loyalty programme.

MR APPLE

Asia Fruit Logistica is the perfect place for New Zealand grower-packerexporter Mr Apple to discuss its renowned range of quality apples. The firm says the trade exhibition provides an opportunity to meet partners in-market, and collaborate on ways to attract a premium in consumer sales. This year Mr Apple will spotlight its continuing investment into new and existing varieties to deliver the best quality apples to market.

“We continue to adapt and innovate; investing in our growing, packing and shipping operations – and the end product tells the story, with increasing quality and superior storability, essential to meet the needs of our discerning customers,” says global sales and marketing manager Ben McLeod.

WA FARM DIRECT

The 2022 edition of Asia Fruit Logistica hosted the official launch of Soluna, the new international trademark for the Australia-bred apple variety ANABP 01.

WA Farm Direct will be back at this year’s event to further showcase the burgundy-skinned apple to the international produce trade, as volumes of the premium variety continue to increase. Visitors to the stand will be able to hear how the distinctive apple is making waves across key markets in Asia and the Middle East, including in Thailand where WA Farm Direct received an Innovation & Global Vision Partner Award from CP Group Thailand for its work with the fruit.

INTEGROW

Integrow will showcase its full range of premium fresh fruits and vegetables from New Zealand, especially apples, onions, PiqaBoo pears and squash.

Specialists in the procurement and marketing of fresh New Zealand fruits and vegetables, Integrow has developed a strong focus on exporting to Asia where the company sees “exciting growth”.

Indeed, this year alone Integrow has opened up two new markets with the launch of shipments of New Zealand onions to Thailand and Bahrain. After 30 years in business the company says it remains committed to its long-term partnerships. As such, the team is looking forward to catching up with all of its customers in Hong Kong.

N&A GROUP

N&A Group will showcase several exclusive new varieties under development, in addition to its latest sustainable packaging innovations that have become a cornerstone of the Australian firm’s offer.

The grower, packer, marketer and exporter directly transports to air and sea ports the premium produce that it procures exclusively from its own farms –Ardrossan Orchards, and Sunland Fresh Fruit – as well as other key Australian supply partners. After acquiring large stonefruit farm Sunland Fresh Fruit in 2022, N&A has cemented its position as one of Australia’s largest tree fruit producers and exporters.

Looking ahead, the group aims to maximise tree fruit sales to Asia, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and North America. In Hong Kong, N&A will promote the group’s full-service logistics, packing and distribution offering.

PREMIER FARMS INTERNATIONAL

Australian exporter Premier Farms International specialises in growing and shipping citrus, table grapes and stonefruit, and exclusively markets brands such as Galaxy Fruits and Tōpa.

During the past 12 months, the group has invested in its global operations, an approach that has delivered rapid growth, and seen the company export over 1,000 containers and over 400 PMCs globally.

The company is expanding its supply base, with fruit being sourced from the US, South Africa, Egypt and Morocco. This success was recognised with the company receiving the Exporter of the Year Award at the Horticulture Awards for Excellence 2023, held at Hort Connections, Australasia’s leading horticulture trade show. Premier Farms International is a division of Premier Fresh Australia.

PREVAR

Prevar will be based at the New Zealand pavilion for this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica in support of industry partners who are showcasing Prevar-licensed IP apple and pear varieties, including the likes of Cherish, Dazzle, PiqaBoo, Rockit and Sassy.

The bright red PiqaBoo pear is one offering that is increasingly capturing the attention of the Asian market, with volumes increasing year by year, and licensees eager to continue developing new destinations for the pear variety.

“We believe there is an exciting future ahead for this unique fruit, as well as the other exciting new

interspecific pears coming through the Plant & Food Research breeding programme,” notes Prevar brand manager Amanda Lyon.

CHERRI GLOBAL

Cherri Global is looking forward to re-engaging with existing clients and broadening its customer base for processed cherries.

The New Zealand firm, which supplies fresh, frozen and processed cherries, is gearing up to deliver increased exports this season on the back of an expected doubling in total harvest volume.

A returning exhibitor, Cherri plans to showcase its range of value-added processed cherry products, as well as new, innovative packaging solutions. In addition, the company will share details of extensive research conducted with leading New Zealand scientists.

The study has found that Cherri’s cherries are rich sources of minerals, vitamins, and amino acids, plus phenolic compounds (antioxidants) which contain numerous scientifically-proven, health-promoting properties. Cherri is keen to highlight these traits to buyers and consumers.

AUSTRALIAN GLOBAL EXPORTS

After supplying the “finest fruits and vegetables” for well over two decades, AGE is keen to showcase at Asia Fruit Logistica 2023 the expertise it has accrued in both logistics and market intelligence, which the group believes makes its level of service “second to none”. AGE’s biggest markets are the Middle East and Asia – from Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia through to Taiwan and Japan. The AGE team welcomes any attendee to visit its stand to learn more about Western Australia, its geographical advantage and production potential.

NEW ZEALAND TRADE & ENTERPRISE

New Zealand’s international economic development agency,

New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE), is looking to connect with fruit buyers, importers and distributors from the greater China and East Asia regions while exhibiting at Asia Fruit Logistica.

The organisation will promote exports of premium quality New Zealand apples, avocados and cherries in particular, as it seeks to bring together the right companies with the right international partners for mutual success.

NZTE says it works with globally ambitious, exportfocused companies from across New Zealand to help them to find success on the world stage.

“We believe New Zealand is good for the world – and that New Zealand products, services and expertise can help solve problems of all shapes and sizes,” says an NZTE spokesperson. A

Australian Global Exports (AGE) will display samples of its premium produce from Western Australia at its stand this year

Europe, Middle East, Africa

Leading companies from across Europe, the Middle East and Africa will showcase a wide range of products, technologies and solutions at Asia Fruit Logistica.

by Carl Collen, Mike Knowles, Fred Searle, Maura Maxwell, Tom Joyce & Fred Meintjes @carlfruitnet @mikefruitnet @fredfruitnet @maurafruitnet @tomfruitnet

RIJK ZWAAN

Rijk Zwaan’s manager chain and retail Jan Doldersum confirms that there are opportunities aplenty in the Asian market, and one of these – for hydroponically-grown leafy greens such as lettuce – will be the key subject of a special event taking place the day before Asia Fruit Logistica. Hosted by Rijk Zwaan, the seminar will welcome customers and technology companies alike to discuss trends and offer insights into the hydroponic lettuce business.

Another category showing great promise is melons, Doldersum tells Asiafruit. “I was recently in India and in China, and in both countries we see the opportunities for, let’s

move ‘freshly forward from foundation to future’ –which is the group’s theme at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica. “We are very excited to be present again in Hong Kong, and to meet with our customers and to interact,” adds Doldersum. “There is once again such a positive feeling for the horticulture industry in Asia.”

BAYWA GLOBAL PRODUCE

and we see similar developments in countries like China and Indonesia,” Mangold adds.

TFC HOLLAND

say, more Asian type of melons,” he says. “We have invested in the development of varieties more suitable for those conditions, and we now have a really nice portfolio of melon products that can benefit local markets.”

Indeed, Rijk Zwaan’s quincy melon Fujisawa is helping it to

BayWa says that in most Asian countries, including all of South-East Asia, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong, it is seeing a good consumer climate for its premium apple brands Jazz and Envy. “We are very pleased about these developments as this year’s Southern Hemisphere apple season is clouded by the circumstances caused by severe weather events in New Zealand,” notes Benedikt Mangold, chief executive of BayWa Global Produce.

In June, BayWa subsidiary T&G Global launched Joli, a new global premium apple variety. The apple came from a close collaboration between VentureFruit, innovation company Prevar and Plant & Food Research in New Zealand, with T&G the global exclusive license holder for growing, marketing and selling the variety.

Meanwhile, following the disruption caused by Covid in recent years, BayWa has seen fruit shipments to Asian growth markets increase, as well as fresh fruit imports in different Asian countries. “India, for example, has doubled its fresh fruit imports in 2021,

TFC, part of BayWa Global Produce, sources exotic produce from more than 50 countries worldwide, and Asia is an important market when it comes to products such as pomelo, ginger and dragon fruit. “We see a strong local demand for exotics in several producing countries,” says Benedikt Mangold, chief executive of BayWa Global Produce (pictured below). “In this environment, we profit from our long-standing relationships with our growers, focusing on shortest possible supply chains to secure volumes for our European customers.” Vertical integration with direct access to fresh produce is also an important part of TFC’s strategy. The group is looking forward to Asia Fruit Logistica and meeting suppliers of the key products it sources from Asia, as well as sharing experiences and learning to help leverage the potential of growing demand for fresh fruits and vegetables. »

MAZZONI

The Asian market remains of great interest to Italy’s fruit exporters, says Atilio Saldias (below), international business manager at Mazzoni Group. For the country’s major exports to Asia, like kiwifruit, apples, and plums, he believes the year ahead looks promising. “Shipping costs should be lower, so I believe this will be a year when people try to recover a certain trade flow, even if there are problems at production level in some parts of Italy.” The demand is there, and so is the interest among exporters, he adds. “But we have to wait right until harvest time to understand better how our production has evolved. The hope is that there won’t be any climatic events, which unfortunately can be frequent and violent, or other factors that might affect how the campaign goes.”

Malaysia, Korea, and Taiwan. “Asia remains a strategic area where consumption of quality kiwifruit has increased, and so it’s one where we invest a lot of energy and resources.”

THE EUROPEAN ART OF TASTE

Co-funded by the EU and fresh produce marketing consortium CSO Italy, The European Art of Taste returns to Asia Fruit Logistica in September. The three-year promotional project is designed to raise awareness and appreciation of Europe’s fresh and processed fruit and vegetables in Asia, with a focus on products including kiwifruit, apples, pears, plums, vegetables and citrus. “For kiwifruit, the largest volume is shipped to China and Taiwan, followed by Hong Kong and Singapore,” reveals CSO marketing manager Luca Mari. “More volume now goes to India, which went from a little less than 1,000 tonnes in 2021 to more than 3,600 tonnes in 2022.”

JINGOLD

Italian kiwifruit marketer Jingold plans to sell a redfleshed kiwifruit to Asia in the near future, but for this coming season the aim is all about consolidation of existing supply agreements and the development of new trading relationships whenever additional product becomes available. “Our sales grew a lot in 2022/23, led in particular by the Chinese market,” reveals marketing manager Federico Milanese. “The Covid period has definitely ended and it was easier to rekindle relationships with customers and to develop new ones. So it was a very positive season.” Last season, the company sold its branded yellow and green fruit throughout Asia, especially in Indonesia,

For apples, Italy’s leading markets in Asia are India (51,000+ tonnes), Hong Kong (1,000 tonnes), Singapore (730 tonnes) Thailand (600 tonnes), and Taiwan (300 tonnes). Exports of Italian plums to India, meanwhile, have increased dramatically, from just tens of tonnes three years ago to around 400 tonnes. In Singapore too, the first direct shipments were made in 2022, promoting new growth in trade. “There is also a limited volume of Italian table grape and citrus exports to Asia, but these do not appear to have grown much in the period 2020-2022,” Mari adds. »

Fruit and Vegetables made in Italy

Apofruit Italia is a member of the Consorzio Patata Italiana di Qualità (Italian Quality Potato Consortium), owner of the Selenella® brand.

ANGUS SOFT FRUITS

and delectable addition to various recipes and drinks”. Recognising the potential of markets in Asia, Australasia, and the Middle East, the company is especially keen to engage with customers from these regions.

Major British berry supplier Angus Soft Fruits breeds, grows, packs, and supplies berries to retailers in the UK, Europe and Asia all year round. The producer’s head office is in Angus, an area on the east coast of Scotland that is famous for berry production, however through collaboration with growers in England and around the world, the business offers year-round supply.

This is the supplier’s second year exhibiting at Asia Fruit Logistica, and in Hong Kong it will be showcasing some of its UK-grown soft fruit, packaged in its own brands. The company says it is “curious” about the Asian market, which is not easy to service given the geographical distance the fruit must travel coupled with the short shelf-life of berries.

“We are interested in speaking with retailers and distributors and understanding how we could potentially add value to the existing ranges listed across Asia,” says company MD John Gray.

COLIMAN BANANAS

Coliman Bananas is Mexico's premier organic and Fairtrade banana producer, renowned for its commitment to sustainability and quality.

The company says it takes the “utmost care” to protect the environment and its farmers.

Having participated in Asia Fruit Logistica eight years ago, Coliman Bananas eagerly anticipates its return to Hong Kong, and says its absence in recent years has only fuelled its motivation to showcase its “remarkable” progress to the trade show’s visitors.

Alongside a vibrant display of the producer’s organic and Fairtrade bananas, visitors can check out the supplier’s latest innovation, its organic banana purée. Coliman Bananas calls the product “a versatile

HI FRUIT

Hi Fruit is a global supplier of fresh fruit to retailers with packing facilities and offices in the UK, China, Chile and Greece.

Originally a UK-based importer, it has been a major retail supplier for over 30 years and is constantly innovating by diversifying into new markets and supplying new products. The company’s main expertise lies in blueberries, cherries, grapes, pineapples, and citrus.

The business has been attending Asia Fruit Logistica for many years and has exhibited at the trade show since 2019. This year it plans to highlight its joint venture with its Chinese partners, with whom it has made a significant investment in a state-of-the-art Marco packing line.

Hi Fruit continues to prioritise its presence in China while actively exploring opportunities in other Asian markets as it expands in the region. Its primary focus lies in building long-term relationships with suppliers, especially those specialising in its core products.

SINCLAIR

Fruit labelling specialist Sinclair has nine label manufacturing sites, as well as offices worldwide. Its fruit labelling technology is installed in more than 40 countries.

The company offers compostable label options certified ‘OK compost Home’ and ‘OK compost Industrial’ by TÜV Austria. And all Sinclair labels are food-safe and comply with FDA and EU requirements.

The labels are designed for automated, high-speed application to fruits and vegetables, and Sinclair’s labelling systems are provided via a customised leasing agreement without the need for a large capital outlay.

Sinclair Technical Service is recognised as a leader in providing support, consultative technical advice, and analysis for optimal labelling efficiency.

SOLUNA

The Soluna apple brand, launched at Asia Fruit Logistica 2022, will be back this year.

manager for Soluna-branded apples.

Soluna was announced as the new international trademark for the variety ANABP 01 last year. The variety was developed by renowned West Australianbased breeder John Cripps, who also bred Cripps Pink (Pink Lady), and it has been in commercial production for several seasons in Australia.

“A group from the European and South African partners visited Australia this year to see the ANABP 01 variety in the orchards and attend various technical presentations,” says Matthews.

“This was also an opportunity to explain the Soluna-branded global project as envisaged jointly by TopStar and Fruit West (the Australian grower cooperative) to participants and strengthen the relationship between the Australian, European, and South African groups, in anticipation of the expansion of cooperation between TopStar’s partners worldwide.

“We are excited to share these ideas at Asia Fruit Logistica,” Matthews continues. “The harvest of ANABP 01 apples in Australia this year was extremely good, even after some adverse weather events that impacted total production. The fruit just arrived in the market a few weeks ago, so we are looking forward to the consumer reaction.”

“The TopStar team will be back with a fully branded Soluna stand and our aim is to connect with our importers and retailers. The team from WA Farm Direct, which manages Soluna exports from Australia, will be there as well as the team from TopStar,” says Liza Matthews of TopFruit in South Africa, which together with Star Fruits in France, is the global »

HALL 3 STAND 3-J55

BONNYSA

produce and that’s why we believe that we can connect as a brand and as a company in this market. We’re seeking to build relationships based on mutual trust for the medium and long term,” says commercial director Jorge Ignacio Brotóns.

THE NATURAL HAND

As Spain’s leading exporter of persimmon to Asia, The Natural Hand welcomes the signing earlier this year of the new import protocol paving the way for shipments to China. According to chief executive Juan Carlos Martínez, the company has already received a lot of interest from Chinese buyers and is now looking ahead to securing the protocol to export to Japan and India.

First-time exhibitor Bonnysa is keen to forge new commercial relationships in Asia and find customers for its premium extrasweet seedless table grapes. “For us, the Asian market is a benchmark when it comes to demanding highquality, distinctive and consistent

As well as ramping up its grape production, the company is expanding its papaya acreage and introducing new lines to its fresh-cut and convenience ranges. As part of its long-term sustainability strategy, Bonnysa recently launched its first freshcut packaging made from bio-based materials.

The Natural Hand specialises in shipments to faraway markets and accounts for more than 85 per

Chris White in conversation with the world’s fresh produce business leaders

cent of Spain’s total persimmon export volume to Asia. Over the next few years the company expects to double its production of Rojo Brillante persimmon to 10,000 tonnes. It is also the leading importer of Peruvian-grown Rojo Brillante persimmon, handling more than 2,000 tonnes between the months of April and July.

VALLE DEL JERTE COOPERATIVE GROUP

Inclement weather caused extensive damage to crops in the north of Extremadura in Spain this year, including the loss of almost 90 per cent of the cherry harvest, the region’s main economic driver.

The 3,000 producers that make up the Valle del Jerte Cooperative Group – Europe’s biggest cherry producer – have had to dig deep to find the resilience needed to overcome such a devastating loss. This includes redoubling efforts to position its other products in the global market, such as its dried figs, which the company will showcase at Asia Fruit Logistica.

“We use rice flour to coat our figs, instead of wheat flour, so they have the advantage of being gluten free and 100 per cent safe for people with celiac disease,” says marketing manager Laura Buezos.

“Although we don’t currently export to Asia, we see it as a market with huge potential for our figs and cherries.”

VLAM

In Asia, China is the main market for Belgian Conference pears. This autumn, Flanders Agricultural Marketing Board (VLAM) will launch the ‘Taste of Europe China’ campaign in the country. “This point-of-sale campaign is a powerful tool to promote Belgian Conference pears in Chinese retail, both physically and digitally,” says VLAM’s Hartwig Moyaert. “By combining in-store tastings and displays, digital platforms and influencer collaborations, retailers can captivate consumers, generate product awareness, and increase sales. By leveraging the power of both offline and online channels, retailers can charm shoppers and create a buzz around these delectable fruits.”

BLUE WHALE

French exporter Blue Whale has been content with the success of its Candine variety in Asian markets, with good sales in markets including Vietnam, China, Singapore and Thailand last year, according to commercial director Marc Peyres. “We’ve been very pleased with the success of our Candine in many countries, not only in Asia, but also in South America and Central America.

“This year we’re going to double our volume of Candine,” he says. “We should pack around 400,000 boxes this year. People love the taste. They love Candine, because it is sweet, juicy, and has more flavour than any other sweet apple at the moment. In the last few years Candine is probably the most exciting one in terms of returns and taste.”

Peyres says Candine has great potential for growth in volumes. “Candine is already being produced in Italy, Spain, Portugal and France, and it will soon start in the Southern Hemisphere,” he says. “The variety also offers some disease resistance, which is very important for the future because we have to think about producing varieties differently from the past.”

KEITT EXPORTERS

Keitt Exporters is a grower, packer and exporter of fresh produce from Kenya to markets in Europe, the Middle East and East Asia. The company’s signature product is avocados, but its range also includes mangoes, vegetables and herbs.

“We are currently in the avocado season in Kenya,” says the company’s Kazeela Kurji, speaking to Asiafruit in mid-July. “This has been a great season for us so far, despite the delay in the onset of production caused by climatic anomalies towards the end of last year. With our current yields as we approach the end of the peak season, we expect to have a fruitful off-season crop around November that will be better than previous years. Simultaneously, we are gearing ourselves for our mango season which we expect to commence in the third week of September.”

Conference pears ALWAYS IN GOOD SHAPE

SOUTH AFRICA PAVILION

South Africa’s fruit export industry will once again be represented at Asia Fruit Logistica through a pavilion sponsored and managed by the South African Department of Trade and Industries. In recent years, the nation’s presence at the show has grown, driven by the expansion of market access into Asia.

The South African apple and pear industry will participate against the backdrop of new advances in India and China, where increased demand has resulted in a strong market, according to Jacques du Preez, general manager of trade and markets for industry body Hortgro (pictured below).

“In fact, we did not have enough fruit to supply demand in India and that is very positive for us,” says du Preez.

South African avocados will also be represented as the industry seeks to open up markets in Asia. “We are making good progress in entry discussions with China and have also made headway in Japan,” says CEO of Subtrop, Derek Donkin. “It will be a good opportunity to consolidate our gains and discuss plans for the future.”

SATI

South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) has made strides in boosting its presence in the Far East and South East Asia over recent years.

“SATI will be attending Asia Fruit Logistica 2023 in Hong Kong this year in order to interact with stakeholders in the region,” says Mecia Petersen, market development and promotions manager of the national grower organisation.

“Building relationships as we expand South Africa’s market share in Asia is important to SATI, and Asia Fruit Logistica offers the opportunity to engage with

key industry role-players.”

During the past year, SATI has continued its strategic efforts to expand market share in Asian territories, she notes.

“The China Market Development Campaign, co-funded by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, was successfully executed in March and April 2023 and South African fruit received positive feedback from the market,” says Petersen.

CLEMENGOLD

Leading South African citrus brand developers and marketers see Asia Fruit Logistica as the ideal platform to boost relationships in Asia. ClemenGold International, representing the ClemenGold

premium mandarin brand, as well as LemonGold seedless lemons and Sweet C mandarins, will once again be exhibiting at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica.

“We view the show as the perfect platform to strengthen our relationships with our Asian clients, and to meet prospective clients,” says Adéle Ackermann, marketing manager of Clemengold.

At last year’s Asia Fruit Logistica, ClemenGold won the coveted Marketing Campaign of the Year Award in recognition of its successful efforts to develop the ClemenGold brand in China. “We value the global benchmarking and networking opportunities that Asia Fruit Logistica offers us,” says Ackermann (pictured below). A

Americas

Exhibitors from North, South and Central America look forward to catching up with new and existing customers, suppliers, and partners on the other side of the Pacific Ocean this September.

by Jeff Long & Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

CALIFORNIA AVOCADO COMMISSION

Exhibiting for the first since 2016, the California Avocado Commission (CAC) will be spreading the word about the quality of California-grown avocados from its stand in the USA Pavilion. “We will be focused on the value of California avocados - the best and only product we have,” says vice-president of marketing, Terry Splane. “We will also be discussing how we partner with and support retailers to ensure California avocados are marketed to maximise retailers’ sales volume and profits.” Splane adds that CAC has recently revised its messaging, emphasising four themes: superiority; availability; grown in California; sustainably grown.

USA PEARS

launch our consumer brand Livie, (which) stands for quality assurance of consistently big, crunchy and tasty blueberries.” Liekens adds that blueberries from the Sekoya network are mainly sourced out of Peru for a part of the year but are also grown in more than 30 countries – including China –allowing for 52-week availability.

WASHINGTON APPLE COMMISSION

The Washington Apple Commission (WAC) has been exhibiting at Asia Fruit Logistica for nearly 20 years, since the first show in Bangkok, Thailand, held in 2007. “We have expanded our presence as the show has grown as we have found it to be a key place to meet current and potential Washington apple importers, wholesalers, and retailers from Asia, India, and the Middle East,” notes international marketing manager Lindsey Huber. Not surprisingly, WAC will be showcasing fresh apples from Washington State. “The production of new varieties such as Cosmic Crisp and Honeycrisp, along with many of our proprietary ‘club’ varieties, continues to increase as our growers adapt production to consumer preferences,” notes Huber.

Another original Asia Fruit Logistica exhibitor, USA Pears is looking forward to another productive show in 2023. “We are excited to be back in Hong Kong after the pandemic,” says international marketing director Jeff Correa. “Asia Fruit Logistica has been one of the best trade shows for the US pear industry over the years in terms of the quality of the attendees and shipper attendance.” Correa adds that the timing of Asia Fruit Logistica in early September fits well with the start of the US pear season. “The show is a great meeting place for the USA Pears shippers, importers and retailers to set plans for the new season. It’s also an opportunity to touch base with the Asia fresh trade and provide a better understanding of the outlook for the season ahead.”

SEKOYA

A first-time exhibitor, Sekoya will be showcasing its family of Sekoya premium blueberry varieties. “Sekoya blueberry varieties have been booming last year in China and Asia Fruit Logistica is the right platform to connect with our (indirect) Asian customers and get to know them in person,” says value chain and retail manager Hans Liekens (pictured). “We will also

IDAHO POTATO COMMISSION

After a successful 2022 show in Bangkok, the Idaho Potato Commission is excited to be exhibiting at Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong in 2023. “Asia Fruit Logistica is a unique show because it allows us the opportunity to see our clients who are located all over Asia (as well as) visit with potential new clients,” says the commission’s vice-president Ross Johnson. “The Idaho Potato Commission is the only state potato organisation focused on investing in the success of our clients. Many customers think price is the only way to do business, but our proven marketing methods increase sales for our customers year after year. We enjoy the challenge of finding new ways to increase our customer sales and work to educate consumers to demand world famous Idaho Potatoes.” Johnson notes that new chief executive Jamey Higham will be attending the show this year.

NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

A four-time exhibitor, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture stand will once again feature fresh Muscadine grapes – the official state fruit of North Carolina. “Our growers have noticed that the nutritional benefits and the unique taste of muscadine grapes attract many Asian Americans in North America,” says assistant director for international marketing Cathy Ma. Ma says the NCDA will also be promoting southern US heirloom apple varieties.

CMI ORCHARDS

After a hiatus of three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, CMI Orchards is back exhibiting at Asia Fruit Logistica in 2023. “We have attended Asia Fruit Logistica many times before and are thrilled to be able to come back again this year,” says marketing specialist Ashlyn Lewis. “It’s always exciting to spend quality time with our global partners and retail customers overseas, as well as share some of the best tasting fruit in the world.” Lewis says CMI Orchards will be showcasing a “huge” selection of apples, pears, cherries, citrus and grapes at its stand including its high-flavour, branded apples such as Kiku, Kanzi, SugarBee, Cosmic Crisp, and EverCrisp. “CMI is also one of seven global members of the International Pome Fruit Alliance and we’ll be launching some brand-new apple varieties near the Australian pavilion. Be sure to swing by and check out what’s new.”

CALAVO GROWERS

First exhibiting at the 2018 trade fair, Calavo Growers – one of the world’s largest marketers of fresh and processed avocados – is pleased to be back again in Hong Kong for 2023 after several years of disruption

due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “We see great value in participating in Asia Fruit Logistica as it enables seeing all our Asia customers at one event,” says marketing manager Lindsay Martinez. With the state of Jalisco recently gaining access to the US market for Hass avocados, Calavo is well geared up to supply its global customer base. “We’re extremely proud of our modern, state-of-the-art packing house in Jalisco, Mexico,” notes Martinez. “This 18,600m2 facility has been operational since 2017, allowing us to supplement our international avocado business and complementing our supply of avocados from the state of Michoacán. It also has additional space for future expansion and certified Primus FFS, GlobalGAP, SMETA, Senasica (Mexico) and organic avocados.”

WONDERFUL CITRUS

An original exhibitor since the first Asia Fruit Logistica in 2008, Wonderful Citrus along with its sister organisation, Pom Wonderful, is back again for 2023. “We have been exhibiting at Asia Fruit Logistica for many years and it has grown into an important annual meeting for our existing customers and is an exciting opportunity to meet new ones,” says representative Alex VanLang. As in previous shows, Wonderful will not only be featuring its quality citrus but pomegranate products as well.

“We will be promoting Pom Wonderful and our increased availability of fresh pomegranates for export this season. Additionally, we will be promoting our full line-up of Wonderful Citrus products including Wonderful Halos mandarins, Wonderful seedless lemons, and Texas grapefruit. After a significant freeze impacted our Texas crop in 2021, we are excited to re-engage with customers and share our excellent tasting citrus varieties. We recently started exporting to Vietnam and expect to send shipments to Korea this year. Our Wonderful seedless lemon trees are beginning to mature and we expect to have notable availability to engage with export partners soon for this game changing variety,” adds VanLang.

ABRAFRUTAS

When Brazilian fruit association Abrafrutas was established in 2013, its goal was for fruit exports to reach US$1bn within ten years. “We knew it would be a challenge but we got there in 2021, in spite of the pandemic and resulting logistical fallout,” says Jorge de Souza.

Although Brazil’s planted area remains relatively stable, fresh fruit production is increasing thanks to technological advances. “Growers and exporters are focused on reducing costs, improving quality and regularising supply,” de Souza explains. “For example, there has been a lot of investment in biological inputs that comply with customer requirements for lower chemical residue levels on fruits.”

As Brazilian fruit continues to make inroads in the Asian market, Abrafrutas will be in Hong Kong to present its apple offer to customers from India and Bangladesh, as well as to strengthen its commercial ties with markets like Singapore, Korea, Thailand, Japan and Indonesia.

Meanwhile, negotiations to open the Chinese market to Brazilian grapes are at an advanced stage and de Souza is hopeful that approval is “imminent”.

SAN JORGE PACKAGING

Chile’s San Jorge Packaging is expanding capacity at its main production facility to allow it to meet the increasingly diverse needs of its customers. The company has developed a number of new packaging formats incorporating its innovative MAP technology that will be on display at its stand in Hong Kong.

“The Asian market is hugely important to us because it is an opportunity to collaborate in delivering top-quality fresh fruit from exporters in Chile, Peru, Argentina and across Latin America to people in Asia,” says Helena Corvalán.

REIMEX

Reimex launched its longawaited online marketplace this year, providing Latin American exporters with a new business channel for their fruit. The Chilean company has also made significant progress in the development of its new statistics module, which provides users with accurate data on the prices of the main products

exported from Latin America.

“This establishes our platform as a benchmark in business intelligence for the agricultural industry,” says analyst Ian Mesina. “These innovations will undoubtedly help companies to improve decision-making for the different players in the international market.”

According to Mesina, Reimex’s platform works every day to help importers from the Asian continent find exporters in Latin America. “We believe that this connection between the two markets can create significant business opportunities and foster economic growth in both regions. We are committed to facilitating this collaboration and strengthening trade ties between Asia and Latin America,” he says. A

PROMPERU

Nine Peruvian companies with a diverse offer that includes avocados, grapes, blueberries, asparagus, mangoes and pomegranates, along with the industry bodies representing the table grape, blueberry and mango sectors will take part in this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica.

March 2023 saw the opening of the Japanese market for Peruvian grapes, paving the way for the first shipments to take place in 2023/24.

Positive results for Chilean stonefruit

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

Chilean stonefruit exports fell 11 per cent in volume but increased 19 per cent in value in 2022/23. Asoex said 242,000 tonnes of stonefruit worth US$409m was shipped this season, making it one of the best campaigns in recent memory.

Chile’s Japanese plum production fell 19 per cent from 98,000 tonnes in 2021/22 to 79,000 tonnes due to a decrease in planted area and lower fruit set caused by frost and rains. Nectarine volumes dipped 5 per cent to 81,000 tonnes, but they still registered their second biggest season ever. Shipments of European plums totalled 58,000 tonnes, a fall of 3 per cent on the previous season. Once again, China was the main market for this variety, taking 99 per cent of the export total. Peach exports continued their downward trend, falling by 15 per cent to just under 23,000 tonnes.

CHINA DRIVES EXPORT GROWTH

China grew fastest as a market, thanks to the easing of logistical disruptions after the pandemic. “This season the logistics went very well, returning to normality. We were able to ship stonefruit on the Cherry Express, which has three or four departures per week,” said Asoex president Iván Marambio.

“This meant we could reach this market with very good quality fruit. In addition, there was a good rotation of the fruit, especially in white nectarines and the famous D’agen (European plum).”

US NEEDS BOOST

According to Asoex marketing director Ignacio Caballero, the US market saw mixed results, with sales slowing after a strong start to the season. “On the one hand, we had to compete with the beginning of the grape season, while the large stonefruit volumes that were concentrated and accumulated in the second part of the season also affected sales,” Caballero noted.

“The general results were better than in previous seasons, but without a doubt we need to continue working on this market, investing in varietal replacement, and focusing on quality and the condition of fruit when it arrives.”

BIG DROP IN EUROPE

Shipments to Europe continued their downward trend, mainly because of strong competition from South Africa. Exports to Europe have contracted by 43 per cent in the last six years, totalling just 21,000 tonnes in 2022/23.

Meanwhile, shipments to Latin American markets fell 4 per cent in volume to 47,000 tonnes but Asoex reported good results in Brazil and Mexico.

GOOD FUTURE PROSPECTS FOR PROJECTED VOLUME

Marambio noted that this has been the best season for Chilean stonefruit since the Chinese market opened, with European plums and white-fleshed nectarines both performing particularly well.

“Both products show good results with the weekly volumes that are arriving, with good prospects for the coming years as long as weekly concentration is avoided, which must be accompanied by good logistics and promotional activities that encourage their consumption,” he said.

Marambio further noted that Japanese plum production is expected to stabilise in the coming seasons, with an increase in planted area for earlier varieties bringing more balanced supply and avoiding a concentration of volume in peak weeks.

“The challenge will be to see if we can restore our historical position in the European market or if we’ll be left behind by the competition,” he said. A

ABOVE—The ability to reach the market with very good quality fruit this year was a decisive factor in driving demand in Asia

The revival of the Chinese market was a major boost to exporters this season.

GRAPES

Slow start compacts California grape deal

Slightly larger export crop is anticipated once picking starts in earnest, as growers grapple with cost of production and increased export risks.

The California San Joaquin 2023 table grape season is off to a delayed start this year after an unusually cool spring followed on the heels of epic winter rainfall. As it turns out, the late start is probably fortunate because heavy volumes of Mexican fruit still remained in North American supply channels as of mid-July, and were likely to remain stocked through the end of the month.

Historically, fruit picking to some extent begins by the end of June, but by the same time this year most of the valley’s growers were still waiting for their early varieties to reach adequate Brix levels.

“The first fruit [of the season] didn’t come off the vines until after the 4 July holiday this year,” explains industry veteran John Pandol, speaking to Asiafruit in mid-July. “Actually, the harvest doesn’t look like it will really pick up until the week of 18 July, and it will not be fully up and running until the week of 25 July. However, the deal looks to be somewhat compacted, so once picking starts in earnest things will probably power-up pretty fast.”

John Harley of Anthony Vineyards, which produces on some of the earliest ground in the San Joaquin, adds that the market has been a “bit depressed” with too much Mexican fruit clogging up the supply system.

“The harvest should begin to transition from the desert areas by the third week of July but Mexico still needs to clean up [in order] for the valley to really get going,” he says.

Once it does, the California Table Grape Commission anticipates that the state will ship 96.9m cartons (8.6kg) by the season’s end, which is up slightly from the 95.1m cartons packed last season.

“The late start this year makes this a 22-week season instead of the usual 24 weeks,” comments Pandol. “There are probably a good 100m cartons-worth of fruit out there this year. The question is whether it will get shipped.”

COST CONCERNS

As with other sectors of the US horticulture industry, California table grape growers have been struggling

RIGHT—California growers have struggled to find enough fruit pickers this year

to find enough field hands just to pick their fruit this year. The labour that has been secured comes at a high price due to state-mandated wage increases. Costs for other production inputs, including energy, fertiliser, and irrigation, have also risen significantly in recent years, raising the profitability bar all the more for the industry. Not that many seasons ago, California regularly packed and shipped more than 110m cartons annually. Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, however, table grape shipments for the state have failed to reach the 100m-carton mark.

“The number of growers continues to contract in the industry as returns haven’t kept pace with the cost of production,” notes Pandol. “Because of this, and other reasons, there is less private equity investment in table grapes these days, with more ground getting abandoned in between seasons. There likely will be a weeding out of some of the new varieties that have been released over the last many years as they tend to mature all at once and produce a glut of fruit. The varieties that eventually prove to be marginal will probably get pulled.”

EXPORT RISKS

The California table grape industry has long counted on export markets – particularly those in the Asia-

Pacific region – to absorb a significant percentage of its annual production and support domestic prices. However, since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic the

ABOVE—Exports to Pacific Rim nations have declined by 43 per cent since 2020

OPPOSITE—California grapes are facing increasing local competition in Asia

amount of fruit reaching those far-flung destinations has fallen off considerably with the strong US dollar, increased costs of ocean freight, and prolonged transit times from supply chain interruptions all increasing export risks. According to the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, exports of California table grapes to Pacific Rim nations have fallen by 43 per cent since 2020. Canada and Mexico, along with other Western Hemisphere destinations, dominate California’s export business these days.

Adding to the California industry’s international trade dilemma is the fact that domestic table grape production is steadily expanding across East Asia every year, and with improving quality. Of particular note is the Shine Muscat variety, which has suddenly become a favourite with Asian consumers. Originally bred in Japan, now Shine Muscats is produced in China as well as Korea, and sells at a percentage of the delivered cost of California fruit.

Nonetheless, once the 2023 season gets underway in full, reports indicate that San Joaquin has a quality crop on its hands with good Brix, appearance and fairly strong yields. Growers can only hope that Mother Nature remains in a friendly mood; keeping summer heatwaves to a minimum, and monsoonal rains far away from their vineyards. A

IFG opens state-of-theart research laboratory

The facility allows the company to intensify the scope of its research and development work.

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

ABOVE & LEFT—The newly expanded laboratory is part of IFG’s official growth strategy

providing a tenfold increase in the size of the Research & Development team’s current lab. It will allow access to the newest and most highly technical laboratory equipment to enhance the IFG R&D team’s work, from tissue and plant cultures to virus testing to molecular research.

IFG’s lead plant breeder, Dr Chris Owens, says the new facility will allow him and his team to increase the scope of their research and bring projects that were previously outsourced due to space restrictions in-house. It will also enable the team to work on molecular genetics projects such as determining relationships between individuals, tracking favourable genes in different populations, and understanding the genetic control of economically important traits.

Additionally, the team can now conduct in-house virus testing using molecular tools, helping to identify any virus-infected plants and eliminate the virus when necessary. According to Dr Owens, his team is looking to add functions such as flavour chemistry, to more accurately pinpoint which growing conditions will lead to enhanced flavours as well as plant pathology and plant physiology.

“What we've created here is a world class laboratory built from the ground up. We are continuing the tradition that Dr David Cain, co-founder of IFG, began over 20 years ago: to naturally breed fruit with unique and delicious flavours that both surprise and delight customers,” Owens says.

“Before we bring anything into the field, we start all breeding programmes in the laboratory and the new facilities allow us to continue to innovate and amplify our research methods.”

Chief executive Andy Higgins adds: “Our newly expanded laboratory is part of IFG’s official growth strategy. Not only do we get to intensify the scope of our breeding and research, but this facility allows us the opportunity to increase our current R&D team.

“Right now, we have the best-in-class plant breeder and researchers, but soon, we will be able to recruit from the finest universities as well as pull from some of the world’s top fruit breeding regions, such as Chile and our home-base in Kern County. This includes hiring food chemists, post-harvest physiologists and other research team members.”

International Fruit Genetics (IFG) opens the doors to its new state-of-the-art breeding and research laboratory this summer. The facility will form part of IFG’s new US$19m

Fruitworks|IFG Discovery Center campus in McFarland, California.

While the Fruitworks campus is not due to open till the spring of 2024, the laboratory will be functional from summer 2023,

Another area in which IFG wants to expand its breeding personnel is the data science field. New genomic technologies mean fruit breeders can generate terabytes of genetic data (which equals 1,000,000 megabytes) at a low cost compared to historical standards. This data can unveil critical information, such as the colour or taste of a berry.

IFG said the newly expanded laboratory facilities will allow its Research & Development team to hire data scientists to analyse the large data sets. A

Positive finish for Australian grapes

Domestic and export sales increased this year compared with recent campaigns despite inclement weather affecting the season start.

by Liam O’Callaghan @liamfruitnet

The Australian table grape season has concluded on a positive note with domestic and export sales for 2023 making a marked recovery against the previous two years.

Table grape export volumes increased by 20,000 tonnes to more than 130,000 tonnes – worth more than A$570m – which is lower than the industry’s pre-Covid peak, but an improvement compared with the past two seasons.

This result was achieved despite climatic events affecting producers in several growing regions and

impacting optimal seasonal timing. Wet and mild weather early in the production year instigated several issues, including a three-to-fourweek delay in many growing areas, and higher than usual pest and disease concerns.

Australian Table Grape Association chief executive, Jeff Scott, says producers endured several tests this season, but overall finished positively.

“In November and December, weather events brought rain, hail and flooding to Sunraysia and Queensland,” Scott explains.

“Growers were tested and they had to be very strategic with their pest and disease management – accessing their vines when they could to apply appropriate treatments. Despite there being a higherthan-usual risk of downy mildew and powdery mildew from the rain events, table grape producers remained relatively unscathed.”

Scott notes although the crop quality wasn’t affected by the inclement weather, the fruit took longer to colour and ripen.

“While the early season fruit was absorbed by the domestic market, many of the mid- and late-season varieties reached maturity at the same time and were harvested at once,” Scott says.

This overabundance of fruit led to a glut in some export markets. Other destinations, however, recovered well following two years of low supply.

China-bound exports lifted to around 40 per cent – up from 28 per cent last year – while Indonesia received more than 18 per cent of export volume, and Vietnam held strong with a 10 per cent share.

Producers and exporters are hopeful now for a more stable production year, with climatic conditions expected to return to normal and improved market access on the agenda in several countries.

“We’re working with the federal government and overseas governments to improve market access in Thailand and the Philippines,” Scott says.

“We’re also hopeful for full varietal access in Japan, which currently only accepts two varieties, and changes to the protocol in the US, which would open up a lot of avenues for exports.” A

LEFT—Exports rose by 20,000 tonnes to more than 130,000 tonnes in 2023

PLEASE VISIT US

HALL 3, STAND 3B25

PLEASE VISIT US

HALL 3, STAND 3G51

South Africa to shape China campaign

South African grape industry ends three-year promotional drive in China and uses off-season to discuss the future.

by Fred Meintjes

Ahighly successful threeyear promotional campaign for South African table grapes in China came to an end this season, with the industry now using its traditional off-season to fully evaluate results and plan future activities.

It is certain that the campaign will be continued, but it is too early to say in what format it will do so. It was always expected that the table grape industry would undertake a detailed review once the three-year campaign came to an end.

SATI, the industry body, previously expressed its satisfaction with this year’s campaign, which was mainly conducted during March and April.

“SATI is pleased with this year’s campaign and will be analysing results for the future,” said Mecia Petersen, market development and communications manager

BELOW—SATI said this year’s Chinese marketing campaign had been a success and once a review has taken place, it seems certain that it will continue in some form

South African Table Grape Industry has continued its strategic efforts to expand market share in Asian territories,” she said. “The China Market Development Campaign, co-funded by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, was successfully executed in March and April 2023 and South Africa’s product received positive feedback from the market.

“The opportunity to interact with stakeholders at Asia Fruit Logistica is important to us,” Petersen added. “Building relationships as we expand our market share in Asia is important to SATI, and Asia Fruit Logistica offers the opportunity to engage with key industry role-players.”

Last season, South African table grape exporters cooperated to deliver a campaign in China that consisted of a focused approach to achieve shorter transit times and a narrower arrival window with cultivars preferred by consumers in China.

This focused supply strategy was bolstered with concurrent promotional activities by table grape importers and retailers in China that included wholesale market events, media outreach, and retail events and promotions in multiple Chinese cities. A at SATI. “While no definite plans have been announced yet, SATI wishes to proceed with a campaign next season, taking into account available funding and the need to expand in other areas in Asia.

“Overall, SATI is grateful for support by the Western Cape Government and specifically the Department of Agriculture, as well as exporters, producers and industry partners who worked with us,” she continued. “This enabled us to successfully deliver the 2022/23 China market development campaign.

“We look forward to further collaboration in future as we work to maintain South Africa’s position as a preferred supplier of table grapes.”

Petersen confirmed that SATI would meet with those who participated in the campaign this year during Asia Fruit Logistica and Asiafruit Congress in Hong Kong.

“During the past year the

Table grape opportunities to be highlighted

by Fred Meintjes

Table grape growers and scientists working in the field have a great opportunity to see the latest developments in action during the tenth International Table Grape Symposium, which will be held in South Africa in November.

That is the view of Anton Viljoen, chairman of the South African Table Grape Industry (SATI), who says South Africa will also present an opportunity to attend field tours in the Berg or Hex River Valley and a post-symposium tour to the Orange River region.

“Table grape growers and scientists have an affinity with each other, wherever they are located around the world,” says Viljoen.

“This is why the Symposium offers a great opportunity for us to get together here in our grape regions

and vineyards to see how we are dealing with new opportunities and increasing challenges we all face.”

While a good scientific base is the foundation of any successful table grape industry, it must be remembered that international consumer demand is driving on-farm decisions, especially those related to cultivar flavour and texture.

“That is why the timing of the conference is such that visitors can also attend field trips as part of the symposium programme in the Cape regions,” he continues. “Our new crops will be well set and in the Orange River region, the destination for the post-conference field visits, growers will be in the midst of harvesting.”

Much focus will be on optimising on-farm resources, dealing with climate change challenges and efficient packing and logistics. The field tours will visit the Berg River and Hex River regions, which combined deliver more than 50 per cent of South Africa’s table grapes, and a whole range of new varieties will be featured.

Following the Symposium there will be two one-day tours of the Orange River. “This is where the best of Sun World, SNFL, Arra and IFG varieties will be viewed during or close to harvesting,” says Viljoen. “There will also be a focus on the covering of vineyards with plastic as new precision farming practices are introduced, while packhouse visits will focus on modern scale technology.

“While what is happening on our farms is helping us to present exciting opportunities for our visitors and to enhance international cooperation and an exchange of ideas, what will happen in the conference venue is of utmost importance,” he adds. “Our conference team will present a jam-packed agenda which will guide the world’s table grape industries during the next few years.” A

As the world gets ready to convene in South Africa in November for the International Table Grape Symposium, the local industry is preparing to share its expertise.

ABOVE—Tours of South African vineyards will take place BELOW—Consumer demand is driving varietal development

Zespri connects with consumers across Asia

New Zealand kiwifruit marketer harnesses multiple channels across a range of markets to help drive sales.

by Liam O’Callaghan @liamfruitnet

As Zespri Green, SunGold and RubyRed kiwifruit head to Asia this season they will be accompanied by an expansive marketing campaign combining strategies tailored to each market. Seemingly every opportunity to connect with consumers will be explored by Zespri, with promotions across online and offline channels, in retailers and at the point-of-sale, as well as on social media and TV.

JAPAN, KOREA & SINGAPORE

‘Small is Big’ is the focus of Zespri’s marketing campaign in Japan, Korea and Singapore this year. The campaign has been developed to drive awareness that Zespri kiwifruit may be small, but comes with big health benefits. The integrated campaign, which features the Zespri KiwiBrother characters, has been rolled out across a number of high-reaching

channels, including TV and digital. In Japan, the campaign has also gone live in-store, with large-scale kiwifruit sampling taking place again for the first time since the Covid-19 outbreak.

In Korea, in-store activity has included advertising on supermarket trolleys, as well as kiwifruit sampling stations, complemented by a season launch event which took place at the end of April.

For Singapore, Zespri is adapting videos used in Japan, and in-store material from Korea.

Brand manager – Japan, Maiko Kurita, says Zespri is “really pleased” with how the season started in Japan, and is looking forward to the coming months.

“Our new TV commercial began airing in Japan at the start of May, with the number of views on YouTube reaching almost 3.3 million [people] in the first 11 days,” says Kurita. “The TVC has also received lots of positive feedback from consumers.”

Japan was the first market to open the Zespri RubyRed kiwifruit season. Sales have been driven by a strong in-store presence, leveraging the KiwiBrothers and the introduction of a ‘Kiwi Sister’, with a focus on taste. Sales have been tracking well too. More than 250,000 trays of this season’s crop has been shipped and sold in Japan, China and Singapore.

MALAYSIA, INDONESIA, INDIA & THAILAND

The Zespri KiwiBrothers are also the stars of the ‘So Healthy, So Tasty… Gotta Be Zespri’ campaign which has gone live in Malaysia, Indonesia, India and

OPPOSITE—The Zespri KiwiBrothers have been joined by a Kiwi Sister RIGHT & BOTTOM LEFT—Health and quality are the focus for promotions in Malaysia, Indonesia, India and Thailand BOTTOM RIGHT—Zespri’s ‘Invigoration’ campaign began in China during April

CREDIT—Jaya Grocer Malaysia & Village Grocer Malaysia

Thailand. It’s the first time the KiwiBrothers have been introduced to these markets, with the campaign focusing on the health and quality of Zespri SunGold and Green kiwifruit.

This campaign includes videos across channels such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. Offline initiatives include the KiwiBrothers featured on in-store displays and floor decals.

CHINA

Zespri’s marketing efforts in China began at the end of April to coincide with the Labour Day holiday. It’s the second year of Zespri’s ‘Invigoration’ campaign which has been created to highlight the health benefits of Zespri kiwifruit, as well as drive continuous consumer awareness of the Zespri brand and increase household penetration.

Out-of-home is a key channel this year, in addition to Douyin (China’s TikTok and the top digital platform in the country). Key influencers in China have also been used as part of the campaign, plus Zespri has partnered with the China Nutrition Society and Dr DX (a top health education platform) to share key messages.

VIETNAM

In Vietnam this year, Zespri has launched its ‘Superfruit’ campaign for the second time.

The marketing initiative highlights both the taste and

nutritional value of Zespri kiwifruit, and is targeted at young families and other consumers who are interested in healthy living.

Zespri will carry out this promotional campaign in Vietnam across multiple social media channels, such as YouTube, Facebook and TikTok.

The digital programme will be supported by out-of-home advertising, as well as sampling displays to give shoppers the chance to try Zespri kiwifruit, which will roll out across major supermarkets and independent stores in the country. A

North American cherries endure complications

by Jeff Long

The 2023 season is turning out to be another tough year for North American cherry growers in California, Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. As usual, weather issues lie at the root of their problems.

CALIFORNIA

Things got off to an inauspicious start for the industry in California as cool weather hanging on from one of the wettest winters in the state’s history significantly delayed the beginning of the season.

Daily shipments didn’t eclipse the 100,000-carton mark until 16 May –a level typically reached during the first week of the month.

To complicate matters, California cherry growers had a record 10.4m-carton (8.2kg) crop on their hands. Production was so delayed this year, however, that the allimportant Memorial Day holiday (on 29 May) promotional period was largely missed because the bulk of the fruit matured too late.

“California typically ships 70 per cent of its cherry volume in May,” explains Mark Calder of Primavera Marketing, one of the state’s largest grower-shippers.

“This year, things were reversed, with 70 per cent [of the crop] coming off in June, and only 30 per cent in May. Our season is usually done by the second week of June but we were still shipping as of the end of that month. [The industry] still missed most of the 4 July holiday promotions since the supply

channels were all jammed up, and retailers could buy fruit from their local markets as needed.”

The cool spring weather also wreaked havoc with the timing of this year’s California cherry harvest. The Coral variety was at least two weeks late maturing, and ran up against Bing production. “There was a significant overlap between Corals and Bings this year,” Calder confirms.

“The industry actually set a record for shipments [during] the first week of June.”

PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Speaking of overlaps, the Pacific Northwest cherry season was also late getting under way due to a very cold spring, yet it managed to run up against California fruit still lingering in supply channels by late June. Overlapping with California production was not the Northwest’s only problem this year, however.

“We had a heatwave in early May that caused a ‘flash-bloom’ across the growing areas that ended up compressing the cherry harvest,” reveals Steve Reinholt of Starr Ranch Growers. “Between the very short period bloom and the California overlap, the market has never really recovered.”

On 11 July the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that 10 ‘row’ cherries were selling for between

OPPOSITE— Asian markets appreciate the quality and flavour of US cherries

BELOW—Retail shoppers sampling fresh cherries from the US Pacific Northwest LEFT—California growers have a record 10.4m-carton crop on their hands in 2023

Photo: California Cherries

US$25 and US$27 FOB per carton. On the same date in 2022, meanwhile, 10 row fruit fetched between US$66 and US$71 FOB per carton.

Admittedly, the 2022 season was an aberration as Northwest cherry production turned out to be the lowest of the century. By comparison, in 2021 when seasonal volume was closer to the usual 20m cartons, 10 row fruit sold for as high as US$39 in mid-July of that year.

“This season will probably be a tough one for our growers,” predicts Marc Pflugrath of CMI Orchards, speaking to Asiafruit in early July.

“We started off with small fruit and low (FOB) prices, and although

now that we’ve got much better sizing and overall quality, the market is still in the ‘dumps’. Hopefully, things will improve over the next few weeks.”

The flash bloom in May and the subsequently compacted harvest are expected to result in an early end to the 2023 Northwest cherry season. A recent report from the Northwest Cherry Growers Association

Although overall quality is good, growers in California, Pacific Northwest and British Columbia have struggled this season.

forecasts that shipments will start to subside by early August – from approximately 500,000 cartons per day to 50,000 cartons per day by the week beginning 15 August.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

That would be a welcome development for the British Columbia cherry industry, whose suppliers have been struggling under the strain of over-supplied markets this season too.

“There have been some complaints about the dumping of US-grown cherries on the Canadian market this year,” observes Ricky Chong of British Columbia-based World Fresh Exports, talking to Asiafruit in mid-July.

“With all the problems that US growers have faced this year,

that’s not surprising. Fortunately, our domestic market is starting to strengthen thanks to Canadian retailers stepping up to support our growers, paying higher FOBs and dropping their price points.”

British Columbia’s cherry industry has been pleased with the overall quality of their fruit this year,

according to Chong. “We’ve had some cool weather recently that should delay fruit maturity a little longer, and that may help grower returns over the next few weeks,” notes Chong. “[Canada] will likely continue shipping through the third week of August, with a few growers running a little longer.” A

Northwest Cherries launches Indian promotions

Huge consumption potential identified as first US Pacific Northwest cherries reach India under new phytosanitary systems approach.

by Gill McShane

Northwest Cherry Growers (NWCG) is embarking on a promotional campaign across major Indian cities to introduce this summer’s crop of US Pacific Northwest cherries

awareness of the high quality, nutritional benefits and culinary value of the “world-famous” large, sweet cherries while they are available at Indian fruit retailers and on e-commerce platforms

and Montana, following the approval of a phytosanitary systems approach last year. The new protocol removes the need for the fruit to undergo fumigation before export to the south Asian country, a process which had a detrimental impact on shelf-life.

US Pacific Northwest cherries are expected to hit the spot with Indian consumers on account of their high quality and flavour. As such, Sumit Saran, in-country marketing representative at NWCG, foresees “immense potential” for US Northwest cherries in India.

“These cherries are considered amongst the best in the world,” he points out. “Cherries from the US Pacific Northwest will be in the market in July and August, perfectly complementing the Indian cherry season.”

Saran predicts the Indian market for cherries will grow at a rate of 30 per cent year-on-year for the next five years. “As affluence increases and supply chains improve, the market is destined for rapid growth,” he affirms.

Cherries from the US Pacific Northwest are appreciated by consumers worldwide for their sweet flavour, bigger size and superior quality, adds Keith Hu, NWCG’s director of international operations.

to India’s discerning and healthconscious consumers.

US trade association NWCG says the extensive retail and communication strategy will raise

during July and August.

This season marks a breakthrough for fresh cherries arriving in India from the US states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah,

“I am delighted to see Northwest cherries here in India,” he commented at the July launch of the marketing campaign in Delhi and Mumbai. A

ABOVE—Representatives of NWCG and the USDA FAS stage the media launch in Mumbai with local influencers

Hactl empowers airfreight customers

With innovative solutions like its new climate-controlled Hacis Cool Zone facility, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl) is responding to the growing demand for cold-chain airfreight services by adding value, reveals chief executive Wilson Kwong.

by Liam O’Callaghan @liamfruitnet

Could you describe the ways in which Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl) serves the international fresh produce trade with regard to your cold-chain facilities, services, customers and volume?

Wilson Kwong: Hactl has a long history of investment in innovation

facilities, and to initiate technology-led solutions that will improve efficiency and service quality.

Our constant driver is to make Hactl’s airline and freight forwarding customers as competitive as possible, through both the quality and scope of our handling services. This has led us to invest in the facilities and resources needed to handle all kinds of air cargo commodities from live animals to aeroplane engines, and to ensure the resulting services meet an industry-recognised standard through accreditation according to all relevant standards.

Perishables, among other temperature-sensitive commodities, benefit from having a dedicated, climate-controlled build-up and breakdown zone, and temperature-controlled storage facilities, as well as thermal dollies for ramp transfers, dedicated airside and landside loading docks, plentiful charging stations for temperature-controlled ULDs [unit load devices], and expedited systems that minimise transfer times into and through our facilities.

A number of our airline customers carry perishables into and out of our facility. Common commodities include: fresh fish from Japan; fruit, such as peaches and cherries from the US and Australia; table grapes and strawberries from Japan and Korea; plus tropical fruits, such as durian, dragon fruit, mangoes and pineapples from South-East Asia.

Temperature-controlled traffic represents less than 10 per cent of our throughput, but with Hactl’s overall volumes, that is still big business.

Hactl recently opened a new climate-controlled facility. What was the driver behind this investment, and how will it improve your offering for customers of fresh produce and other perishables?

that includes creating Hong Kong’s first community system for air cargo (COSAC-Plus), and the 1998 opening of the world’s most technologically-advanced handling facility, SuperTerminal 1, at a cost of US$1bn. We have a dedicated Performance Enhancement Team whose job it is to seek out any inefficiencies in our systems and

WK: The Hacis Cool Zone is part of the Hacis E-commerce Fulfilment Centre. Hacis (Hong Kong Air Cargo Industry Services) is our value-added logistics subsidiary which works alongside Hactl to provide additional facilities and services where required by airline and freight agent customers. Hacis Cool Zone targets temperature-sensitive goods travelling as e-commerce, so we are talking about much smaller volumes and more individual (rather than bulk) shipments direct to end customers.

The decision to open Hacis Cool Zone was driven by the growth in cool-chain shipments arriving at Hong Kong International Airport, and destined for e-commerce customers. The Hacis E-commerce Fulfilment Centre was needed to support this expansion of temperature-sensitive e-commerce business to various local and overseas destinations.

Having reliable and efficient chiller facilities was essential to ensure the preservation of these shipments in prime condition.

Can you describe the flow of fresh produce through your operations in recent years? Was there a recorded dip in consignments during Covid? Would you say that trade flow is recovering, is it on track to rebound, or has it reached pre-pandemic levels already?

WK: Generally speaking, fresh produce handled by Hactl has been fluctuating up and down by around 20 per cent in recent years, and, usually, it tracks the overall air cargo market. Currently, the market is soft because of global inflation impacting consumer spending, and geopolitical tensions.

Which types of fresh produce have had the most success? Do you see growth opportunities for any other produce types?

WK: From 2020 to 2022, fresh fruit accounted for around 50 per cent of the total fresh tonnage, followed by seafood and flowers in roughly equal share. So far during 2023, fresh fruit and seafood are showing growth, while flowers have experienced a slight drop. The question of whether there is

potential for growth in any area is complex and beyond our influence as a handler. But, again, we strive to enable our airline customers to exploit all of their potential business opportunities, and they continue to prove adept at doing so.

Are there differences in handling fresh produce shipments for e-commerce compared to regular commerce?

WK: Most e-commerce is small electronic items, often containing lithium batteries, or batteries themselves. While

e-commerce perishables do not necessarily have specified temperature requirements, they do benefit from expedited handling and protection from the (sometimes) extreme temperatures in Hong Kong. That’s why the Cool Zone is not just climate-controlled storage, but climate-controlled working areas in which any required processing (such as re-packing, labelling etc.) can be performed without detriment to the goods.

Fresh produce typically has had a small e-commerce presence due to its perishability. Do you think that upgrading supply infrastructure – as Hactl has done with the Hacis Cool Zone – will be the key to growing e-commerce sales for fresh produce? What else do you think is needed?

WK: It’s difficult to predict whether, and by how much, having this facility might influence traffic levels. It was justified by existing customer needs and, now that it’s open to others, it may help to create new business in the longer term. We cannot directly control this process but, as always, by empowering our airline customers they may be able to create more such business. This approach has certainly been successful in other market sectors in the past. A

OPPOSITE—Wilson Kwong became the chief executive of Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl) in 2018

TOP—Hacis Cool Zone is a climate-controlled facility for storing and processing temperature-sensitive goods

BELOW—Hactl is focused on raising the competitive edge of its airline and freight forwarding customers

OOCL pursues preferred reefer partner status

Carrier invests in smart technology and dedicated systems that offer fresh fruit customers added value, reduced risk and less cost.

by Gill McShane

Orient Overseas Container Lines (OOCL) has been busy investing in valueadding solutions as part of the Hong Kong-based container shipping company’s goal to cement its position as a dedicated logistics service provider for the global fresh fruit industry.

OOCL, which forms part of the Ocean Alliance shipping service together with CMA, Evergreen and Cosco Shipping Lines, has grown its fleet of reefer containers equipped with both controlled atmosphere (CA) technology and Internet of Things (IoT)-capable devices, while simultaneously broadening its in-transit cold treatment (ICT) services.

“Together with OOCL’s growing reefer fleet equipped with IoT-

capable devices, we continue to strive to achieve excellence through quality services, and by maintaining our market-leading role in the global supply chain of fruit,” explains a company spokesperson for OOCL.

CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE

To keep its fleet young and modern, OOCL says it procures thousands of new reefer containers every year. Furthermore, since 2019 –when the group first entered the Latin American reefer market –OOCL has begun to invest more in CA reefer containers. Now its CA business is widespread in terms of both the countries of origin it serves, and the types of produce it carries.

After launching in Peru, the Dominican Republic and Mexico, OOCL followed emerging demand for the shelf-life extending technology in countries such as Israel, Australia and New Zealand. Today, the carrier has expanded this reach into additional producing countries and commodities; using its CA reefers to transport avocados, blueberries, mangoes, and custard apples, among others.

COLD TREATMENT

OOCL also purports a strong market presence in the shipment of fruit commodities that require ICT solutions. Most notably, the company claims it has become an industry leader with regards to USDAcompliant lychee shipments to the US, and AQIScertified lychee shipments to Australia.

To handle perishable cargo at such a technical level, OOCL operates dedicated teams of trained staff who work behind the scenes. Its Central Reefer Unit, for example, keeps close contact with customers, and provides necessary support. Meanwhile, the reefer Technical Team in Shanghai constantly monitors temperature readings throughout shipment journeys in order to ensure full compliance with global regulatory protocols.

“With such unparalleled dedication, we receive more and more support from shippers, and continue to grow our business in the highly technical field of lychee and table grape exports,” points out the company’s spokesperson.

FULL VISIBILITY

Real-time reefer container monitoring, powered by the latest IQAX IoT solutions, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies, are further valueadded solutions that OOCL can offer fruit customers.

“Undisturbed end-to-end visibility on container conditions and AI-driven smart alerts on deviations from pre-defined thresholds help our customers to reduce risk and save costs, making OOCL a preferred reefer partner,” the spokesperson says.

Other new systems that aim to facilitate and expedite customers’ end-to-end supply chain management needs include OOCL’s FreightSmart online booking platform, which now features an e-trucking tool; and its integrated programme with Shanghai Customs, whereby users can directly upload their reefer data prior to containers being discharged. A

BELOW—OOCL provides full-time reefer container monitoring, crucial for perishables like fresh fruits and vegetables

A Fresh Perspective to a Brand of Quality and Trust

OOCL is committed to keeping your perishable commodities in the perfect climate on every shipment. We ensure all the pieces are in the right place so that your products arrive on market and in time in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace.

OOCL makes every part of your business a part of ours: We take it personally

www.oocl.com

ONE targets further growth at fifth anniversary celebration

ONE rolls out technology-enabled containers throughout reefer fleet

Cutting-edge telematic devices will accelerate the group’s digital transformation journey as part of an enhanced customer experience goal.

Ocean Network Express (ONE) celebrated a strong track record of growth and innovation on its fifth anniversary in June, following a challenging first five years in business.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and global supply chain disruptions, the company continues to grow. Now ONE believes it is in a strong position to play a significant role in the development of the global economy in the years to come.

Already, the group is investing in new technologies and solutions to enhance its operational efficiency and sustainability as part of efforts to become net zero by 2050. ONE is also expanding its network of services to better serve valued customers and reach new markets.

Currently, ONE manages a fleet of over 200 vessels, operating about 170 routes across more than 120 countries.

The anniversary celebration took place at the ONE Green office in Singapore on 7 June with over 150 guests, including government officials, partners, and customers.

“It has been an incredible journey for ONE over the past five years,” noted ONE chief executive Jeremy Nixon.

Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) chairman Niam Chiang Meng commented that ONE represents one of the largest liner operators in Singapore, contributing in areas of maritime decarbonisation, innovation and digitalisation, and manpower development.

Ambassador of Japan to Singapore Hiroshi Ishikawa added that ONE has played a vital role in the global economy. “I am confident that it will continue to do so in the years to come,” he said.

by Gill McShane

Ocean Network Express (ONE) plans to install telematic devices across its reefer box fleet, representing a significant milestone in the container carrier’s ongoing digitalisation strategy.

The move recognises the growing significance of technology and the pivotal role it will play in the refrigerated commodity market, according to the Singaporeanheadquartered company.

Considering the sensitive nature of refrigerated commodities, ONE claims telematic devices will give its customers comprehensive visibility of their cargo, together with optimised operational decision-making. These insights are designed to enhance ONE’s existing suite of reefer solutions, and ensure cargo arrives in optimal condition.

“The installation of telematic devices on our reefer box fleet is a testament to our unwavering dedication to enhancing customer experience while driving digital transformation in the containerised reefer trade,” points out Kenichi Michida, senior vice-president, strategic yield management at ONE. “We believe technology-enabled containers are the future of shipping, and we

are excited to embark on this next step in our digital transformation journey using cutting-edge solutions to benefit our customers and industry.”

Established in 2017, ONE is the world’s seventh-largest container carrier following the liner service integrations of K Line, MOL and NYK. As a leading container carrier for refrigerated commodities, the group says it constantly seeks new solutions that can enhance its customer experience.

KEY BENEFITS

ONE says this latest investment in telematic devices demonstrates its commitment to the containerised reefer trade, and will deliver a number of benefits for both the company and its customers.

Firstly, by installing technologyenabled containers throughout its reefer box fleet ONE will enhance visibility for all parties because the devices provide active monitoring data about the temperature, humidity, and other conditions inside reefer containers.

With this information, ONE says it can better track the cargo’s condition, and, as such, identify any potential problems as soon as they arise. Subsequently, with active

monitoring data, ONE claims it will be able to make more proactive decisions about cargo handling. Overall, the solution will improve customer service; ONE will be able to provide its customers with more detailed information about

the condition of their cargo; and using this information will help customers to make better supply chain decisions.

ONE believes leveraging technology and digital transformation is essential to

move the container shipping industry forward. Installing telematic devices across its reefer box fleet is just one way the company says it is pursuing innovation and committing to service excellence. A

ABOVE—Telematic devices will allow ONE to better track its cargo and make proactive handling decisions

“Technology-enabled containers are the future of shipping [and will] benefit our customers and industry”

PIL delivers first avocados from Africa to Asia with EverFRESH

Shipper now using the controlled atmosphere technology across a number of key refrigerated trade lanes.

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

Pacific International Lines (PIL) has successfully transported its first shipments of avocados from Kenya to Brunei using Carrier Transicold’s innovative EverFRESH controlled atmosphere (CA) system.

“The EverFRESH Active CA technology has worked well for us in transporting avocados over a number of our key refrigerated trade lanes,” explains Lim Chee Wei, PIL’s general manager logistics division. “That success with higherrespiring perishables gave us the confidence to expand its use for shipments of Kenya-grown avocados, and we are pleased that EverFRESH has again proven to be a success in this first shipment of avocados from Kenya.”

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the

United Nations (FAO), currently Kenya is the world’s sixth-largest avocado producer. Since October 2022, PIL has accomplished a number of firsts with EverFRESH CA technology, including its first shipments of avocados from Peru to Hong Kong, as well as from Australia to Singapore.

EverFRESH reduces respiration and slows the natural ripening of commodities by optimising oxygen and carbon dioxide balance. The positive pressure effectively built up inside the container reduces box air leakage compared to other CA systems. The technology helps to maintain ideal conditions during transportation while extending the shelf life of high-value commodities.

Using active CA technology, the EverFRESH system also generates

high-purity nitrogen more quickly. Added to that, it responsively displaces oxygen, rather than relying on cargo respiration alone in order to reduce the levels of oxygen gradually.

“PIL’s success with the EverFRESH system is a significant step for our support of the growing trend among shipping lines to provide CA technology for the benefit of their customers,” says Leow Eng Meng, sales director, Asia, global container refrigeration, Carrier Transicold.

“This is further proof that our customers can benefit from the improved atmosphere control of Carrier’s EverFRESH system, which allows for more precise settings and with that, more effective shipments of perishable commodities.” A

ABOVE—PIL has shipped avocados to Asia from Africa, Australia and Peru

Green Motion launches Luna UCR avocado

Eurosemillas holds the worldwide master licence and will lead the roll out of the new variety, which it claims will revolutionise avocado production.

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

More than 100 California avocado producers attended an event at University California Riverside (UCR) recently for the launch of a new avocado variety developed by Eurosemillas.

BL516, which will be marketed as Luna UCR, is a B flower type producing Hass-like fruit. With its slender upright growth, it provides growers with an option better adapted to the increasingly popular high-density plantings. And being a B flower type it can serve as a polliniser variety for Hass, Gem and other type A flower varieties.

According to Eurosemillas, Luna releases much more pollen

than other type B varieties during the spring and as its flowering coincides with that of Hass for up to six weeks, it achieves better setting, boosting plantation productivity and multiplying profit margins for growers.

Eurosemillas, who partnered with UCR in 2020 to deliver a new generation of avocados to market, holds the worldwide master licence and will spearhead the variety’s rollout under Green Motion, the international platform it set up with Mission Produce to develop a new generation of more profitable and sustainable avocado varieties.

Javier Cano, director of Green Motion, says Luna UCR could

revolutionise avocado production. “It had never been thought that a type B flower variety could be the main variety and that Hass, Lamb Hass or Gem (all type A flowers) act as pollinators,” he explains.

“Leaving aside the quality of its fruit, which is equivalent to Hass in size, flavour and post-harvest life, Luna UCR is a great tool to modernise plantations in a simple way. More trees per hectare, more available pollen, more production, lower water consumption per kilo produced, more profitability.”

Green Motion now has plans to launch a second, later variety, along with an earlier one that will allow growers to extend the harvest period by almost two months. It will also launch a fourth variety, in the coming years, which it plans to market as a gourmet avocado due to its exceptional flavour.

The platform is also working on varieties with smaller trees, as well as cultivars adapted to areas with high salinity and with greater fungal resistance and water stress. A

LEFT & ABOVE— Eurosemillas partnered with UCR in 2020 to deliver a new generation of avocados to the market

Brett Lee goes into bat for Australian avocados in India

Famous former cricketer will help promote fruit in India as Australian Avocados ambassador.

by Liam O’Callaghan @liamfruitnet

The Australian avocado industry has enlisted the help of former Australian cricketer Brett Lee to promote its fruit as part of a new marketing campaign in India.

Hort Innovation has announced that the famous sportsman, popular at home and across the globe, has signed up as the new Australian Avocados ambassador.

Hort Innovation chief executive officer Brett Fifield says the cricketer is the perfect match for the Australian Avocados marketing campaign in India.

“Brett Lee needs no introduction to our target audience in India,” Fifield says. “He is something of an icon there, where in addition to his cricketing exploits he starred in a Bollywood movie, wrote and recorded a popular song and has appeared on numerous prime time television talk shows.

“Who better to encourage our Indian consumers that Australia is best when it comes to avocados, and what perfect timing given the Australian government’s announcement this year that Australian Hass avocados can be exported to India.”

Now an international cricket commentator, businessman, author and philanthropist, Lee will spruik the attributes of avocados on various media platforms in India.

As the new avocado ambassador, Lee will deliver positive messages

about Australian avocados, sharing their virtues in terms of taste, nutrition and versatility.

Light-hearted in its approach, the campaign will feature Lee in the orchard, in the kitchen and at home relaxing. His genuine love of avocados will be at the heart of the campaign which will encourage consumption at all mealtimes.

Lee says he is looking forward to telling people why Australian avocados should be their first choice.

“I am thrilled to announce my partnership with Australian Avocados, who share my passion for healthy living and Aussie-grown produce,” Lee says.

“Throughout my career, I’ve known how important it is to fuel my body with good food and it is why I am so excited to fuse this with my special connection to India and its unique culture. I look

forward to championing the great taste, quality, and versatility of Aussie avocados at home and abroad.”

The campaign is funded by growers through Hort Innovation, using industry levies. Launching across India from mid-July, activities include a social media campaign, event appearances and television content.

Antony Allen, avocado grower from The Avolution, says the industry is thrilled that Australian avocados are entering the India market with Brett Lee as their ambassador.

“Australian avocados are world-class, just like Brett Lee,” Allen says. “Being able to enter the Indian market with the endorsement of Brett Lee will let Indian consumers know that our avocados are of high quality.”

The campaign comes after Australia recently secured market access for trial consignments of Hass avocados into India. The new market access is underpinned by more than $3m in initiatives by Hort Innovation into research and development to support the export of the fruit. A

ABOVE—Cricket icon Brett Lee will promote the attributes of avocados on various media platforms in India

Turkey’s fig odyssey

Yavuz Taner of Turkish exporter Cherry Fig Agri and Nigel West of global fruit supplier AMFresh reflect on a fruitful partnership and the growth of Turkish fig exports over the past 35 years.

by Fred Searle @fredfruitnet

Nigel, how did you meet and start working with Yavuz Taner?

Nigel West: Exports of fresh Black Bursa figs from Turkey started on a commercial scale with air shipments back in 1981. At that time, I was working at Geest Industries in the exotic fruit department, and in 1986 two supermarkets, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer, asked us if we

talked about quality and presentation, was Yavuz Taner. That’s how our journey together started.

And how did you work with Yavuz to establish exports to the UK?

NW: We quickly entered the UK supermarkets as demand for figs shot up and business grew. On the back of this success with figs, in 1990 Yavuz wanted to explore the possibility of exporting Turkish cherries as well. At the time no cherries were exported from the country but in 1991 we sent the very first shipments to the UK and Europe.

It’s an amazing story as by 2005 Turkey was declared the largest exporter of fresh cherries in the world. That year, we held the fifth International Cherry Symposium in Bursa, just south of Istanbul. It’s fair to say that a defining period in Turkish fig and cherry production was spearheaded by my friend Yavuz Taner.

Yavuz, what volume of figs does Cherry Fig export to its key markets each year?

Yavuz Taner: In total Turkey exports 21,000 tonnes, of which 5,000 tonnes are sold to Asia, Russia, and Canada. The remaining 14,500 tonnes are sold within Europe.

Turkish figs represent almost 70 per cent of the UK’s annual fig sales. Britain imports 1,500 tonnes from Turkey over a nine-to-ten-week period, which represents seven per cent of total Turkish exports.

Perla Fruit, which belongs to my son Kerim and nephew Hamdi, ships close to 3,000 tonnes of figs a year and is the largest exporter.

Asia is an important and growing market for Turkish figs. Could you please give me an update on the business into Asia, the key markets, and the opportunities and challenges there?

YT: The Asian market for figs is growing significantly could find out about possibly supplying them with black figs. During the 1980s, New Covent Garden Wholesale Market was the place to look for anything that might be considered an exotic fruit. I learned that September was the month to see figs from Turkey, so having visited the market in September 1986, I saw several brands from Turkey and started to make contact via Telex. The person who replied with enthusiasm, and

OPPOSITE

BOTTOM—The Cherry Fig nursery produces around 230,000 plants a year

RIGHT—Black

Bursa figs have a strong reputation internationally

and I’ve been attending Asia Fruit Logistica every year for many years. The trade show, which takes place in September, is perfectly timed and we cut up figs on the stand and hand them out to attendees to try.

I believe Asia Fruit Logistica has driven significant sales growth and interest in figs. There is bigger demand from Asia every year. The key markets have been Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the UAE, however there are big opportunities to keep adding new countries in future. Unlike the UK and Europe, all the supply is sent by air to Asia, so the challenge is cost. However, currently growth continues, so it’s not proving an obstacle to new business opportunities.

Yavuz, I understand you have introduced new highdensity growing systems for figs. What benefits do you think will they bring for production and supply?

YT: In order to extend the season, we planted pollinator fig trees at different altitudes to synchronise pollination. The most important innovation has been planting fig trees in an intensive model and trellis system, which we learned from Japan. We were inspired by the R&D of Aydin Research Station in Turkey. With this system we planted 1,500 trees per hectare instead of just 200. Fruit quality is higher, yield is higher, picking cost is lower and competitive.

I also hear that you’ve started growing smaller purpleblue figs in Turkey. Tell me about that and what opportunities you think it will bring.

YT: During the pandemic, I started producing purpleblue figs, and decided to launch an agribusiness called Cherry Fig Agri – so named because it grows ‘cherrysized’ figs! Since consumers are now more conscious of health, purple-blue figs have become more popular, and along with Bursa Black they are among the super fruits.

I discovered purple-blue figs during a visit to South Africa with Nigel in 2018. We visited fig breeder Keith Wilson and were introduced to the Ronde de Bordeaux variety, which is a mini fig, weighing around 20g on average.

Our objective with Bursa Black had been to grow a larger fig, but here we saw a mini fig, so Nigel and I decided to learn more about global developments in fig production. We visited the main growers and investors in Mexico, India, Spain, Peru and Israel and re-studied consumer preferences.

The global reputation of Black Bursa continues to grow, and Turkey has the climate advantage to grow figs to a very high standard. However, to

minimise global competition, we needed to establish innovations for the product, process, business model and management. And thankfully we had enough experience and knowledge to implement these innovations. At Cherry Fig we are growing figs differently, and the new purple-blue varieties have allowed us to extend the export season from 60-70 days to over 120 days.

I should also point out that Cherry Fig Agri has the largest fig nursery in the world. What are the latest developments there?

YT: Cherry Fig Agri’s nursery operation and consultancy services aim to support potential fig growers and investors in Turkey. The company has established four company orchards, and Salihli is our biggest and most intensive. It has 80,000 trees producing six different varieties with a trellis system. This includes tissue culture and the conventional model. Potted production for 2023 is around 230,000 plants.

Finally, what opportunities do you see to increase purchase frequency of figs and make them more of a staple purchase in key markets?

NW: The Turkish season is the biggest opportunity and I think supermarkets need to promote more, give more shelf space to figs during those ten weeks. They should look at loose as well as prepacked and king figs, and let consumers know that it’s the best time of the year for amazing figs. This focus will naturally lead to increased sales and consumer awareness. A

OPPOSITE

MIDDLE—Nigel West (left) and Yavuz Taner

Turkish figs wait on weather

by Tom Joyce @tomfruitnet

The Turkish fig crop is looking good this year, according to Akin Söyleyen of Aksun, although he warns that the unpredictability of the climate in recent years will make accurate forecasting difficult.

“Everything looks good at the moment, and the conditions have been fantastic for fig production,” he says. “If the weather continues to be like this, we would expect the first harvest from the Bursa region to start around the same time as last year in mid-August. That being said, the weather has been unpredictable in the past few years and that poses a challenge to the whole industry. In light of this, we cannot talk about the future too soon.”

Söyleyen says that the quality of its figs over the past year has been exceptional thanks to cooler nights than the previous season. “Supplies have been keeping up with demand throughout the season, keeping prices steady and quality at a high level,” he says. “If the weather is similar this year, we would expect the same result.”

In East Asia, Aksun has seen the fig market build up from nothing in Hong Kong and now hopes to develop other markets in the region.

“We have spent years building up customer knowledge for figs in the Hong Kong market,” says Söyleyen. “When we first started more than ten years ago, fresh figs were kind of a myth and we struggled to move a tonne in a week. Now we sell that amount every hour.” A

Growers in Turkey say excellent conditions for fig production bode well for the new season, but remain cautious due to the unpredictability of the climate.

ABOVE—Akin Söyleyen sees good growth opportunities in Asia LEFT—Aksun promotes its figs at Asia Fruit Logistica

Trends and technologies creating opportunities

Technology is going to shape the future of horticulture and understanding the latest advances is essential if the industry is going to effectively harness their potential.

TONY HUNTER Future of Food Consulting tony@futuristforfood.com

We’re bombarded daily with an information avalanche from sources including newspapers, podcasts, magazines, industry newsletters, conferences and more. They reveal a dizzying number of developments that affect our organisations. And in today’s world new technologies are right at the top of the list.

What we need is something to guide us through the maze created by all this information that’s piling up around us. What we need is a roadmap, and I’ve found that the best roadmap to the future of food and agriculture is built on understanding technologies. Why technologies?

Well, you can’t talk about food from farm to fork without mentioning technology. Food used to be a sleepy technological backwater compared to industries like the electronics industry, but no more. Technology is now everywhere in food. That’s why I believe we’re living in the most exciting time to be in the food and agriculture industries I’ve seen in over 30 years.

But it hasn’t always been this way. Things really started changing about six years ago in 2017. I was reading my newsletters and started seeing technologies I hadn’t seen before and other technologies and consumer trends advancing far more rapidly than I’d thought possible. After six years of research I’ve come to the conclusion that we’re approaching the intersection of five exponential food technologies, driven by three accelerator technologies that will determine the future of food for decades to come.

ABOVE—Protein can be extracted from plant leaves, providing a use for vegetable waste OPPOSITE— Synthetic biology and AI are already being used on fresh produce

That’s why my roadmap to understanding the future of food and agriculture is built on technologies.

These technologies are; alternative proteins, cellular agriculture, genomics, the microbiome and synthetic biology. They are being driven by three accelerator technologies, AI, quantum computing and sensors. These five technologies and their accelerators are opening up a whole new range of opportunities for horticulture producers. I’ll touch briefly on three of these technologies and the opportunities they present.

ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS

A company called Grassa in the Netherlands has come up with a process to extract the protein from leaves, including grass. They claim that they can grow 2.5 times as much protein per hectare from grass as from soybeans. You can cut out the middle cow and go straight to human food. Who would have thought that growing grass for human food could make you money? An Australian company called The Leaf Protein Company is doing a similar thing with other plant leaves, offering opportunities for waste leafy materials from vegetables.

CELLULAR AGRICULTURE

Another powerful technology is cellular agriculture, where we take cells from plants and animals and grow them in large stainless steel tanks. This is being used to help with the future of chocolate, because in West Africa yields of cocoa are dropping due to climate change and disease, falling pollination rates, labour shortages and the increasing demand for chocolate is driving deforestation. To help with this chocolate dilemma, California Cultured is

growing cacao plant cells in tanks to make chocolate ingredients. We can breathe easy again!

SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY

Many food flavours and colours are derived from petroleum products, but there’s another way. It’s called plant molecular farming where you insert the gene for the product you want into a plant, grow the plant and then extract the product you want. Israeli company Pigmentum is doing this using lettuce to produce flavours like vanillin and colours like anthocyanins more sustainably.

New advanced gene editing technologies like CRISPR are also opening up new opportunities. A company called Pairwise is using this to produce gene edited fruit and vegetables. They’ve just released CRISPR edited low bitterness mustard greens in the US and they’re now working on seedless blackberries, black raspberries and pitless cherries. All aimed at getting people to eat more fruit and vegetables by making them tastier and more convenient, opening up more opportunities for fruit growers.

ACCELERATORS

One of our three accelerators is also making its mark on the food and ag industries. It is, of course, AI.

Brightseed’s Forager AI is one example of how AI is being implemented in the agriculture sector. Forager identifies natural plant bioactives with human health benefits and it discovered over 600 bioactives in cranberries, versus the 156 in public literature. Who knows what other beneficial compounds lurk in our fruit and vegetables? Let’s not forget that many of the medicinal compounds we take for granted were first found in plants. Aspirin came from the bark of the willow tree and metformin, our frontline drug against type 2 diabetes, came from the French lilac.

THE FUTURE

We’ve covered just a few examples of the new technologies which already are, or can be, applied in our horticultural industries. Combined with consumer trends these new technologies offer enormous opportunities over and above just simply growing a generic crop or piece of food.

By being at the forefront of change, the industry can position itself to reap the full benefit of these exponentially advancing technology and consumer trends. A

Citrus Australia leads first ‘Origin Verification Program’

First-of-its-kind citrus study characterises Australian oranges at both a national and regional level.

by Carl Collen @carlfruitnet

Through an Agriculture Victoria Food to Market initiative, Citrus Australia has conducted a first-of-its-kind study to characterise Australian oranges at both a country and regional level, using laboratory testing of trace elements and isotope ratios.

The key goal of the project was to provide an internationally accepted laboratory traceability method that addressed two key questions.

The questions covered whether using trace elements or isotopes could determine if the origin of an orange was from Australia or another country, and if using the same techniques could differentiate place of origin between the five Australian growing regions.

According to Citrus Australia, the project successfully answered ‘yes’ to both questions.

Isotopes and trace elements in agricultural products such as fruit are derived from the soil, and differ depending on local geology, climatic and environmental conditions, and agricultural practices.

Isotope ratios and trace elements provide a form of laboratory identification at the atomic level, specific to a particular product and region that cannot be tampered with or altered.

The National Isotope and Trace Element (NITE) project collaborated with GNS Science, New Zealand,

to analyse trace elements and isotopes of Australian navel oranges to see if their origin could be verified.

“Once you remove all the labels from an orange, you can still find out where it’s from and it’s because of these intrinsic atoms that are infused into the orange you can’t tamper with, you can’t add to them or take them away,” explains Karyne Rogers, senior environmental scientist at GNS Science. “They’re locked in there so the orange never lies.”

The project was conducted using fruit sourced from Australia and its competitor countries that had been harvested during the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

When applying a combination of trace elements and isotopes in the study, Australian oranges were able to be distinguished from other countries worldwide at a rate of 97.3 per cent.

Oranges from Australian regions could be discriminated from each other at a rate of 92.3 per cent.

“We found that there were key trace elements and isotopes that clearly characterised Australian oranges,” says Nathan Hancock, CEO of Citrus Australia.

“This is helpful to know that in a crisis when other traceability mechanisms need extra evidence, are not available or have been tampered with, we can show proof to verify the origin of the fruit.

“In the future Citrus Australia hopes to build the NITE dataset by adding more data from around the country and more variation on the varieties too,” Hancock continues.

“We may identify growers that are interested in characterisation of their own fruit as well as entering into collaborative studies with global partners or peak bodies to add to the dataset and strengthen citrus traceability around the world,” says Hancock.

Citrus Australia points out that the limitations of isotope and trace element testing include the expense, time and analytic expertise involved in creating the data points. A

“There were key trace elements and isotopes that clearly characterised Australian oranges”

ABOVE—Isotope ratios and trace elements can be used to accurately verify the origin of fruit

AgroFresh beefs up post-harvest portfolio

AgroFresh’s acquisition of Tessara marks the global expansion of its food waste reduction and freshness solutions into grapes and berries.

by Maura Maxwell @maurafruitnet

AgroFresh Solutions has acquired post-harvest solutions provider Tessara from global investment firm Carlyle. The deal, which remains subject to clearance by the South Africa competition authorities, expands AgroFresh’s footprint in food waste reduction and freshness solutions for table grapes and berries and bolsters the organisation’s presence in growing regions in South Africa, China, Australia, and South America.

around the world,” says AgroFresh CEO Clinton Lewis.

“The acquisition is a perfect fit given Tessara’s and AgroFresh’s alignment on leveraging science-based solutions to advance freshness across the global produce industry and we look forward to bringing the innovative team at Tessara onboard.”

Established in 1988 in South Africa, Tessara has become a leader in post-harvest preservation solutions, which it provides to fresh produce growers worldwide. The company is a leading provider of SO2 solutions for table grapes, berries, and flowers, protecting more than US$3bn worth of fresh produce annually in more than 30 countries.

“We are proud of the Tessara team and our

SmartFresh anniversary

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of AgroFresh’s flagship ripening management solution SmartFresh, the original 1-MCP technology that puts the ripening process of fruit “on hold” to delay softening and over-ripening. Since then, the company has developed a number of scientific and commercial applications of SmartFresh to keep produce fresher, longer.

“Over the last 20 years, growers and packers have come to rely on the game-changing technology of SmartFresh to deliver the freshest produce to consumers around the world by maintaining optimal quality and freshness and preventing the challenges that impact the shelf-life of fruit,” the company says. “For operations of all sizes, from all fruit-growing regions of the world, SmartFresh optimises grower resources while offering more resiliency and sustainability, resulting in better return on investment for growers, packers and retailers.

“Completing this transaction with Tessara creates significant opportunities for AgroFresh to build upon our diversification strategy and further support our customers in their efforts to grow and distribute an abundant supply of sustainable fresh produce

distinctly South African roots and culture,” says Jaco Smit, CEO of Tessara. “We are also humbled and excited to be part of AgroFresh, the leader in the postharvest agtech space and, together, we will leverage our combined network and innovation resources to build a world-class market leader.”

AgroFresh has been a leader in post-harvest technology more than 20 years ago following the launch

of its SmartFresh Quality System, which is now used across multiple crops in over 50 countries worldwide. Recently, the company has expanded its portfolio to include plant-based coatings, antimicrobial solutions, equipment, and digital platforms that help improve quality and reduce waste across the supply chain from harvest to home. A

ABOVE—AgroFresh expands its footprint with the Tessara acquisition

Talking Heads: Frank Frappa

Fresh from Premier Fresh Australia winning Hort Innovation Exporter of the Year at the 2023 Hort Connections Awards for Excellence, the company’s Frank Frappa details his professional journey through the produce industry.

maintaining the ability to pivot at short notice. The fresh produce industry is always facing some kind of challenge, whether it’s the weather, labour, logistics, or the economy. These are the big ones that I can call out, and while there are also so many small ones, the reality is that we always are facing something.

What is your proudest achievement during your time working in the fresh produce sector?

FF: My proudest achievement would be building the international division at Premier Fresh Australia. Over the past five years I have put together a great team of people who have been able to support me in building a successful business through the hard times of the Covid-19 pandemic. We were recognised for this by winning Hort Innovation Exporter of the Year at the 2023 Hort Connections Awards for Excellence.

Describe your typical day-to-day schedule?

FF: In fresh produce there is no typical day-to-day, which is why I love the industry. As I work across different categories of the business, each day is quite different. I could start my drive to work by talking to a customer in North America, speaking on the phone to a colleague planning the day and week ahead, or catching up with a colleague in the market to get an update on how the morning’s trade went. It’s always something different.

Can you give us a brief overview of your current position in the fresh produce business as well as your previous roles?

FF: Currently I am the executive general manager of avocados, citrus, table grapes, international and stonefruit categories for Premier Fresh Australia. I have been with the company for over five years now. Prior to joining Premier Fresh Australia, I worked for other fresh produce companies where my roles have given me exposure to retail store management, retail buying, production, packing and category management.

How did you first get into the fresh produce trade?

FF: Whilst in school I started working part time in the fresh produce department at Coles, which is an Australian supermarket. When I was leaving school to start an apprenticeship, Coles offered me a traineeship. I took the offer from Coles and I have never looked back since.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the fresh produce industry?

FF: The biggest challenge I see in the fresh produce business is remaining resilient and

What do you love in particular about your job, and what, if anything, would you change?

FF: I have been given so many opportunities to get out and experience the passion that many people have in our industry. I’m lucky enough to deal with such a diverse range of people and cultures and made so many friends. I wouldn’t change a thing!

How much fresh produce do you consume, and where do you shop for it?

FF: We consume quite a bit in our household. We are very in-season shoppers and we always have two-tothree different types of fruit in the fridge. We shop at our local supermarket.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

FF: Our industry is all about relationships, so as big as the industry is, it’s also small. A

try it for free now!