Asiafruit Magazine - Jul/Aug 2024 - Asia Fruit Logistica Edition

Retail without borders

CEO of Central Food Group Stephane Coum on how the Thai supermarket giant is creating a seamless shopping experience for consumers

Already a massive consumer market for global suppliers, China is becoming even more competitive as a producer and exporter – and it's beginning to shake up the Asia trade

Opportunities abound but innovation key

Asia Fruit Logistica is back! And it’s bigger than ever... brimming with fresh insights, innovations and business opportunities. In this edition, we bring you the most comprehensive preview to the premier event on Asia’s fresh produce trade calendar (see p72-119) – and a publication jam-packed with exciting industry news and developments. China – once again the largestsingle exhibiting country at Asia Fruit Logistica – remains the driving force in Asia’s fresh produce business. Already a massive consumer market for global suppliers, China is becoming even more competitive as a producer and exporter – and it's beginning to shake up the Asia trade (see market focus, p24-46). Historically, China’s inroads into export markets were driven primarily by price. Now advances in quality, growing technology and diversification into newer fruit varieties are powering a new era of expansion. China’s efforts to embrace protected fruit varieties will only accelerate this growth and development in future, as an insightful report from Bloom Fresh's David Smith details (p40-41). While all this has far-reaching implications for global suppliers to Asia, market opportunities still abound across the region. Despite the downturn in China’s economy, consumers’ appetite and enthusiasm for fresh produce have not diminished. On the contrary, new trends in consumption are emerging all the time, as Trendforsee’s Clark Xiao outlines (p32). Marketers must stay abreast and tailor their brand strategies to capitalise. Innovation is key to realising the market opportunities in Asia, and there are plenty of cutting-edge developments covered in this edition. Take in the range of exciting brands and varieties profiled across our features. Read about the landmark investments in ports and logistics infrastructure, the groundbreaking grading and packaging technologies, and the breakthroughs in breeding. It underlines the magnitude of the market potential. There’s so much to share, discover and discuss, and Asiafruit creates the forum at Asiafruit Knowledge Centre, our brand-new, all-in-one content hub at Asia Fruit Logistica. We look forward to seeing you there.. A

John Hey, Editor

Stephane Coum, CEO of

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EDITORIAL

editor

John Hey

+61 3 9040 1602 john@fruitnet.com

digital editor

Liam O'Callaghan

+61 3 9040 1605 liam@fruitnet.com

staff journalist

Bree Caggiati

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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

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senior designer

Mai Luong

+44 20 7501 3713 mai@fruitnet.com

graphic designer

Asma Kapoor

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EVENTS & MARKETING

head of events and marketing

Laura Martín Nuñez

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events executive

Poppy Bowe

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ADMINISTRATION

finance director

Elvan Gul

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ADVERTISING

asia pacific

Kate Riches

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europe & middle east

Artur Wiselka

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greater china, thailand & philippines

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

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south africa

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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

David Smith bloom fresh china David details China's shifting position towards protected varieties over the years through considerable government investment, research, and strategic agricultural innovation. china–p40-41

Dan Lepard food writer Dan shares his experience working alongside conservationists aiming to repopulate near-extinct Citrus Taiwanica trees and use the fruit in the citrus peel market. citrus–p144-145

Jeff Long fruitnet

North America

correspondent Jeff reports on the extreme heat hitting San Joaquin Valley table grape growers, which is affecting supply and FOB prices across the US. grapes–p120-122

Winnie Wang asiafruit china

Winnie reports from Taiwan with a look at market trends covering both fruit imports and exports. Exports are back on track after the industry developed markets beyond mainland China. taiwan–p166-171

let’s grow together

New varietiesgrapehold key to growth

Leading analysts and key industry players at Fruitnet Grape Congress in Puglia say they see huge market potential thanks to new and better varieties.

by Mike Knowles

Grape suppliers must continue to invest in better-tasting and more climate-resilient varieties if they are to retain their share of the market.

But they also need to avoid presenting consumers with too many different types of grape if they are to improve sales.

Those were among the key messages delivered

to around 250 delegates from 16 different countries who attended the Fruitnet Grape Congress in Puglia, Italy, on 4 July.

“Consumers do really like grapes, and in the last four turbulent years we have seen that demand especially in Europe is robust,” said

leading analyst Cindy van Rijswick of Rabobank Research Food & Agribusiness during her opening keynote presentation.

“But the industry must not fall asleep. It needs to pay attention to the fact that costs and risks for growers are a lot higher now.”

Market prices over the past year or so have been reasonably good, Van Rijswick noted, but she also indicated that much of the recent consumer price inflation had been accompanied by significantly higher costs and supply chain risks.

“The industry must not sleep. It needs to pay attention to the fact that costs and risks for growers are a lot higher now”

Nevertheless, she said, the introduction of some really innovative, great-tasting grapes with improved shelf-life had kept consumers and trade buyers keen.

“New varieties have really tapped into opportunities with consumers,” she explained. “But the industry needs more new varieties that can cope with drought and other weather extremes resulting from climate change. The products need to be a win-win for the whole supply chain to be successful.”

MORE CONSISTENCY

For Josefina Mena (pictured opposite, centre), commercial manager of Spanish company Moyca, the challenge today is indeed to identify which of those varieties will tick all of the boxes when it comes to consumer demands, retail requirements, and grower returns.

“We were previously working with more than 50 varieties, but now we are trying to reduce that and work out which are the best,” she revealed. “In the beginning, it wasn’t easy to introduce new varieties and flavours because they didn’t want to pay the extra money that they cost. But the northern European markets helped us. And now breeders are giving us more consistency, better crunch, better shelf-life.”

Over the past few decades, the major market trend as new suppliers in Spain and Latin America entered the grape business has been the replacement of seeded with seedless varieties.

For John Pandol (pictured opposite, on the right) of Californiabased Pandol Bros, the recent varietal proliferation has been very positive because it has enabled certain suppliers to deliver a much better eating experience, better sales for vendors, and more sustainable business for the growers and exporters themselves.

“We’ve never had more varieties and sources, and we’ve never had

more disruption,” he told delegates. “It’s a very good and sound thing to have more sources and more product available. In California, Thompson and Red Globe used to be 70 per cent of our production. Today, our biggest varieties are probably only 40 per cent.”

Both Pandol and Mena agreed that the grape supply base was undergoing a period of consolidation. “There are so many more varieties,” said Pandol. “And look at the pile of failed ones. It’s about trial and failure.”

So could the sector see the overall number of grape varieties level out, or even fall? Pandol suggested each supplier and each production region would eventually reach an optimum number of varieties.

“In our case, with a five-month season, we have three to four red and white, maybe three blacks, and then maybe a speciality. For us, the ideal number is maybe up to 18.” A

Pink Lady partners with Goodfarmer

Following a series of successful export trials in recent years, the Pink Lady apple brand has officially launched into the China market with Goodfarmer Group gaining exclusive marketing rights for the next ten years across Greater China.

To mark the occasion,

Goodfarmer held a launch event at the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Sheraton Hotel on 20 July.

Global Pink Lady production sits at over 700,000 tonnes, making it one of the world’s leading apple brands. Apple & Pear Australia (Apal), the brand’s owner and marketer, expects the cooperation

Ecuador bananas surge in Korea

Korea was the fastest-growing market for exports of Ecuadorean bananas in the first half of 2024, according to the latest trade data shared by industry associations Aebe and Acorbanec.

Shipments to the Asian country grew 271 per cent to 2.2m boxes between January and June of this year compared to the same period in 2023. Exporters have been able to take advantage of the elimination of tariffs –which came into effect in January – and production problems in the Philippines. In all, Ecuador shipped almost 189m boxes in the first half of the year, around 1 per cent fewer than in the same period of 2023.

between Goodfarmer to drive significant growth in China and meet consumer demand for highquality apples.

“We must tailor a precise strategy for the Chinese market because the competition here is very fierce,” said Philip Turnbull group chief executive of Apal.

“Most apples on the market today have similar tastes and are usually very sweet. The message we want to convey to Chinese consumers is that not all apples are sweet. The sweet and sour taste of Pink Lady will surprise them and is a completely different experience. Therefore, our strategy will also reflect this.”

Goodfarmer will support the development of Pink Lady in the Chinese market from three aspects: channel expansion, brand building and marketing promotion.

CA stonefruit to

Vietnam

Vietnam has granted market access for California peaches and nectarines, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Eliminating the phytosanitary barriers keeping California stonefruit out of the Vietnamese market took multiple rounds of negotiations over several years. “This market access is a big win for California’s nectarine and peach producers,” said USDA’s Jenny Lester Moffitt, undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs. The California Fresh Fruit Association acknowledged there will be strict protocols in place, but it said California stonefruit shippers had already demonstrated a commitment to meeting Vietnam’s requirements.

Camposol and Ninjacart bring Peruvian blueberries to India

Blueberry producer partners with Walmart-backed agri-tech start-up to distribute fruit to more than 100,000 Indian retail outlets in over 100 cities.

by Carl Collen

Leading Peruvian blueberry producer Camposol has announced it has joined forces with Ninjacart to bring high-quality blueberries to Indian consumers.

The partnership between the two companies was formalised with an MoU signed on 17 July during an event in India.

The collaboration aims to facilitate Camposol’s market entry through a curated strategy, utilising Ninjacart’s expertise and data systems to drive accelerated growth.

“Leveraging Ninjacart’s extensive network of over 100,000 retailers, the partnership ensures a reliable and consistent supply of high-quality blueberries, benefiting consumers and retailers alike,” the two companies shared in a statement.

“Additionally, the alliance enhances Camposol’s operational stability in India through datadriven insights based on volume, facilitating faster market access to additional cities and consumers. Ninjacart also guarantees endto-end traceability, bolstering transparency in the safety and origin of premium blueberries for consumers.”

According to the companies, the collaboration will not only strengthen the availability of blueberries in India but also, aims to foster stronger bilateral agricultural ties between Peru and India.

“Ninjacart’s strong presence and deep understanding of the Indian consumer will be invaluable in establishing Camposol as a leading supplier of blueberries in India,” says Sergio Torres, senior vice-president for commercial operations at Camposol.

“Together, we are poised to redefine accessibility and perception of blueberries, ensuring that consumers across the country have access to fresh, high-quality produce.”

Sharath Loganathan, co-founder and head of international business of Ninjacart, says the start-up was “thrilled” to announce its partnership with Camposol.

“As the largest Peruvian exporter of blueberries, Camposol’s vertically integrated operations ensure top-quality produce is

BELOW—The two companies signed an MoU on 17 July during an event in India

delivered efficiently across their operations,” he says.

“Our strong connections with kirana stores, supermarkets, modern trade outlets, e-commerce/ quick commerce platforms, and Horeca partners enable global brands to seamlessly reach premium customers.”

In recent years, blueberries have shown significant double-digit growth in India, however, a notable supply gap remains between imported seasonal consumption and domestic production.

This gap is primarily due to limited international exporter access to Indian consumers, who also predominantly shop at traditional mom-and-pop stores, according to Camposol and Ninjacart.

“This strategic alliance aims to enhance awareness and adoption, driving growth in the segment,” say the groups. “The collaboration ensures a steady and reliable supply, meeting the rising demand among Indian consumers.”

Ninjacart aims to leverage its efficient supply chain to minimise wastage and deliver competitively-priced blueberries across major e-commerce platforms and city-level retailers. A

APPOINTMENTS

Berries Australia has announced the appointment of Jesse White as the organisation’s general manager – Asia. White joins with extensive experience across horticulture international trade, market entry, and business development including a stint living and working in China where he developed crucial on-theground experience. He is also fluent in Mandarin.

Vanguard Group International has announced the promotion of Ignacio Ugarte to the position of commercial director for export grapes. The group said he successfully led the sales of fresh fruit, both from its own production and from third-party producers in Peru, Chile, and Argentina, to markets in Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia.

Patrick Vizzone (pictured), a global financier, investor and agri-food tech founder, has been appointed an honorary professor of sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship at Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) at the University of Manchester. “This appointment is such an incredible honour and privilege,” Vizzone commented. “AMBS’s commitment to turning theory into practice resonates deeply with my personal and professional values.”

PBNW names new president

Pear Bureau Northwest (PBNW) has announced CarrieAnn Arias as the organisation’s new president and chief executive, effective 1 July.

Arias served as founder and chief executive of TableSpark, vice-president of marketing at Naturipe Farms and vice-president of marketing at Dole Food Company, leading teams, driving market growth, and cultivating strong relationships within the industry.

“I am thrilled to join the Pear Bureau and lead this incredible team,” she said. “Together, we will continue to build on the Bureau’s strong foundation and drive

our mission of promoting pears in the US and around the world.”

Arias takes over the duties as president and chief executive following the departure of Kevin Moffitt, who held the role since 2001.

“I am committed to fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence as we work to achieve our strategic goals,” Arias said.

PBNW chairman Jordan Matson said he was very pleased to have Arias on board. “With her decades of produce marketing experience. I believe she is going to do a great job of furthering the mission to increase fresh pear consumption among consumers worldwide and continue to increase grower returns.”

Following the appointment, Arias thanked the board of directors for their faith in her.

“I look forward to leading the dedicated PBNW team as we begin this new chapter together,” she said.

New Australian minister for agriculture

Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese has appointed Tasmanian MP Julie Collins as the country’s new agriculture minister, replacing Murray Watt

The assistant minister for agriculture has also been replaced by Queensland senator Anthony Chisholm. Collins said she welcomed the “great honour” to serve as the new minister for agriculture, fisheries and forestry and thanked the Prime Minister for the new challenge.

“Agriculture plays a vital role in our country, and our national economy continues to rely on a strong and diverse sector,” she said in a statement.

Peak industry bodies from across Australia welcomed Collins to the new role and said they were looking forward to working with Collins on some of the challenges facing industry.

They bodies also thanked Watt for his time as minister.

Tops CEO sees bright future for bricks and clicks

Stephane Coum, chief executive of leading Thai supermarket retailer Central Food Group, talks exclusively to Asiafruit about the rebound in physical retail post-Covid and the shift to omnichannel.

by John Hey

CEO of Central Food Group Stephane Coum has an impressive track record in the global retail industry spanning more than 30 years. The Frenchman’s journey in retail started out in his hometown in Brittany working in his local Leclerc hypermarket store at weekends.

After attending business school and working for a period in the automotive sector, Coum returned to retail to train as a store manager in 1996 at Stoc Supermarket, which was bought out by Carrefour in 2000. Having served in several store management positions for Carrefour in France, he began his international journey with a move to Turkey. He was later promoted to regional manager in Shanghai for Carrefour, before stints in Malaysia and Singapore. His most recent role before joining Tops/Central Food was director of operations for Carrefour Italia.

Coum was appointed chief executive of Central Food Group in September 2019 with a particular focus on driving the group’s digital strategy. He wasted no time in implementing organisational changes. When he arrived, CFG was an aggregation of companies, but Coum sought to create a more open, unified structure. He also led a focus on building the retailer’s online channels.

Both moves helped the company to navigate the turmoil that ensued in 2020 with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Looking back on what was a tumultuous time for physical retail in general, Coum is philosophical.

“When Covid hit, a lot of retail experts suggested offline was dead, that brick-and-mortar retail was finished, but our customers across Thailand want to socialise and they want to see products physically,”

“Thailand is the sixth country worldwide in terms of plastic pollution, so it’s our duty to take a stand on this issue”

he said. “What we’ve seen since the pandemic is that omnichannel –the seamless shopping experience across all channels: in-store, online and mobile – is the most important.”

Thailand’s economy – and in turn its retail market – took a major hit during Covid, largely due to the serious impacts on its tourism trade.

“Thailand has a 60m-plus population, plus 40m tourists, so during Covid, we immediately lost around 40 per cent of our potential customers,” Coum explains. “But our sales recovered in 2023 thanks to the tourists who came back to Thailand. Online has remained resilient after Covid, but the

physical stores have continued to be very efficient.”

FOUR RETAIL CLUSTERS

Brick-and-mortar stores are very much the backbone of the Central Food Retail business, which operates in four key ‘clusters’.

Tops Food Hall, its brand of high-end food halls spanning 2,000m2-4,000m2, numbers around 20 stores and contributes some 20 per cent of its total sales.

Tops Supermarket has around 160 stores in 46 provinces across Thailand. Coum says this makes the group the “clear leader” in Thailand’s supermarket sector with a 40 per cent market share. Its supermarket stores cater to the upper and premium mass market, targeting A, B and C+ customer profiles. Tops Premium features a larger premium and imported food assortment versus the standard Tops Supermarket.

The other major format is its convenience stores, which were all converted to the Tops Daily brand in 2023 following Central Food’s buyout of FamilyMart. “I decided to create one brand to give us much more visibility to our customers,” Coum explains. Today, the company has some 511 Tops Daily convenience stores and minimarts across the country.

OMNICHANNEL SHIFT

But it is the growth of omnichannel – the rise of online platforms and the integration of these with its physical stores – that has defined Central Food’s direction of late, Coum notes.

Tops Online, Top’s own online business, has been growing over the past six years, particularly during the pandemic, he says. Omnichannel also includes so called ‘quick commerce’, where »

OPPOSITE—CEO of Central Food Group, Stephane Coum

LEFT—Tops Food Hall accounts for some 20 per cent of Central Food’s total sales

BELOW LEFT— Central Food continues to cultivate its reputation as a destination for fresh produce shoppers

online delivery platform partners such as Grab and Foodpanda pick product from the shelves of its stores and deliver to customers.

Another pillar of online is the thirdparty Marketplace, which includes Lazada, Shopee and TikTok among others. The fourth segment is Tops’ Personal Shopper.

“We have around 500 associates who assist our customers to do their shopping. They propose new products with instant communication,” he explains.

“Customers can also make preorders of new in-season products and we deliver to their homes, or they come to pick up at our stores.”

Omnichannel now accounts for 10 per cent of Central Food’s total sales, according to Coum.

“Between Tops Online, quick commerce, Tops Marketplace and Personal Shopper, customers have the opportunity to switch from pure offline to omnichannel,” he says. “What I see with the experience of omnichannel is a

LEFT—Central Food ranges some 70 different apple varieties all year round BELOW LEFT— Shoppers have been flocking to physical stores post-Covid OPPOSITE— Central Food is boosting the number of fresh produce SKUs in its Tops Daily stores

strong bridge between offline and online. Customers who are shopping online are those who are very loyal with us offline too.”

BOOSTING THE PHYSICAL FOOTPRINT

Turning back to brick-and-mortar stores, Coum insists there is good potential for growth in Thailand.

“Our five-year plan is based on an expansion of around ten supermarkets per year, especially in the top six cities all over the country,” he says.

Smaller convenience formats are also a key focus. “We’ll accelerate the expansion of our Tops Daily. 2024 was a year of consolidation after converting all the FamilyMart stores in 2023, but we’re aiming to open between 30 and 35 stores per year from next year,” he says. “We’re increasing the number of SKUs on fresh produce in these outlets, especially on vegetables.”

PRICE-ORIENTED CONSUMER

While Tops/Central Food Group maintains its reputation as a premium supermarket retailer focused on higher end customer groups, Thailand’s sluggish economic recovery from Covid, and the cost-of-living crisis, has led the retailer to adapt.

“Have we seen some changes in consumption? Yes, people have become more price-oriented. This is why we launched a price-lock campaign a few months ago to freeze the prices of essential items in order to help the population live better,” he says. “We’re locking the prices for the next 12 months, which is quite difficult,

especially in fresh where the prices move every day.”

In keeping with this trend, Coum says private label is becoming ever-more important. “Today, private label represents more than 11 per cent of our business, versus 7 per cent five years ago, and we continue to extend our range of products to help our customers find a quality product at a more affordable price,” he says. “That includes fresh produce offerings too, where we have the My Choice brand.”

Tops/Central Food is seeking to cater to the mass market more generally, he notes. “We’re upgrading our business model with more affordable and private label products to answer the expectations of customers with a B, C or D profile.”

QUALITY AND ASSORTMENT

Economic headwinds aside, Tops/Central Food’s fresh produce offering is still characterised by quality and assortment. The retailer continues to cultivate its reputation as a ‘destination’ for fruit and vegetable shoppers.

Some 50 per cent of its fresh fruit sales are imported, sourced from a diverse range of global origins, including Australia, New Zealand, the US, France, Italy, Chile, South Africa, India, Japan, Vietnam, Korea and China. Central Food is a leader in sales of high-value categories such as apples, berries, cherries and grapes – and it offers a huge variety of products for consumers.

“We’re the best retailer in terms of assortment of apples,” Coum points out. “We offer more than 70 different varieties all year round.”

So does ranging this many varieties result in higher rates of shrinkage? Coum insists not. Shrinkage is controlled via a combination of store replenishment and ensuring product meets quality specifications when it reaches the retailer’s DC, he says, with adequate shelf-life to last several days on the shelf. The small percentage of product that goes past its sales cycle is donated to foodbank associations, Coum adds. In addition to minimising waste, Tops is moving to cut its use of plastic packaging.

“Thailand is the sixth country worldwide in terms of plastic pollution, so it’s our duty to take a stand on this issue,” says Coum. “Our team in charge of sustainability is working to find solutions. Firstly, with packaging of our private label products; and secondly working with our suppliers to convert from conventional plastic packaging to biodegradable packaging. We’re moving faster on it, especially for all our cherries and vegetables.” A

Jing Jai Farmers’ Market

Tops/Central Food continues to underline its commitment to supporting local farmers with Jing Jai Farmers’ Market. Set up in 2018, Jing Jai Market is a dedicated space in Central Food’s stores where local farmers can sell their vegetables to consumers.

“Most of the time the sellers are groups such as farmers associations, and Jing Jai helps them to increase their incomes. Since working with us, most of them have increased their revenues three-fold,” explains Central Food Group CEO, Stephane Coum. “Today, we have more than 10,000 household farmers working with us, and some of our Jing Jai products are commercialised now in stores all over Thailand.”

Coum says one of the main challenges facing farmers is the logistics of getting their product to market. Jing Jai enables them to take their product to their local Tops store or DC, where the retailer can work with them to commercialise their product in stores nationwide, he notes.

“We support them in terms of marketing, logistics and quality assurance,” says Coum.

“We have our own lab to control the quality and test for pesticides and insecticides. This enables us to ensure the product is safe for our customers, but also educate the farmers we are working with.”

New brand, same quality

Leading Southern Hemisphere supplier Citri&Co unveils its new brand, Safresco, at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica.

by Maura Maxwell

Safresco is a new brand with some serious pedigree behind it. The citrus, grape, and avocado specialist was created in 2022 from the sale of Argentine lemon giant San Miguel Global’s fresh fruit business to Citri&Co, the vertically integrated global fruit group created by private fund Miura Partners. The deal included San Miguel's operations in South Africa and Peru and the marketing of fresh fruit from Argentina and Uruguay. A year later the Safresco brand was born.

“This year marks a milestone for the company

BELOW LEFT— Safresco is expanding its avocado and citrus production in Peru and South Africa

with the launch of our new citrus, avocado and grape brand, reaffirming our commitment to quality and sustainability,” says Safresco’s commercial manager for Asia, María del Pilar Arévalo. “With 150,000 tonnes of fruit exported from Peru, South Africa, Argentina and Uruguay, coming from 2,500ha of our own farms and another 2,000ha from associated producers, we’re consolidating our presence under the Citri&Co banner.”

Safresco finds itself in good company: other legacy names that can be found among Citri&Co’s stable of businesses include Martinavarro – one of Spain’s oldest citrus companies – and Brazilian melon giant Agricola Famosa.

Arévalo acknowledges that ditching such a well-known brand as San Miguel – with all the equity it has accrued over the years –presents its own challenges. But she is confident that the longterm strategic collaborations the company has built up with its Asian customers over the years will ease the transition.

“This year’s Asia Fruit Logistica is our first fair under the new name and we’ll be using it as an opportunity to remind our customers that we retain the same commitment to high standards of quality and adaptability as we did under the old brand,” she says. “Our goal is for Safresco to be recognised in Asia for the same quality as before.”

As well as strengthening its

presence in China’s retail sector, Arévalo sees strong potential for the company to develop the Indian and Bangladeshi markets, where the expansion of the middle class is driving demand for fresh citrus in the off-season. “In India, we are actively promoting the mandarin category in the retail sector to increase demand throughout the year,” she says.

At the same time, Safresco is working hard to consolidate its supply during the Southern Hemisphere season both through the establishment of strategic alliances with growers in South Africa and Peru and by testing new varieties to enable it to tailor its offer to the demands of its customers.

In South Africa, for example, it has 500ha of citrus trees less than five years old, and 400ha of covered production of Nadorcott and late navels, with plans to expand to 700ha. “We’re looking at a significant increase in supply as these trees mature, plus the covered production will allow us to improve quality and yield going forward,” Arévalo says.

In Peru, Safresco is investing in new table grape varieties more aligned to market demand, as well as expanding its avocado production and broadening its offer with the incorporation of pomelos, limes, Minneolas, clementines and pomegranates sourced from strategic partners.

Being part of Citri&Co also gives Safresco access to a much wider assortment of produce and it now handles significant volumes of melons, watermelons and stonefruit.

“Our extensive experience and track record in consolidated markets like Europe and the US allows us to adapt our supply model to retailers and wholesalers, adjusting to the particularities of the Asian market,” Arévalo says. A

Across three stages over three days, expert speakers provide the best combination of strategic insights and practical takeaways to help you grow your business in Asia.

Xing Ye Yuan takes new paths

Liu Yan, Xing Ye Yuan founder and chairperson, believes innovation is key to stay ahead of competition and achieve global success.

by Yuxin Yang

It has been five years since your last interview with Asiafruit. How has Xing Ye Yuan's fresh fruit business grown over this period?

Liu Yan: As distribution channels continue to evolve, there has been much change and innovative expansion in China’s fruit industry over the past five years, and with that also came a reshuffling and elimination. Throughout these five years, Xing Ye Yuan has moved forward with respect and perseverance. We have always believed that ‘survivors are the kings’, and have been learning from our peers and breaking new ground.

In 2023, we successfully completed a V-shaped recovery after the pandemic – both sales and profits exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with an annual growth rate of over 15 per cent. The Q1 2024 performance recently released is also satisfactory.

In the S2B2C (Supplier to Business to Consumer) field, our supply chain infrastructure

maintains a relatively leading position in China: 14 fruit processing centres operating at full capacity in key production areas, and a reliable production base network across the country ensuring consistent supply. On the 2C side, we have 12 fresh food logistics centres covering 186 hotspot cities, with smooth cooperation with supermarkets, e-tailers, and New Retail businesses.

Four products have achieved billion-yuan (US$140m) status: cherries, apples, Babagan (Harumi mandarin), and durians. We’ve also made significant progress with our proprietary brands.

What is most exciting is our breakthrough in international business. The performance of our international expansion team has been satisfactory; we have successfully entered markets in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, and others.

As an emerging player from the Chinese fruit industry, the Xing Ye Yuan team is now competing

“What is most exciting is our breakthrough in international business. We have successfully entered several new markets”

alongside major global fruit brands. We are humbled by that, and will continue to make strides and capture new territories in the dynamic Asian region.

As you said, the way fruit is distributed and sold has changed since Covid. What is the change like internally for Xing Ye Yuan?

LY: Xing Ye Yuan started as a supplier to conventional retailers, but we didn’t stop there. As we continue to further deepen our engagement in brick-and-mortar retail, our collaboration with e-retailers and New Retail has become our primary source of growth.

We have implemented a strategy that simultaneously services both online and offline channels and advances both B2B and B2C segments. The Chinese market is a vast, multi-dimensional, diverse consumer ecosystem where various retail formats coexist. They do not replace each other but rather each has its own place in the market.

Xing Ye Yuan empowers its partners throughout the supply chain with unmatched value. That is why

we cooperate well with all types of channels. Since its establishment, Xing Ye Yuan has witnessed iterations of China's fruit industry. The first two generations were building storage, acquiring customers, establishing factories, tracing origins, setting standards, and building systems. We have now entered the third generation of supply chains. This new phase focuses on innovation, quality improvement, digital intelligence, algorithms, and deep integration. It is linking a new value chain and making Xing Ye Yuan a trusted and reliable business partner for its clients. For retailers seeking breakthroughs in sales and profit, collaboration with suppliers to refine a high-quality supply chain has become the inevitable choice. ‘Supplier-retailer integration’ is becoming the mainstream trend

for the future and is our primary consideration when choosing partners.

The downturn in China's economy and weakening consumer purchasing power is a key focus for the global fruit industry. Do you think Chinese consumers are consuming less fruit, or are there new consumption trends emerging? Where can we find further growth?

LY: There is some downward pressure on fruit consumption in the China market, but the key change is not in the overall consumption volume but in the consumption structure. At first glance, the problem seems to lie on the demand side, but upon closer inspection, you can see it is still on the supply side.

Consumers' enthusiasm for

fresh fruit hasn’t diminished. Quite the opposite. Some new trends have emerged: self-care consumption has increased demand for healthy, organic, and/ or low-sugar fruit products. The demand for convenient, smallpack fruit, fresh-cuts, and mixed fruit has significantly risen among young people, single households and small families

Faced with new market requirements, if businesses remain focused on bulky and heavy ‘old products’ like largesize watermelons, basket-packed pears, and box-packed apples, their outlook will undoubtedly be difficult. We put Xing Ye Yuan on the right path by shifting focus to emerging categories like Shine Muscat grapes, cherries, blueberries, and persimmons.

Proactive innovation is key »

ABOVE—Xing Ye Yuan continues to invest in production and post-harvest infrastructure

to staying ahead of competition. We need new technologies and new business models. Only by bravely forging a new path can you see a different landscape. What has propelled Xing Ye Yuan forward over the past five years is pioneering new paths.

For the China market and for Xing Ye Yuan, maintaining a positive attitude towards external changes, seizing growth opportunities for trending products, bringing regional specialties onto the national stage, making niche products mainstream, and releasing a product’s true potential, are where new growth lies.

Premium Chinese fruit has been performing well in export in recent years. How is Xing Ye Yuan’s export business tracking?

LY: Export has been the most valued business segment for Xing Ye Yuan recently, and has shown the most outstanding performance. We have a dedicated export expansion team consisting of young talents from Fortune 500 companies. We are focusing on the Asian region. We have successfully entered markets in Singapore, India, Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar.

We have laid a solid foundation in these markets with the ‘traditional trio’ of Chinese fruit exports – apples, pears, and citrus – emphasising extreme costeffectiveness. Simultaneously, we have introduced a "new trio" – Shine Muscat grapes, seedless pomegranates, and Orah mandarins, along with trial sales of blueberries and strawberries. We call them "Chinese New Fruit Three Plus Two".

The market response to these products has been very positive, with high consumer repurchase rates, suggesting that they are

“Global scope, proprietary brands and Chinese fruit are the guiding principles of our global strategy”

likely to become new favourites among South-East Asian consumers.

"Global scope, proprietary brands, Chinese fruit" are the guiding principles of our global strategy. Under the umbrella brand Xing Ye Yuan, we are marketing our products in five sub-brands: Fola, Cybele, Furta, 3YY, and Prodigy. Each of these sub-brands targets different market segments and customer groups, which has quickly opened up the market. Our initial efforts have been very successful.

We firmly believe that the pursuit of ultimate quality leads to brand loyalty. Making good fruit that tastes great is key. Frankly speaking, our entry into the South-

East Asian market has been smoother than we expected. This is due to our extensive experience competing with strong players and experts in the Chinese market, where we have worked hard and honed our skills. We have achieved high quality in all aspects, including taste, appearance, cold chain, packaging, consistent standards, and consumer experience. These qualities, forged in the highly competitive Chinese market, have allowed us to quickly achieve some success in the emerging South-East Asian market.

As the founder of Xing Ye Yuan and a ‘veteran’ in the fruit industry, it is gratifying to see the vitality that Xing Ye Yuan still possesses, which has led us to boldly set out again after a 45-year industrial marathon.

Our young teams, carrying and representing Chinese fruit, are moving towards the Asian and Middle Eastern markets and pushing into Europe and the Americas. Although the road is long, we will reach our destination; if we take action, we will succeed. A

BELOW—Liu Yan, Xing Ye Yuan founder and chair

Quality drives China export charge

Sam Sin, deputy GM of Pagoda Global Fresh, says the company is putting quality first as it builds its export business supplying a range of Chinese-grown fruits.

by John Hey

Pagoda Global Fresh (PGF) is on a mission to build China’s reputation as an exporter of high-quality fruits. Back in 2019, the group acquired Haiyang Chiang Mai Thai AgriProducts Co (HYJCT), a leading exporter of Chinese apples and pears for more than 25 years. In addition to shipping to long-haul markets such as Europe, the Middle East and South America, HYJCT has a strong presence across SouthEast Asia with its JCT brand, as

well as the Wangshan brand in the Indonesia market.

But last year, PGF began exporting a full range of Chinesegrown fruits from the group’s supply sources says Sam Sin, whose family owned HYJCT, is heading up Pagoda’s export business.

“We’re targeting consumers who want good eating quality, and we’re mostly supplying the retail market,” he says. “Our product range includes blueberries, strawberries, kiwifruit, oranges,

LEFT—Pagoda Global Fresh’s Sam Sin says China will extend its dominance as a supplier to South-East Asia

mandarins, grapes and more.”

Sin says Pagoda and HYJCT share the same vision to establish China’s reputation as a high-quality fruit exporter.

“In previous years, I think the perception in the international market was that China was not always in the top tier [on quality]. But as you can see recently, the quality of Chinese products is improving a lot.”

Sin cites Driscoll’s’ berry investments in the Yunnan region as an example of the quality benchmarks being established in China’s fruit industry. “We believe that in the next three to five years, China is going to be the major supply source for South-East Asia in terms of agricultural products,” he says.

Chinese-grown grapes and mandarins have already made major inroads in markets in South-East Asia, Sin notes. Shine Muscat grapes are the most obvious example, now seen selling “all over South-East Asia”.

“If you talk with any importer in South-East Asia, I think they took at least 50 per cent fewer grapes from the US, Peru or Chile this year,” he says. “The transit time from these origins is around 25-30 days, but China can ship to Indonesia in a few days and to Vietnam in less than 24 hours.”

Sin singles out blueberries as the product seeing the fastest volume growth for export. PGF already exports strawberries from its own farms in Dandong and Nanjing, while it has a network of blueberry suppliers around China.

“We can truck fruit to Hong Kong and Thailand, and ship by sea to Singapore and Malaysia,” he says. “This makes our product much more competitive than alternative origins like Morocco. It also enables us to harvest fruit at a higher level of maturity.”

One of the challenges for blueberry exports is the lack of phytosanitary protocols for market access, he adds. “Berries was not traditionally a big category in China’s fruit industry, so the government did not establish protocols with many other countries. This will take some time.”

Pagoda packs and grades its export fruit to the same high standards required by China’s fruit import market, according to Sin. He sees China’s rise as a high-quality supplier making conditions much more competitive for global suppliers to China and SouthEast Asia in the future. Indeed, he expects China to extend its influence globally.

“I’m proud to say that in the next five or ten years, China is going to be the biggest exporter of highquality produce in the world,” Sin concludes. A

Goodfarmer Durians stand out

With the addition of fresh Malaysian durians, Goodfarmer continues to satisfy the varied and ever-growing demand for the ‘king of fruit’.

Although China’s FMCG industry is slowing and overall consumption is weak, the imported fruit market is showing surprising momentum. With rising living standards and changing consumption habits, imported fruit has become one of the most popular items in the Chinese market, injecting new impetus into the FMCG sector. Among all the imported products, durians are a clear standout, according to Gan Xingshun, durian products director of Goodfarmer Group’s fruit brand business

department.

ABOVE—

Goodfarmer Durians are sold both domestically and internationally

OPPOSITE—Gan Xingshun, durian products director at Goodfarmer

“Durian, the star of tropical fruits, is not only loved in Asia but has also gained popularity worldwide in recent years, becoming one of the most eye-catching products in the international market,” he says.

Durian consumption in China has soared over the past few years. According to a report from China’s General Administration of Customs, durian has overtaken apples to become China’s largest imported fruit by value.

QUALITY GUARANTEE

Goodfarmer stands out among the many durian brands with its excellent quality and strong brand power. Committed to providing fresh and delicious durians, Goodfarmer strictly follows international

quality standards, from planting to harvesting and marketing. Utilising advanced planting technology, scientific harvesting methods, and fast logistics distribution, it ensures durians are delivered to consumers in optimal condition. Goodfarmer Durians are sold both domestically and internationally, earning the love and trust of consumers and becoming a leader in the durian market. With brand-building as the overall goal and consumer experience guarantee as the purpose, Goodfarmer implements its “three goods and one standard” strategy, consistently achieving excellence in quality, quantity, price, and brand.

Durians come in many varieties, each with its own unique taste and flavour. After thorough field studies and in-depth research, the Goodfarmer durian team has carefully selected four varieties from Thailand and Vietnam: Kradum Thong, Monthong, Kanyao (Ri6), and Chanee. These

varieties cater to different taste preferences: Kradum Thong has strong fragrance, Monthong has rich flesh, Kanyao has smooth flavour, and Chanee is refreshing. The Thai Monthong durian, with its small pit, rich meat, and tender flavour, has quickly attracted many consumers and became one of the most popular Goodfarmer durians, earning wide recognition over the years. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s Kanyao durian (Ri6) is gaining attention and rapidly dominating the market with its price advantage. The relatively mild aroma of Vietnamese durians makes them more suitable for consumers who are sensitive to the typical durian smell. According to a report, Vietnam’s durian exports to China accounted for 35 per cent of China’s total imports in 2023, and the market share is expected to expand in the future. With the geographical advantage of bordering China, Vietnamese durians offer consumers a costeffective option with shorter transport.

Malaysian Musang King durians are considered premium among durians, known for their golden flesh, creamy texture, and strong fragrance. Compared to other varieties, Musang King durians have a perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness, a unique flavour favoured by durian lovers. Additionally, its flesh has a lower fibre content, resulting in a smoother eating texture. The approval of fresh Malaysian durians for export to China is a positive signal. Fresh Malaysian durians will likely become another dark horse in the Chinese market, capturing the high-end durian segment. As a leader in China’s fruit industry,

Goodfarmer is preparing for the inaugural shipment of Malaysian durians to China, bringing fresh flavours to consumers and introducing the Malaysian taste to households nationwide. To ensure the quality of the first batch, Goodfarmer has dispatched expert durian specialists to Malaysia. They have conducted comprehensive evaluations of the growing environment, cultivation techniques, harvesting times, and transportation methods of Malaysian durians, aiming for perfection at every step. Team members have also personally participated in the harvesting and preliminary processing to ensure each durian is picked at peak ripeness and delivered to consumers in the shortest time possible through cold chain logistics.

BRAND INNOVATION HELPS HAPPINESS

As the so-called ‘king of fruit’, durian has become a top choice for gift-giving. The Goodfarmer durian team is committed to quality and customer care, meticulously creating a variety of durian gift boxes to offer consumers diverse options. Goodfarmer is an excellent choice when customers want to send thoughtful gifts to family and friends.

With the increasing consumer demand for health and quality, the durian market is expanding, and many innovative durian products are emerging to meet different needs. Goodfarmer adheres to the principle of ‘Consumer First’, conducting in-depth market research and developing numerous innovative

durian products. These include small durian ‘gold bars’, durian ice cups, baked durian, and durian ice cream. These creative offerings are very popular in the snack market and are loved by consumers, satisfying their “durian cravings” and allowing durian enthusiasts to enjoy durian anytime and anywhere.

Frozen durian is becoming a preferred alternative to fresh durians. Goodfarmer’s dedicated fresh durians team and frozen durians team leverage their expertise to ensure consumers can enjoy delicious durians in both forms.

Goodfarmer Durians are available on various e-commerce platforms such as Meituan, JD.com, Pinduoduo, Tmall, and DingDong Maicai. The company has launched joint initiatives with major supermarkets like Freshippo, Yonghui, and Pagoda to further establish brand recognition. By utilising various channels, the Goodfarmer Durians brand continues to expand product exposure and boost awareness.

Keeping pace with the consumer

Consumer demands are ever-changing in China, and fruit brands must keep track to capitalise on market opportunities, says Clark Xiao of Trendforsee Consulting.

by John Hey

China has faced some economic headwinds of late, but its consumer market still holds huge untapped potential for fresh produce suppliers who can tailor their offerings to ever-shifting demands.

That was one of the key messages from Clark Xiao, CEO of Trendforsee Consulting, who gave a keynote talk on consumer trends in China at the Asia Fruit Logistica China Business Meet Up in Shanghai on 27-28 May.

“With the sheer size of the domestic market and the advancement of urbanisation, there’s still great potential for market development in China,” said Xiao.

“The development of tierone cities is relatively flat, but 14 provinces saw a consumption growth rate of 10 per cent for the Double 11 shopping festival last year. The mid-west and rural provinces are seeing the fastest growth in consumption.”

Xiao singled out four key trends in consumer behaviour across China.

First, he said consumers are becoming more rational and prudent in their purchasing habits. “Consumers are thinking about what they retain and what they abandon,” said Xiao. “Saving has become the consensus. They still want quality, but it must be affordable quality, and this is where

cheaper substitute products come in. Today it’s about high-quality substitutes.”

The second key trend is “spiritual enrichment”. “Chillaxing and emotional fulfilment have become the need of consumers who find themselves under pressure in their lives and at work,” he said.

Xiao pointed to the 600,000 milk tea shops that have opened up across China. Dressing in dopamine colours like red, orange and yellow has also become a big trend, he added. Marketing of fruit can tap into this thirst for spiritual satisfaction. “Fruit is not just about satisfying taste and nutritional needs,” he said. “It’s a source of emotional value and companionship.”

Appealing to the emotional needs of consumers and “personalising” products are key for fruit marketers, Xiao said. He cited examples such as the “anti-anxiety banana” and serving stove-boiled tea with fruit.

The third big trend is consumers putting their health first. “Healthy products need to be readily available at any time,” said Xiao.

Consumption of superfruits is on the rise, as underlined by the growth in sales of Zespri kiwifruit, avocados (known as ‘forest cream’) and cherries, Xiao said. Fruit marketers can build the health message into their products. “One durian holds the same nutritional value as three chickens,” he said.

Xiao also highlighted the growth in sales of fruitbased yoghurts and milkshakes. “Ambrosial has been very successful in developing fruit yoghurts,” he said. “Avocado yoghurt is also now a top-seller.”

Convenience and instant enjoyment are the fourth key trend. “Consumers are becoming impatient,” Xiao said. “They want spontaneous retail, fast retail. They’ll jump on e-commerce where they can get products instantaneously, and fruit and vegetables are the most popular-selling category on instant retail. Fruits are becoming standard as part of a healthy afternoon tea.”

Turning to more general consumer demands in fresh fruit, Xiao said safety, freshness, and high-quality products and origins were the priorities.

Overall, Xiao highlighted big opportunities for branding and business development in the fresh produce business, from field to shelf.

“To be a leader in the market, brands and products must know and understand the key consumer trends,” he said. “They need to create popular products that are tailored to these trends to build brand value.” A

BELOW LEFT—Trendforsee’s Clark Xiao speaking at the Asia Fruit Logistica China Business Meet Up in Shanghai

China grants access to fresh Malaysian durian

Access provides a significant boost for Malaysian industry and adds another supply source to China’s competitive durian market.

by Liam O’Callaghan

On 19 June, China and Malaysia signed a protocol allowing fresh Malaysian durian to be exported to China.

Malaysia secured access to China for durian pulp in 2011 and whole frozen durian in 2018 and attaining approval for fresh durian has been a long-term priority. Although the protocol has been signed, at the time of publication authorities were still working through details such as packhouse registration.

Malaysian minister of agriculture and food security, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, told the Malaysian parliament at the start of July he expects the export of fresh durian to China to commence

in the third quarter of 2024.

“Only orchards and durian fruit packing facilities that apply and are registered with the Department of Agriculture, comply with myGAP (Good Agricultural Practices) standards, and receive approval from General Administration of Customs China (GACC) by meeting the conditions set out in the protocol, will be allowed to export fresh durian fruit to China,” he said.

The trade in China expects fresh Malaysian fruit to make a welcome addition to the country’s durian market.

Gan Xingshun, general manager of Goodfarmer Foods (Thailand) and Vietnamese and Thai durian products director of Goodfarmer

Group’s Product Centre believes Malaysian durians will be highly popular.

“Due to the high quality of Malaysian durians, particularly varieties like Musang King and Black Thorn, their entry into China could elevate overall market quality. However, their success will depend on various factors, including logistics costs, market access barriers, and consumer preferences,” says Gan.

He says Malaysian durian will provide consumers with more choice.

“Fresh Malaysian durians are positioned as superpremium fruit in the China market primarily targeting consumers who value quality and unique experiences. They can differentiate themselves from products from other countries by emphasising their unique varieties, such as Musang King and Black Thorn.”

Raymond Mou, head of supply chain import project at Yonghui Superstores, is cautious about predicting the impact of Malaysian durian on the market, noting the challenges of handling tree-ripened fruit.

“We welcome Malaysian durians to enter China, but in order to sell them efficiently and meaningfully to customers, thorough preparation is necessary, because tree-ripened products are quite a different species. Any company entering this field needs to have sufficient supply chain capabilities and preparations,” Mou notes.

“That is why we do not have particularly high expectations for fresh Malaysian durians yet. At present we don’t have plans to get involved in the products immediately. We would like to see how they are when they arrive in China.”

Mou says many Chinese consumers have not experienced fresh, tree-ripened Musang King durians so he does not expect growing practices to change and remove the point of differentiation.

“Generations of Malaysian growers have been ripening their durians on trees, and they will not be changing their practices for Chinese consumer habits. But handling tree-ripen durians is a challenge,” says Mou. “Even if they are willing, it will require a lot of research to know how to properly ripen Musang King. And if they are ripened post-harvest, then is there much difference left compared to Thai products?” A

LEFT—Malaysia is the latest supplier to gain access to China’s competitive fresh durian market

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US citrus giants promote high-Brix oranges

Sun Pacific and Sunkist see good potential for oranges with guaranteed sweetness in China.

by John Hey

Major US citrus growermarketers Sun Pacific and Sunkist promoted their high-Brix navel orange offerings at the Asia Fruit Logistica China Business Meet Up in Shanghai on 27-28 May.

Both companies say they see exciting potential for oranges with guaranteed high sweetness in the China market. The timing of the event towards the end of the US navel orange season presented an opportunity to sample fruit to the local trade.

Sun Pacific markets Brixsensored oranges under the PureSpect label, which provides an

While the PureSpect machine sensors Brix levels to guarantee a consistent standard, Martin says it is Sun Pacific’s farming practices that enable the company to supply high-Brix oranges. PureSpect-branded fruit has proven popular in export markets, where customers pay a premium for the fruit over other brands of navels, according to Martin.

“Over the last fifteen years, we turned the Korean market into a high-Brix market, and we turned 30-40 per cent of the business in Hong Kong to high-Brix.

“Now we see big opportunities in China because there aren’t many differentiators among navels in the market but high-Brix makes a big difference.”

LEFT—Elizabeth Martin, export sales manager of Sun Pacific

BELOW RIGHT—

PureSpectbranded oranges are Brix-sensored

Martin says Sun Pacific’s high-Brix oranges would “be selling all over China” already, if it were not for the US-China trade war of recent years, which saw China increase the import tariff on US citrus.

“China’s import duty on our oranges is now 26 per cent plus 9 per cent VAT,” she says. “It makes things tough for us.”

Nevertheless, Martin was enthused by the positive response from Chinese buyers sampling the PureSpect oranges at the China Business Meet Up. “We’ve never been in China before when we had high-Brix fruit available, so it’s great to be able to sample the fruit here,” she says. “The response has been very good, and I think we’ll have some success. We already have a potential customer who wants to try high Brix.”

Sunkist launched a high-Brix orange brand earlier this year with the Premium Sweet label. The major US citrus cooperative showcased the offering at the China Business Meet Up. The Premium Sweet brand has a distinctive black label that stands out on the orange background of the fruit.

ideal sugar to acid ratio. The brand has developed a strong following in Korea in particular, as well as in Hong Kong and Taiwan, according to Elizabeth Martin, Sun Pacific’s export sales manager. The company also offers two other high-Brix brands, Vintage Sweet and L-Sweet.

The PureSpect label originates from Korea, where the company that bears its name developed a machine for testing the Brix level of the fruit.

“Sun Pacific has the exclusive rights to the label in Korea and Hong Kong and we lease the Brixtesting machinery from PureSpect for grading our fruit,” says Martin.

The Sunkist brand is well known in China, reflecting its long history in the market, according to a company spokesperson. Sunkist promotes the brand actively in major cities throughout the country, and consumption of oranges continues to grow, the spokesperson notes. A

The rise and shine of IP protected fruits in China

China’s efforts to embrace protected varieties has had a transformative effect on the country’s fruit industry.

IDAVID SMITH

Bloom Fresh China General manager

’m no stranger to seeing insane prices for fruit in China. Throughout the year, we can see local cherries selling for well over US$70 a kilogram, US$100 square watermelons from Japan, US$40 for a single bunch of locally grown Shine Muscat grapes, and many other mindboggling prices for fruits. Being in the grape industry, the grapes catch my eye.

Shine Muscat grapes were originally bred in the late 90s and released in 2003 in Japan, where they are still prized and protected today. It didn’t take long for the variety’s popularity to soar.

Fast forward to 2006, when Chinese growers began noticing the popularity of this variety and decided to take a crack at growing it locally.

It took the better part of a decade for growers to figure out how to cultivate the variety, but between 2016 and 2022, the planted area for Shine Muscat exploded from around 40,000ha to over 400,000ha.

This rapid expansion, however, was especially unfortunate for the Japanese National Institute of Fruit Tree Science, the original breeders of the variety. Because they did not go through the formalities to receive PVR on the variety in China, they missed out on millions of dollars in royalties.

The sad part of this story is what is now happening to the growers. Because this variety has been planted so widely, the market is starting to suffer under the weight of thousands and thousands of tonnes of mediocre (and often downright bad) fruit.

While many growers still cling to the hope that they will be able to achieve high prices for these grapes, the situation is dire for most.

CHINA’S PVR JOURNEY

China’s journey with Plant Variety Rights (PVR) has been nothing short of transformative yet fraught with

its own set of challenges.

Over the past two decades, China has seen a surge in protected fruit varieties and PVR applications, reflecting the country’s commitment to agricultural innovation and its strategic role in the global market.

By 1999, China had made its first significant leap by joining the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), setting a baseline of standards for legal protection.

This was followed by the introduction of specific laws in

2000 to protect plant variety rights, marking the beginning of what would be a rapid journey toward agricultural innovation.

In 2019 alone, there were over 34,000 PVR applications in China, accounting for a significant portion of global applications.

By 2023, China was not just participating, but leading in global variety registrations.

The growth has been nothing short of explosive – take citrus, for example, where the number of protected varieties increased from 80 in 2012 to 125 in 2023.

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION

One of the most remarkable aspects of China’s PVR journey has been the level of international collaboration involved. Research institutes from around the world— South America, North America, and Europe—are increasingly participating in China’s burgeoning PVR-related business. Private industry giants like Bloom Fresh, Driscoll’s, and Dole have made substantial investments, seeing the potential of China’s growing influence in global agriculture.

China’s focus on PVR is not just about protecting intellectual property; it’s about driving economic growth, enhancing food security, and expanding global market access. The robust IP protection framework in China has attracted significant investment from both the private sector and government, fostering innovation and boosting productivity.

CUTTING-EDGE BREEDING

China’s agricultural innovation isn’t just about quantity; it’s about the quality and type of breeding being done. Of the varieties being bred in China, 65 per cent are developed using traditional breeding practices, 25 per cent through genetic engineering, and 10 per cent using other biotechnologies. This diverse approach to breeding is not only increasing yield but also enhancing the resilience and sustainability of China’s agricultural sector.

For example, IP-protected apple varieties in China have shown a 20 per cent increase in yield compared to traditional varieties, thanks to enhanced traits like disease resistance. These advances are not only making farming more profitable but also more sustainable, as many of these new varieties require less water and fewer pesticides.

THE ROAD AHEAD: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

While China has made incredible strides in PVR, there’s still a long way to go. Enforcement remains a significant challenge, and the market is still adjusting to the influx of new varieties. However, the progress made so far indicates that China is heading in the right direction. The story of Shine Muscat serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of PVR protection – not just for breeders, but for the entire industry. Without proper protection, even the most promising varieties can become victims of their own success, leading to market saturation and a decline in quality.

Looking ahead, the focus must be on creating a balanced approach that not only drives innovation but also sustains long-term profitability for growers and satisfaction for consumers. With the right safeguards in place, China has the chance to set a global standard for how IP protection can enhance the entire industry.

In the end, the point of PVR protection is to make the industry more valuable. This means that growers need to be more profitable, and consumers must have a better consumption experience. Shine Muscat’s story is a lesson not just for China, but for the world.

This article is based on a presentation David Smith delivered at Asia Fruit Logistica’s China Business Meet Up on 27-28 May. A

OPPOSITE—Bloom Fresh has licensed its proprietary varieties in China BELOW—David Smith presenting at Asia Fruit Logistica’s China Business Meet Up

Building a supply chain for the future

Zespri’s head of supply chain for Greater China, Rahul Bagde, explains how the kiwifruit marketer is transforming its distribution together with VX Cold Chain.

by John Hey

Zespri has embarked on an ambitious project to build out its supply chain operations in China over the past six years. It’s a journey anchored by its partnership with integrated logistics service provider VX Cold Chain to create the state-of-theart Fresh Hub facility in Shanghai’s Lingang Free Trade Zone, which opened in April 2023.

Rahul Bagde joined Zespri back in 2018 to head up supply chain for the Greater China region, incorporating mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Bagde had a background working in supply chain for major blue-chip organisations such as Microsoft, Siemens, Phillips and San Disk, so the fresh produce industry

presented a learning curve. But it’s a journey he says he has relished, drawing on his expertise from outside the industry to help modernise and digitise Zespri’s supply chain operations.

“First of all, it’s been a good learning opportunity, because I knew nothing about the food industry before joining,” reflects Bagde. “Second, it has been wonderful to be part of a team focused on establishing our own infrastructure in China and designing the future supply chain for Zespri.”

Zespri only became an importer of record in China in 2016, and it began to keep some inventory in the market from 2017, just before Bagde joined.

“We didn’t have any infrastructure on the ground, so we were leveraging pretty much 100 per cent our distributors’ facilities,” he says. “Our goal was to create a foothold in the China market with our own operations, our own infrastructure, and to digitalise a significant part of our operations. We were on course to double our volumes within five years, so we needed to do this.”

SUPPLY CHAIN TARGETS

Bagde says Zespri set out with four key goals for its supply chain. The first was to achieve “end-to-end quality management”, he explains.

“It was about how we integrate between Zespri, our distributors, their tier-one customers and the wholesale markets, to ensure we have an end-to-end view of the quality.”

The second part focused on creating ripening infrastructure in-market. “We learned from our operations in Japan that there is a lot of value if you serve the market with ready-to-eat, ready-to-retail product,” notes Bagde.

Zespri’s third major focus was on being able to supply consumer packaging. “Emotional occasions in China are key to selling products. You look at different festivals and customise packaging to sell to the consumer,” he explains.

The fourth part was around the quality of infrastructure. “In this industry, there’s generally less appreciation of the value the right infrastructure brings to products,” Bagde says. “People look at storage

more in terms of just keeping the product, but we need to change that mindset in the industry.”

“WORLD-CLASS INFRASTRUCTURE”

When Michael Jiang took over as GM of Greater China in 2019, Zespri formed a strategic group with its two distributors (Joy Wing Mau and Goodfarmer) and key functional people to lead this strategy. “There are enough storage providers, but we needed to transition to the world-class infrastructure we see in New Zealand,” says Bagde.

Zespri partnered with VX Cold Chain to co-design that infrastructure. On what was bare land in 2021, VX built the Fresh Hub facility – VX Shanghai Lingang Park.

Zespri committed to VX with its five-year plans and assurance of supplying sizeable volumes of fruit for handling and throughput. VX in turn invested around Rmb400 (US$55m) to build the world-class infrastructure Zespri required.

“This facility marks the first time a product owner and service

OPPOSITE, ABOVE— VX Cold Chain’s Fresh Hub facility in Shanghai OPPOSITE, BELOW— Rahul Bagde (left) hosts New Zealand trade minister Todd McClay at the facility

LEFT—VX Fresh Hub is home to China’s first fully automated kiwifruit processing line

provider co-designed a facility based on the future demand of the product owner and the capabilities we required,” says Bagde.

This, he says, was one of many “firsts” with the VX Fresh Hub facility.

“It’s the first facility that has an automated storage and retrieval system. That gives you better storage and labour efficiency in terms of how pallets are stored because it’s all automated.”

The VX Fresh Hub is also home to China’s first fully automated kiwifruit processing line, which was designed specifically for Zespri by MAF Roda, according to Bagde.

“The processing line enables us to create the scale to process consumer packs for retail and create the transition from bulk to layers,” he explains. “It means customisation can happen closer to demand in the market – say if we want to change our packaging specifically for the Mid-Autumn festival in September.”

The other key ‘first’ was around the ripening infrastructure on site, which enables Zespri to service the ready-to-eat and ready-to-retail market.

“We needed to create a ripening infrastructure which was more decentralised,” he says. “That includes ripening infrastructure within the Zespri facility, as well as with our distributors.

“Firstly, this ensures the eating experience of ripened fruit is much better for our consumers,” he says. “Secondly, it boosts our sales rates from early in the season because when consumers buy the product, they’re not waiting for a week for it to ripen before they eat it.” »

Another distinctive feature of the facility is its intelligent energy consumption, which results in practically zero carbon emissions. “The daytime power for the facility is supplied by almost 16,000m2 of solar panels on the roof,” says Bagde. “It has a LEED Platinum certification from the US Green Building Council.”

EFFICIENCY GAINS

Bagde says the VX Fresh Hub has already helped to drive dramatic improvements in the efficiency of Zespri’s operations in China.

“It used to take us four or five days from receival of a charter vessel to process and deliver fruit to customers, but it’s now taking us just two-and-a-half days,” he says.

He highlights the digitalisation of many of its operational processes as another key benefit.

“When I am sitting in India, I can see on my phone what’s happening in the warehouse pretty much live. I can direct people on the ground remotely without having to be present,” he says. “My experience with Microsoft was the inspiration for this digital journey in Zespri Greater China.”

“People look at storage more in terms of just keeping the product, but we need to change that mindset in the industry”

One of the keys to efficiency gains is the sheer capacity of the VX facility, which can comfortably accommodate the discharge of specialised charter shipments. “It’s a three-storey facility with four chambers with a combined capacity 18,500 pallets, and you can actually discharge fruit at all three levels,” says Bagde. “When we bring in charters, we pretty much handle 6,000-7,000 pallets, so you need to have the scale.”

CHARTER CHANGE

Up until 2022, Shanghai Lingang Port was the only charter port available to Zespri. When Shanghai was locked down during the Covid-19 pandemic, Zespri moved swiftly to develop an alternative port to receive charter shipments. In a matter of just 45 days, it set up a hub at Yuhuan Port in Taizhou, more than 400km south of Shanghai, building a cold store there. Yuhuan now functions as a back-up charter port to Shanghai Lingang, but the Shanghai lockdown also prompted Zespri to diversify its options to reduce its reliance on the one single port for charters.

Last year, it developed a third charter port in Shatian

in Dongguan, Guangdong province.

Now, around 70 per cent of Zespri’s arrivals into China come in via Shanghai and Yuhuan. A further 15 per cent enter the southern ports of Shatian (charter) and Yantian (container) in Guangdong province. The remaining 10-15 per cent of arrivals go into Tianjin (serving Beijing), and Dalian in the north.

Moving forward, Zespri plans to replicate the infrastructure it has established with VX in Shanghai in other ports.

“VX has already opened a similar fresh hub in Dongguan where the southern charter shipments come in this season,” says Bagde.

The next focus is Tianjin, where Zespri is in talks with VX to determine what aspects of the Shanghai operation can be replicated in the northern port.

The development of the onshore infrastructure has enabled Zespri to switch the bulk of its shipments to charter vessels rather than container lines.

“Prior to Covid in 2019, we were shipping roughly 30 per cent of our volume for China in charters and 70 per cent in containers,” says Bagde. “Over the past four years, we’ve switched the ratio to almost 70 per cent coming in charters and 30 per cent in containers.

“Containers still play an important role because charters are inflexible – you can’t cancel them with a short lead time. The containers allow us to adjust the flow of supply.”

END-TO-END GOAL

While VX’s landmark investment has created a platform to meet Zespri’s future supply chain needs, Bagde points out that the journey to achieve end-to-end quality management is far from over.

“Most businesses I’ve seen kind of lose control of their product as soon as it leaves their facility,” he says. “How do you track the quality of your fruit through different supply chains, be it e-commerce channels, traditional wholesale, and ultimately all the way to the consumer? So that when the consumer complains about the quality of the fruit, you have the capability to analyse what’s going on and fix it.

“That’s our ambition and focus over the next few years – we’ve made some headway, but I’d say we’re only 30 per cent of the way there in terms of achieving true end-to-end quality management.” A

BELOW—Zespri is focused on achieving end-to-end quality management

China and New Zealand resume kiwiberry trade

New protocol signed between governments grants access for kiwiberries after eight-year pause.

by Bree Caggiati

Anew protocol has been signed between the China and New Zealand governments which allows for the resumption of trade for New Zealand kiwiberries. The new kiwiberry export plan, which was signed on 13 June at New Zealand’s Government House, is subject to a series of conditions including crop registration, pest monitoring and labelling among others.

New Zealand trade and agriculture minister Todd McClay and food safety minister Andrew Hoggard welcomed the protocol and say it will boost agricultural and food trade between the two countries.

“The new kiwiberry export plan is an important step forward

for our growers and will enable Chinese consumers to again enjoy our high-quality kiwiberry,” McClay says. “The new export plan will provide certainty and a lucrative revenue stream for our kiwiberry growers.”

New Zealand previously exported kiwiberries to China between 2010 and 2016 when access was revoked.

“This is really exciting news for New Zealand kiwiberry growers,” says Geoff Oliver chairman of industry body NZ Kiwiberry Growers. “The improved returns from China will no doubt lead to better returns for the category, which will lead to increased plantings and larger export volumes.”

ABOVE—New Zealand kiwiberries are currently exported to 12 countries, half of which are in Asia

New Zealand previously exported kiwiberries to China between 2010 and 2016 when access was revoked

The New Zealand export crop has decreased in recent years as some growers converted to producing gold or red kiwifruit varieties.

“We expect volumes to increase largely from new plantings in the last two years,” says Neil McLoughlin, executive officer of NZ Kiwiberry Growers. “Some new varieties are also being trialled, which is exciting.”

Currently New Zealand kiwiberries are exported to 12 different countries, half of which are in Asia. Exporters will continue to support the current markets in addition to China, according to NZ Kiwiberry Growers. A

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Prevar celebrates 20th anniversary

With a significant contribution to apple and pear variety development under its belt, Prevar reflects on the past two decades while looking ahead to what the next 20 years will hold.

by Bree Caggiati

New Zealand-based variety development organisation, Prevar, will celebrate 20 years in business this year. The joint venture between New Zealand Apples & Pears, Plant & Food Research (Plant & Food) and Apple and Pear Australia (Apal) was created in 2004 to develop and commercialise new apple and pear varieties for licensing in New Zealand and around the world.

In 20 years Prevar has commercially licenced 18 varieties, entered into 36 license agreements and holds more than 183 trademark registrations across the globe. Some of the distinctive IP varieties

Prevar has developed are known as Dazzle, Rockit, PiqaBoo and Lemonade, with Sassy, Posh and Joli the latest additions to its portfolio.

In its current form, the Prevar business is centred on four core areas – consumer insights-driven innovation, a world-class breeding programme, customer-centred commercialisation, and industry and category leadership.

“We have a lot to be proud of in our first 20 years of business,” says Prevar chief executive, Tony Martin. “There has been a lot of investment over that 20 years to be able to create a sustainable

business that provides better returns for our growers, continues to support our industry and that delights consumers with the products we create.”

According to Martin, Prevar re-invests a large portion of its revenue back into R&D to stay at the forefront of innovation and product development.

“At any point in time, we have a few hundred new varieties in stages of R&D that are narrowed down. Only the best make it into full production,” he explains.

VARIETY SUCCESSES

While the rest of the world was investing in larger and larger apples, Prevar took the opposite route with PremA96. The naturally small apple has become popular under the brand name Rockit through strong marketing efforts by its owner Rockit Global.

“It’s an amazing success story where an

entrepreneur saw the opportunity to take what was a small snack apple, put it inside a tube and build a great brand story that appeals to consumers in different parts of the world,” says brand manager Amanda Lyon.

Another win for Prevar has been the development of the distinctively red pear, PiqaBoo.

“There is nothing quite like PiqaBoo anywhere in the world,” Lyon says. “It’s a special IP variety that combines the very best of Japanese, Chinese and European pears with great colour, great flavour, great texture and great storability.”

Demand and excitement for PiqaBoo continue to grow as more consumers experience the unique offering.

“We believe that these next 20

years are going to see a revolution of the pear category, and we are excited to be at the forefront of that with our Piqa series,” Lyon says.

One of Prevar’s newest apple offerings, branded as Joli, comes out of a partnership with leading New Zealand apple growerexporter T&G Global.

“We are really excited about this apple,” Lyon says. “It’s a bigger piece of fruit and incredibly juicy.”

THE NEXT 20 YEARS

With a strong portfolio of existing varieties, a significant global licensee network, an ongoing partnership with Plant & Food and a deep pipeline of selections in new product development stages, the future looks bright for Prevar and the New Zealand industry at large.

“One thing we know for sure, the next 20 years will look very different than the last,” Martin says.

For Prevar, and many other developers, the environmental impacts of long-distance shipments are becoming less viable.

“There is an exciting future ahead that’s more sustainable with fruit growing closer to the consumer,” Martin says.

“While shipping the very best premium fruit from New Zealand to global markets will continue, this will be increasingly supported by the weightless export of our intellectual property.”

Martin sees this progression as the next step for the industry, promoting growth in breeding, technology and more sustainable practices.

“The first 20 years has been all about developing a really strong portfolio of products and brands that we can take from New Zealand to the world,” Martin says. “The next 20 years gives us an opportunity to really dial up the innovation to meet the everchanging needs of our consumers and growers.” A

OPPOSITE TOP & BOTTOM—Prevar varieties Joli, Sassy and Rockit LEFT—(l-r)

Amanda Lyon, brand manager; Tony Martin, chief executive officer; Duncan Park, quality and technical manager and Snow Hardy, commercial manager

Indian apple imports rise by over 70 per cent

Fresh apple imports forecast to reach a record 510,000 tonnes as demand for healthy food in India increases.

by Bree Caggiati

India’s fresh apple imports rose over 70 per cent in the first nine months of the marketing year (MY) in 2023/24 (July 2023-June 2024) compared to the same period last year and are forecast to reach a record 510,000 tonnes, according to a report from the USDA.

While domestic production is also expected to increase slightly, demand for imported apples continues to grow as the Indian population rises and dietary habits shift towards more health-focused foods.

Limited transport infrastructure restricting the movement of domestic apples from the north of India to other regions is also boosting demand for imported products.

The USDA reports apple imports from Iran have nearly doubled so far in MY 2023/24, accounting for a large portion of the overall increase. Prior to MY 2019/20, Iran accounted for less than 10 per cent of India’s apple imports but it has since increased its share to a third of total volumes.

Imports from the US have also recorded notable growth, rising from 2,000 tonnes last marketing year to nearly 20,000 tonnes

In May 2023, India put in place a “minimum import price for apples” to counter low-cost Iranian apples bypassing tariffs by entering through Afghanistan, in turn putting downward pressure on India’s domestic pricing. Despite this countermeasure, Iranian apples are still a low-cost option for India’s price-sensitive consumers as evidenced by the continued growth in market share. However, the Iranian government did place an export duty on apples in March 2024 due to low domestic supplies and high prices, which may slow shipments in the coming months, according to the USDA.

BELOW—Demand for imported apples is rising in India

Imports from the US have also recorded notable growth, rising from 2,000 tonnes last marketing year to nearly 20,000 tonnes in the first nine months of 2023/24. The increase is largely due to India lifting the 2019 retaliatory tariff on US apples in September 2023 as well as increased production on the back of good weather in Washington State, the top producing region. Despite this increase, India’s apple imports from the US this year are likely to remain well below the ten-year average.

Other leading suppliers of imported fruits into India include the EU, Turkey, and South Africa. However, lower production in the EU and Turkey and increased shipping costs and delays have meant increases from these regions have been minimal. Volumes of South African apples destined for India are on the rise, helped by higher production and a bilateral agreement for in-transit cold treatment. A

TopStar expands Soluna test sites

Soluna global manager and marketer, TopStar – a co-venture between France-based Star Fruits and South Africa-based TopFruit – has engaged a technical group to run worldwide testing of the variety. The research programme is designed to gather information and technical breakthroughs from global growing experiences.

At present, TopStar has established 62 test sites in 16 countries and by 2025, with additional testing developments, the ANABP 01 research programme should cover a network of nearly 115 test sites in 25 different locations internationally.

In Europe, the variety is being tested in four countries: Italy, France, Spain and Switzerland. Across the rest of the world, Brazil, Canada, the US, South Africa, Mexico, Chile and Japan all hold test sites as well. The variety is also being introduced to India, Korea, New Zealand, Argentina and Uruguay, with plans to head into China slated.

The first results from Europeangrown Soluna delivered excellent feedback on taste and appearance of the fruit, according to TopStar. US partners also received positive feedback from distributed fruit samples.

Research and consumer tests will be ongoing this year.

Soluna gears up for second sales year

After a successful 2023, WA Farm Direct is confident more growth is in store for Soluna this year.

by Bree Caggiati

In its first full international sales year the distinctive Australian-grown burgundy apple, Soluna, made waves across Asia and the Middle East.

WA Farm Direct, the exclusive Australian exporter, marketed the apple across Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia and the Middle East with campaigns tailored to local preferences.

The marketing efforts included a range of digital and in-person elements including a branded food truck, point-of-sale material in stores, regular in-store tastings and social media campaigns among others.

In Hong Kong, WA Farm Direct partnered with importerwholesaler-distributor Top Weal

and TVB (Hong Kong’s largest television station) on an extensive promotional campaign that included televised segments, food expos and innovative advertising strategies.

The export programme exceeded overall expectations set by WA Farm Direct and achieved a growth in sales of 114 per cent compared to 2022.

Sean Engelbrecht, commercialisation manager at WA Farm Direct, says he is pleased with the results from the first sales year and is looking forward to the season ahead.

“Our first year with the Soluna brand on the market could not have gone better,” he says. “The brand was accepted by all markets,

ABOVE—WA Farm Direct commercialisation manager Sean Engelbrecht (right)

OPPOSITE TOP

LEFT—Soluna apples have a distinctive burgundy colour

OPPOSITE TOP RIGHT—Soluna had a successful first sales year

OPPOSITE

BOTTOM—Soluna marketing activations included in-store tastings

and we managed to increase sales in the first year.”

With the harvest now complete, WA Farm Direct forecasts a sales volume increase of between 10 per cent and 15 per cent in 2024.

“It has been a warmer summer which has created higher sugars throughout the crop, resulting in great-tasting fruit and just an excellent crop overall,” Engelbrecht says.

“Australian growers are very optimistic about this year and the future of Soluna.”

The marketing plan for the season ahead will centre on making consumers feel part of the brand story, with a focus on digital marketing across social media platforms.

“Building our brand by communicating our value proposition, authentically connecting with our customers through our brand story and building trust leads to increased sales and fulfilling consumer relationships,” says Liza Matthews, Soluna brand manager. A

Art partnerships push Envy sales

Following a successful collaboration with Van Gogh Heritage Foundation in 2023, T&G will feature Forbidden City artwork across its Envy apple Mid-Autumn Festival gift boxes this year.

by Bree Caggiati

Envy has grown to become one of the leading premium apple brands in key global markets, including China, Vietnam and Thailand. For T&G Global, the distinctive red-coloured apple continues to be a standout performer – growing in both global consumer demand and solid returns for growers.

“While there are many new and established apple varieties, Envy apples are a standout performer,” says Shane Kingston, director international sales and marketing at T&G. “Our strategy is focused on continuing to grow this incredible brand in key global markets and build and maintain consumer

preference and loyalty through the brand’s year-round presence.”

While Kingston says T&G is focused on everyday consumption, significant events such as Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival make up a key part of overall sales. T&G uses this time to push promotional activations including branded gift boxes which are extremely popular across Asia.

“Our elegantly packaged Envy apple gift boxes have cemented themselves as the perfect choice for festive gift giving,” Kingston says.

Last season, T&G partnered with the Van Gogh Heritage Foundation to include a range of van Gogh’s paintings across gift boxes and

promotional packaging in China. The campaign led to sales rising by 70 per cent, with all stocks of the van Gogh gift boxes selling out, according to T&G.

Following the success of this campaign, the company will again include selected artworks in its Mid-Autumn Festival gift boxes. This time it is partnering with The World of Palace by Forbidden City Culture.

“The team plans to sell double the number of gift boxes featuring the ornate Forbidden City artwork compared to the van Gogh quantities that were produced and sold in 2023,” Kingston says. “This is a testament to the success of these collaborations.”

In addition to the gift boxes, T&G will run in-store promotional activities to support the campaign.

“This campaign complements our everyday consumption focus and acts as an effective driver of Envy participation in such occasions,” Kingston says.

The strategy has been successful across its other markets as well. In Vietnam, Envy has experienced double-digit growth in recent years for both North American and New Zealand-grown apples.

“We anticipate strong demand again during this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam,” Kingston says. “Demand and stock volumes for these premium gift boxes have steadily increased from 2022 and will be available in-store from August.”

The brand has experienced similar growth in Thailand, with Envy apples making up 50 per cent of the premium apple category, according to T&G.

“In 2023, Envy was the most consumed apple brand in Thailand,” Kingston says. “Between 2022 and 2024, our in-market team has put in a huge amount of effort and expanded the Envy premium gift box programme in Thailand by approximately 120 per cent.” A

LEFT—Envy gift boxes will this year feature Forbidden City artworks

Joya gets fresh brand identity

Building on the success of the new high-coloured variety in Asia, Joya apples will reveal a new logo and brand identity at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica.

by Bree Caggiati

Joya has received a new brand identity including an updated logo and brand strategy, which is set to be unveiled at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica.

The rebrand, led by Twenty Degrees, will embrace a more cheerful and approachable outlook,

“The new brand identity aims to broaden the appeal of Joya, highlighting the apple's all-around excellence in a more light-hearted and joyful manner.”

Joya has traditionally performed well in Western Europe and South Africa, but with volume increases in recent years, it has expanded into new markets, particularly in Asia where the high-coloured variety has captured attention. This success prompted a strategic review of the brand, resulting in a refreshed identity designed to resonate more deeply with consumers through a global lens.

“This is an exciting new chapter for Joya as we build consumer confidence in the apple's consistently great eating experience and enable them to build an emotional connection with a brand that is always enjoyable,” Turnbull says.

“Joya now combines the best qualities of a great red apple with the Joya brand's signature sunny disposition for modern global consumers.”

The brand refresh was developed and executed with the help of Melbourne-based specialist brand agency DiMarca. Global partners and industry experts from across the supply chain were engaged

LEFT—The Joya rebrand leans into the positive energy Joya apples evoke

The Infia Tray2Tray system endlessly recycles the plastic of post-consumer food trays to produce new trays.

Rockit expands Kung Fu Panda campaign

Following its launch into China and Taiwan in April, Rockit’s Kung Fu Panda marketing campaign is expanding to more markets, shares general manager of global marketing Julian Smith.

by Bree Caggiati

What has the response been like since the campaign launched?

Julian Smith: There has been strong demand and many of our trade partners are using Kung Fu Panda for high-impact activations in-store. In China, the campaign continues to resonate well resulting in sell-outs in many markets, and we have introduced new Kung Fu Panda stock keeping units to help meet demand.

Any standouts from the campaign so far?

JS: We kicked off our Kung Fu Panda campaign with two massive launch events in China

“We’re in a fortunate position where our unique proposition places us as a healthy option in the snack category”

BELOW—Rockit’s general manager of global marketing, Julian Smith

OPPOSITE—Rockit apples on retail shelves in Vietnam

with our partners, Goodfarmer at the Beijing wholesale market, and Joy Wing Mau at the Jaixing wholesale market. These events drew large crowds, and included speeches from NZTE trade commissioners, Rockit senior leadership team and customers as well as interactive games, sampling and entertainment. We sold two containers of Kung Fu Panda product on the day.

Have you been able to track consumer interest or engagement?

JS: We were looking for Kung Fu Panda to be about 8 per cent of sales in key markets, however this is likely to surpass 15 per cent with the strong demand we are

currently facing. In Taiwan we have seen a 7 per cent increase in unprompted brand awareness and a 9 per cent increase in prompted awareness, driven by Kung Fu Panda activity. In China the campaign has impressive brand recall with 76 per cent of consumers. Some 90 per cent love or like the campaign and 86 per cent find the packaging appealing.

You are set to expand the campaign into new markets. Where will you launch?

JS: We are looking forward to rolling out the campaign across Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam during July/August to coincide with Kung Fu Panda fruit packs arriving in market. Our team in the Middle East (MENA) is also very excited to be launching Kung Fu Panda after their back-to-school campaign concludes.

Can you share your strategy for managing these multimarket campaigns? How do you approach differing consumer preferences and tendencies?

JS: We are proud to deliver innovative campaigns across our global markets by engaging our in-market teams and local suppliers, localising where possible to ensure consumer relevance by market. We also undertake research with premium fruit consumers following each campaign to determine its success, and any learnings that we can incorporate into future campaigns.

You’ve also just launched smaller two-apple packs. Can you share your thinking behind that launch?

JS: We’re looking to expand into newer markets we haven’t traditionally supplied, such as convenience channels, including Family Mart and 7-Eleven. The two-pack targets consumers shopping in the convenience channel who are looking for a healthy,

grab-and-go snack – not only introducing Rockit to millions more consumers but driving brand awareness for other pack sizes.

How are you generating demand next to other packaged items?

JS: We’re in a fortunate position where our unique proposition places us as an unprocessed, healthy option in the snack category. We market like an FMCG brand, creating a worldleading POS experience with gamified activations and sampling, developing impactful brand partnerships, and driving traffic from influencers and key opinion leaders.

With chief executive, Mark O’Donnell, set to exit the company early next year, do you expect Rockit’s overall strategy to shift?

JS: The Rockit business has progressed hugely under Mark’s leadership, and it continues to have massive potential. The enabling steps for the next phases of growth have been put in place during his tenure. The timing of Mark’s retirement at the end of March 2025 allows for an international search to find a replacement and a good handover to the successor. A

Te Mata invests in IP varieties

Following a rebrand of its a1 Apple and the first commercial harvest of Cosmic Crisp, Te Mata redevelops its own orchard to increase volumes.

by Bree Caggiati

ABOVE—Te Mata is sending trial volumes of Cosmic Crisp to customers in Asia

BOTTOM— Sarah McCormack and Tyler Brandt of Brandt Fruit Tree with the first commercial harvest of Cosmic Crisp

New Zealand-headquartered global export company, Te Mata, has made significant strides with its IP varieties this season releasing initial volumes of both its rebranded a1 Apple and Washington State University-bred Cosmic Crisp.

“The rebrand of our a1 Apple was well received across all markets,” says chief executive Sarah McCormack. “Demand was high, and all of our customers have indicated that they want to take more volume next season.”

To keep up with this demand, Te Mata has committed to planting 100ha of a1 Apples across Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne by 2026.

Alongside the increased interest in a1, Te Mata also celebrated its first commercial harvest of Cosmic Crisp at the end of March.

“We’ve only just sent airfreight samples out to customers and received excellent feedback. We plan on shipping small volumes out in the next few weeks,” says McCormack. “The timing is great, as this fruit will arrive at a time when there won’t be a lot of other apples in the market and it will coincide with the

“Growers are showing good interest in Cosmic Crisp...They really like the way it performs in the orchard”

Mid-Autumn Festival which is really a plus for our customers.”

Te Mata will partner with a number of growers across New Zealand to increase available volumes of Cosmic Crisp over the coming years.

“Growers are showing good interest in Cosmic Crisp, many of whom are in the process of redeveloping their orchards,” McCormack says. “[They] really like the way it performs in the orchard and that it requires minimal inputs compared to other varieties. We see a very promising future for this variety in New Zealand.”

Te Mata is also in the process of redeveloping its own Hawke’s Bay orchard after sustaining damage from last year’s Cyclone Gabrielle.

“The orchard will now be predominantly planted in a1 and Cosmic Crisp varieties,” McCormack says.

While the focus is on increasing volume for both varieties, McCormack says the company is careful not to cause an oversupply.

“It is essential that these varieties are profitable for our growers, and in order to do that, we are limiting the volume we are planting of both varieties in New Zealand at 100ha for a1 and 150ha for Cosmic Crisp,” she says. “By maintaining demand and ensuring good returns, we are confident our growers will benefit.”

After the success of this initial season, Te Mata is set to ramp up in-market promotion for both a1 and Cosmic Crisp next season.

“We are continuing to expand our business across Asia. We have made good inroads in Vietnam and we recently employed an in-market representative there, McCormack says.

“Our representative in Japan has been part of the Te Mata Exports team since 2020 and we have seen first-hand the difference this has made to our business. We expect similar success in Vietnam.” A

Record turnover for Blue Whale

Candine enjoys strong growth in Asia and French Pink Lady sales climb 30 per cent globally.

by Carl Collen

As the apple season draws to a close, leading French cooperative Blue Whale has announced record turnover across all of its markets.

“This season has been defined by a good harvest both in terms of volume and quality,” says Marc Peyres, commercial director at Blue Whale. “However, none of this would have been possible without the work we have carried out for years on innovation in order to adapt to changing conditions and market expectations.”

Peyres says it has been a long journey that encompasses all areas of the business, from farmers to marketing, sales and supply.

“This success comes from the ongoing effort of everyone, as well as their professionalism,” he says.

Candine, Coeur de Reine and

Pink Lady were the varieties that stood out for the French company this season.

While Candine tripled sales driven by its popularity in Asia, Coeur de Reine doubled its sales figures in France.

However, with sales growth of 30 per cent globally, Pink Lady represented what Peyres considers to be “the most notable development of the season”.

Looking to the future, Blue Whale says growth will continue to depend on innovation.

“90 per cent of the varieties we sell today didn’t exist 35 years ago,” Peyres says. ”It is likely that most of those that we will sell in 30 years do not exist yet.”

For Peyres, this means continuing to work hard to prepare for the future while also

supporting the success of current varieties such as Pink Lady.

Ensuring the supply of quality fruit year-round across the many markets it operates in, is another priority for Blue Whale, the company says.

To achieve this, the group of French producers is progressing on different lines of work, including increasing the production schedule with late-ripening varieties such as Joya, extending the season of the French Pink Lady, investing in cold storage and optimising the entire process from the harvest to handling in packaging plants.

The sustainable management of orchards will also be another cornerstone of the company ensuring stable volumes and quality.

“Over the last few seasons, the variability in quality due to extreme weather events has determined the dynamics of markets,” Peyres says. “We must be ready for climate change and ensure the protection of crops, not only against hail but also against spring frosts, for example. The availability of water is becoming an essential factor.”

As part of its preparations for a future with more sustainable growing techniques, Blue Whale is leading the (Ré)Génération Fruit research project.

Implementing sustainable management also means ensuring economic feasibility for its farmers. This has led the company to restructure its organic range, adjusting its offer to actual demand, especially in France.

“We believe in a profitable organic market for our producers, but after some excessive developments, a restructuring was required,” Peyres shares. “In order for the organic market to grow again, organic apple production will be lower in France, but with better quality and better adapted varieties.”

Alongside its wide range of apples, Blue Whale says it will add other fruits to its catalogue.

Premium pears, with varieties such as Angys, QTee and Fred; green and yellow kiwifruit with a new fruit plant devoted to the category opened this season; plums especially the Metis variety; and Apirena seedless table grapes, adapted to the tastes of current consumers; are now the focus of its diversification strategy.

According to the company, this new fruit segment already provides a turnover of over €40m (US$44m) and is expected to grow over the next five years. A

BELOW—Blue Whale’s Marc Peyres

4-6 September 2024

Taste key to boosting Conference pear consumption

Greater focus needed on taste and enjoyment to arrest declining consumption of Conference pears in Europe, says Marc Evrard, commercial director of Belgian Fruit Valley.

by Tom Joyce

What are your expectations for the new Conference pear crop in Belgium?

Marc Evrard: There will be a smaller crop from Belgium, as from The Netherlands. At Interpera, the figures for pears suggest a drop in volume of around 30 per cent. We think we will see a decline of around 20-25 per cent once the pears on the trees grow bigger and gain weight.

The important thing is we are still well positioned as a growing region in Belgium compared with other pear producing countries worldwide. We may have a toolbox of plant protection products that gets emptier each year, but we can rely a lot on the professionalism of our growers.

Are you planning any campaigns in your markets outside Europe?

ME: We are keeping up our marketing activities in our overseas markets, in Asia as well as in Latin America. In Asia, we are targeting all the main markets, and some new ones. China of course is a very big country. It has a big population and it is very well organised. Chinese consumers luckily buy on taste, and that’s a big part of our marketing. We still need to reach a lot more consumers. China remains a

competitive market. You have new varieties of produce coming in all the time, be that pecans, durians or kiwifruit. There may be great demand for cherries around New Year, and then a couple of weeks later it’s all about lychees. We are definitely interested in Vietnam and Thailand and also less affluent countries like Cambodia. There are also non-tariff trade barriers that restrict access. We are working on access to these markets, and simultaneously following up with marketing and commercial activities. We will have market access to the Thai market, but we have to ensure getting produce there is done in a workable way in

BELOW—Marc Evrard of Belgian Fruit Valley

terms of protocols and procedures. There’s no point working out access that is completely unworkable.

Are we able to learn from Asia in terms of how we boost consumption in Europe?

ME: The good thing about consumers in East Asia and also Latin America is they are very into their fresh produce, and fresh fruit in particular. They are likely to eat fresh fruit before or after a meal, and commonly snack on fruit in the street. That is a very interesting situation for fruit marketers like ourselves, and is encouraging to see. We want to support this mentality and this lifestyle.

It’s a lot to do with education. At kindergarten, we have to get kids eating fruit for enjoyment. It’s no good if the person taking care of the children says, “If you eat this portion of fruit, kids, then you can have a tasty chocolate bar!” That’s already giving them the wrong message. A

SFT-La Trentina merger signals new opportunity for Melinda

As Italy’s best-known apple brand attempts to establish a larger share of the business in Asia, the likely expansion of its production base appears particularly well timed.

by Mike Knowles

Four years on from its Asia market debut, Italian apple consortium Melinda continues to pursue a strategy of international expansion.

And a recent merger between two of north-east Italy’s major apple producers, Società Frutticoltori Trento (SFT) and Cooperativa La Trentina, certainly gives it more fruit to call upon as it looks to build that business.

In 2017, La Trentina joined with Melinda to sell its fruit via the company, albeit still under its own brands. According to those involved, the recently closed deal with SFT creates an entity with a total annual production of around 60,000 tonnes of apples, and a combined turnover of more than €50m (US$54.8m).

Crucially, the two cooperatives say they have identified mutual benefits including more robust supply chains. During negotiations, it was also agreed that production could be expanded as part of a new joint strategy.

“The consortium has invested in new varieties to expand Melinda’s presence in international markets”

“Thanks to this merger, we will be able to further strengthen this strategy by acting more and more as a single entity, trying to respond to the challenges of the market and the macroeconomic framework with the aim of guaranteeing greater economic advantages for all members.”

“The merger with La Trentina represents a great opportunity that will allow both entities to consolidate their industrial structure in a challenging and rapidly changing market context,” commented SFT president Danilo Brida.

His counterpart at La Trentina, Rodolfo Brochetti, also took the same line. “The merger will allow us to share larger numbers, which will translate into greater commercial strength and broader possibilities for enhancing the product,” he declared.

Luca Zaglio, general manager of Apot Melinda La Trentina, also expressed his appreciation for the assembly’s decision.

“The approved industrial plan is part of a shared vision that inspires us more and more to think as a system, developing projects and initiatives for aggregation at all levels of the supply chain,” he stated.

The Melinda brand has targeted new sales in Asia via its commercial partnership with Bologna-based export marketer Naturitalia. And licensed varieties continue to form a major part of its strategy.

Earlier this year, the company obtained the exclusive rights to produce and sell bicoloured apple variety Kizuri, which is marketed under the Morgana brand in Europe.

“For some time the consortium has invested decisively in new varieties to strengthen Melinda’s presence in the Italian and international markets,” explains Melinda president Ernesto Seppi. “The new agreement will allow us to coordinate better all the strategies around this much appreciated variety in Europe.”

Melinda’s apple offer also includes a number of other branded varieties including Dolcevita, Evelina, Renetta and SweeTango. A

ABOVE—Club varieties are central to Melinda’s expansion strategy in Asia

On the Italian and European scene for more than 60 years.

12 production plants and 12 reception and storage centres.

Vegetables

Specialization in the top italian fruit and vegetable products.

128.000 tons production.

Adoption of integrated production for over 70% of production. Leader in organic production.

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

Idaho Potato Commission sets sights on Asia

Asia Fruit Logistica continues to be a key promotional event for IPC as it aims to establish Idaho potatoes as a premium product in Asia.

by Jeff Long

The state of Idaho has long been known for its quality potatoes. Over the years, growers have banded together to promote their product throughout North America to the point where ‘Idaho Potatoes’ has become one of the most recognisable brands for fresh produce.

This has been thanks in no small part to the Idaho Potato Commission’s (IPC) promotional programmes. Following significant domestic success, IPC continues to push for establishing international markets for fresh potatoes, particularly in the Pacific Rim. To that end, the IPC has been a regular exhibitor at Asia Fruit Logistica in recent years.

“The Idaho Potato Commission has made Asia Fruit Logistica our most important show in Asia each year,” says vice-president for retail and international, Ross Johnson. “We appreciate the fact it gives us the opportunity to meet with our partners. Additionally, the timing of the show couldn’t be better as we are

able to bring news of the upcoming season’s crop and share any new plans we are ready to implement.”

The IPC recognises that international markets may need a different strategy for promotion than North America.

“We are taking a new approach to our business by doing things with our customer’s input,” says Johnson. “Too often organisations try to be very rigid in their programmes, however [our in-market representative] Kenneth Wee has taken the time to show us the value in gathering feedback from our partners and crafting unique programmes to help them grow their businesses.”

IPC will once again display its premium range of Idaho potatoes at Asia Fruit Logistica this year.

“We will be promoting our fresh Idaho potatoes for export to various countries throughout the region,” says Johnson. “We will also have Kenneth Wee present and I would encourage participants to come and learn from his years of experience doing successful marketing campaigns.”

The IPC is not just looking to develop more demand for its grower’s products in Asia. It is also looking to position ‘Idaho’ as a premium brand across the region similar to what it has done in North America.

“It is no surprise that Idaho Potatoes are a premium potato, and typically will cost more,” says Johnson. “This is something our team focuses on with customers, understanding that price is not the main driver for a consumer’s purchase decision.”

The IPC prides itself on maintaining strict USDA grading and quality standards.

“We utilise these standards to ensure high-quality products ship to our customers and deliver consistent returns,” he says. “Additionally, we are the only state that partners with our Asian businesses in order to help ensure they can continue to grow their business year in and year out.” A

LEFT—IPC will showcase Idaho Potatoes at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica

Rijk Zwaan hosts sweet pepper seminar on eve of Asia Fruit Logistica

On 3 September, the day before Asia Fruit Logistica, breeder Rijk Zwaan will host a seminar focused on sweet peppers in Hong Kong, as market potential grows in the region.

by Tom Joyce

Dutch breeder Rijk Zwaan will be exhibiting at Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong on 4-6 September, but just before the event, the company will host a sweet pepper (capsicum) seminar on the afternoon of 3 September at AsiaWorld-Expo in Room MR202.

“The potential for the pepper market in Asia is enormous, yet there is significant progress to be made in developing high-quality peppers in Asia and extending the category by introducing new SKUs,” the company says.

The seminar will be divided into two blocks, the first focusing on ‘improving your competitive position in the pepper market’, while the second highlights ‘category development in Asia’.

“In both blocks, Rijk Zwaan’s own specialists and a partner will share their insights in a short introduction on what is happening in the world towards a more sustainable production and in

category management explaining what this transition means for Asian retailers, traders and growers,” Rijk Zwaan says. “Right after, the company will host an engaging panel discussion featuring several top industry experts.”

Key topics to be covered in the first block include developments in the supply chain toward sustainability and food safety, securing production, and sustainable production both worldwide and in Asia.

The second block of the seminar is set to focus on increasing turnover for retailers, traders and growers by

diversifying the sweet pepper category.

“This session will explore the challenges of introducing new SKUs and the impact of marketing and branding on their success,” Rijk Zwaan shares. “Key topics to be covered in this session include category-management in sweet peppers, past experience of introducing specialties, and opportunities for brands and consumer perception.” A

ABOVE—Rijk Zwaan’s area sales manager for South-East Asia, Friso Klok

Ready to roll

Visitors to Asia Fruit Logistica will meet with top buyers and suppliers, get the best market insights and discover cutting-edge products and solutions.

by John Hey

Asia Fruit Logistica is back in Hong Kong on 4-6 September 2024, bringing the global fresh fruit and vegetable business together and showcasing the entire value chain.

A top line-up of more than 700 exhibitors from over 40 different countries and regions will showcase their leading products and services at Asia Fruit Logistica. China is once again the singlelargest exhibiting country, with a 10 per cent growth on last year.

Australia, the US, Egypt and New Zealand round out the top-five exhibiting countries.

NATIONAL PAVILIONS

Visitors will be able to take in some 24 national or regional pavilions, including first-time pavilions from India, Tanzania and Kyrgyzstan.

Joining them are Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, Moldova, Mexico, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Peru, South Africa, Spain, Turkey,

Taiwan, the US and Vietnam.

Asia Fruit Logistica’s exhibitor line-up features leading players from across the global fresh fruit and vegetable business. Exhibitors include Aartsen Asia, Aomori Apple, BayWa Global Produce/T&G Global, ClemenGold, Costa, Del Monte, Dole Asia, Driscoll’s, Evergood Corporation, Goodfarmer, Jingold, JWM Asia, K-Berry, Mission Produce, Mr Apple, Pink Lady, Rockit Global, Sekoya, Sun Pacific, and Zespri among others.

Asia Fruit Logistica is not just a business hub where new connections are made, and results are achieved. It is also a hub for inspiration and innovation. From exciting new varieties to imaginative marketing strategies, the trade show covers the entire industry across its three core exhibitor segments: fresh produce, machinery and technology, and logistics.

ASIAFRUIT KNOWLEDGE CENTRE

Visitors to Asia Fruit Logistica can also access a top-quality content programme featuring industry experts and thought leaders at the Asiafruit Knowledge Centre.

Powered by Asiafruit Magazine, Asia Fruit Logistica’s Knowledge Partner, the brand-new, all-in-one content hub offers a one-stop shop of information and insights – and it’s free to attend for all visitors and exhibitors.

Asiafruit Knowledge Centre brings together Asiafruit Congress, Asiafruit Business Forum and Asiafruit Showcase in one central location on the show floor.

Across three stages over three days, expert speakers provide the best combination of strategic insights and practical takeaways for business success in Asia.

More than 60 top speakers from

OPPOSITE—China is the singlelargest exhibiting nation at Asia Fruit Logistica

ABOVE—Visitors can access topquality insights at Asiafruit Knowledge Centre

RIGHT—The Asia Fruit Awards are presented at Asiafruit Congress

20 different countries will share their expert insights at Asiafruit Knowledge Centre. For a full preview to the programme, turn to p74-78.

ASIA FRUIT AWARDS

Asiafruit Knowledge Centre also hosts the presentation of the Asia Fruit Awards. Presented by Asia Fruit Logistica and Asiafruit Magazine, the premier annual awards celebrate excellence and recognise outstanding achievement in Asia’s fresh produce business.

The Asia Fruit Awards are given in four categories –Marketing Campaign of the Year, Importer of the Year, Produce Retailer of the Year, and the Impact Award.

The winners of the Asia Fruit Awards 2024 are announced at 14:00 on Day Two (5 September) at Asiafruit Congress. A

FULL PREVIEW

Over the next 44 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 comprehensive guide by region of the world.

Asia – p80-90

Australasia – p92-100

Europe, Middle East & Africa – p102-114

Americas – p116-119

Meet the thought leaders at Asiafruit Knowledge Centre

High-profile speakers to share expert insights at Asia Fruit Logistica’s new all-in-one content hub.

by John Hey

BELOW LEFT—

Sun World CEO David Marguleas, Fresh Del Monte

COO Mohammed Abbas, and Driscoll’s Asia-Pacific VP and GM Jae Chun are just some of the big names lined up to speak at Asiafruit Knowledge Centre, the brand-new content hub at Asia Fruit Logistica.

Powered by Asiafruit Magazine – Asia Fruit Logistica’s exclusive Knowledge Partner – Asiafruit Knowledge Centre brings together Asiafruit Congress, Asiafruit Business Forum and Asiafruit

Showcase in one central location on the show floor.

Asiafruit Congress, Asia’s premier fresh produce business conference, takes place on the main stage. Thought leaders and senior executives provide strategic insights on the fast-changing Asia market through a compelling mix of keynote interviews and panel discussions.

Asiafruit Business Forum runs alongside Asiafruit Congress with a programme of practical workshops. Specialist partners present case

studies for business success in Asia, sharing best practice and applicable solutions.

Asiafruit Showcase is the stage for Asia Fruit Logistica exhibitors to present the newest technologies, products and solutions. Exhibitors can book their presentation slot at the ready-to-speak forum.

Every day of Asiafruit Congress and Asiafruit Business Forum is themed. Day One (4 September) focuses on Consumers & Markets, Day Two (5 September) on Tech & Innovation, and Day Three (6 September) on Logistics & Trade.

Over the following pages, Asiafruit provides a complete preview to the speaker programme highlights at Asiafruit Knowledge Centre.

Asiafruit Congress takes place on the main stage at Asiafruit Knowledge Centre »

DAY ONE: CONSUMERS & MARKETS

Asiafruit Congress kicks off with a keynote panel discussion looking at Asia’s changing consumer and food retail landscape, and what it all means for fresh produce marketers. Speakers include Antony Greenstein, CEO of JWM Asia Holdings; David Yang, Zespri’s head of market development for Greater China; Fong Yoon Chyi, produce category director for DFI Retail Group; and T&G Global’s Thailand country manager, Sam White.

Branding also comes into sharp focus on Day One of Asiafruit Congress. Louise Beard, director of consumer insights consultancy Forward Insight & Strategy, and Philip Turnbull, group CEO of Twenty Degrees, discuss the intersection of intellectual property varieties and branding in fresh produce. They explain how the traits of a variety can be strategically positioned and marketed to consumers through effective branding. Plus, they look at how marketers can tailor marketing and messaging to build cultural acceptance for their brands.

Asia’s berry business is taking off, driven by booming production in China and new planting projects across the region. Driscoll’s Asia-Pacific VP and GM Jae Chun is joined by Haygrove Asia MD Michael Oates and Fall Creek China GM Henk Vaandrager to discuss the rapidly evolving landscape, and what the future holds for berries in Asia.

Day One at Asiafruit Congress rounds out with a spotlight on the Vietnam market. Hai Xuan Nguyen, CEO of high-end fruit retailer, Klever Fruit, provides an in-depth overview of Vietnam’s fresh fruit import market. He is joined by Angel Mompo, Vietnam sales director of Fresh Fruit-X, and Danny Guo, GM of trade at JWM Asia, to discuss the key market trends, and the opportunities for global suppliers.

At Asiafruit Business Forum on Day One, Amelia Li of Zespri explains how to ‘make more of the health message’ in fresh produce marketing, drawing on the kiwifruit marketer’s innovative work across a range of markets. Kenneth Wee, Asia director of the Idaho Potato Commission, also delivers a case study on how to differentiate a product in a commoditised category.

The International Fresh Produce

Association (IFPA) presents a series of educational workshops focused on fresh produce marketing and merchandising in the afternoon.

Kicking off the three-part programme, IFPA’s Patrick Vizzone and chief membership officer Miriam Wolk provide an overview of global fresh trade flows in Asian markets, outlining relevant consumer trends.

Ben Hoodless, MD of IFPA Australia-New Zealand then chairs a two-part panel discussion on produce marketing and merchandising with Vizzone and key industry figures. Speakers include Adele Ackermann, marketing manager of ClemenGold International, Felicia Tao, country commercial director (Cambodia) at DFI Retail Group, and Claudia Soler, executive director of the Chilean Cherry Committee of Frutas de Chile.

The panel shares its insights on marketing and merchandising in global markets, before turning the focus to Asian markets.

DAY TWO: TECH & INNOVATION

The Tech & Innovation Day at Asiafruit Congress kicks off with a high-powered panel discussion on ‘What’s next in varietal innovation?’ Akshat Medakker of Dutch crop innovation company KeyGene discusses the groundbreaking influence of Crispr technology on breeding new varieties. A panel of top breeders and marketers then looks how new varieties are reshaping key fresh fruit categories. Speakers include David Marguleas, CEO of Sun World International, Mohammed Abbas, COO of Fresh Del Monte, Fiachra Moloney, CMO of Bloom Fresh, and Nomi Karniel-Padan, commercial director of Grapa Varieties.

Artificial intelligence is making waves throughout the fresh produce supply chain, from robotic harvesting through optical grading to data-driven consumer marketing. Yoav Yichie of Aerobotics, Paul Slupecki, head of Tomra Food APAC, and John Gray, CEO of Angus Soft Fruits, share their first-hand insights on how to harness its potential.

Asiafruit Business Forum takes a practical perspective on breeding and commercialising new varieties. Carlo Magni, director of Forward Insight & Strategy, looks at the critical role of sensory research in identifying winning varieties, while Prevar CEO Tony Martin leads a session on commercialising premium apple and pear cultivars.

Andrew Sim of law firm Baker McKenzie also presents a workshop on 'protecting your IP in Asia' with Alanna Rennie, chief legal officer of Bloom Fresh International, and David Smith, general manager of Bloom Fresh China.

Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) offers several advantages for producers across

Asia, boosting yields, lowering water usage and enabling consistent supply of residue-free products. Tom Stenzel, executive director of the CEA Alliance, hosts a special session

Chinese-language sessions

Each day of Asiafruit Business Forum includes a special Chinese language-session held at 12pm. Curated by Asiafruit China’s editors, the series of Chinese-language sessions is themed around Consumers & Markets on Day One (4 September), Tech & Innovation on Day Two, and Logistics & Trade on Day Three. Dole’s Vivian Wang explains ‘How to capture the mindset of fruit customers’ in a homogenised and competitive marketplace on Day One. On Day Two, Pagoda’s Xie Yong looks at the application of BLOF technology in fruits and vegetables, which begins with soil improvement. He explains how BLOF is key to ensuring high-quality produce. Day Three turns the focus on the changing role of wholesale markets in China’s fresh produce trade. Yang Jiangfei of Sunhola Group outlines how the conventional wholesale channel can adapt to supply chain evolution and add further value to the industry.

Statistics Handbook

Asiafruit Knowledge Centre attendees can pick up a copy of the Asiafruit Statistics Handbook 2024. The annual statistical guide to Asia’s fresh fruit and vegetable business presents expert analysis of the trade covering 12 different markets.

OPPOSITE TOP—Clockwise from top left: Speakers at Asiafruit Knowledge Centre include Sam White of T&G Global, Forward Insight's Louise Beard, Jae Chun of Driscoll's, and Hai Xuan Nguyen of Klever Fruits

OPPOSITE BELOW—Asiafruit Business Forum features a wideranging programme of workshops

LEFT—Top down: Sun World's David Marguleas and Fresh Del Monte's Mohammed Abbas discuss varietal innovation at Asiafruit Congress while CEA Alliance's Tom Stenzel hosts a workshop on high-tech farming at Asiafruit Business Forum with key experts including Jessica Fong of Common Farms

exploring the opportunities and challenges for CEA in Asia, from vertical farms to greenhouse systems. Joining him to share their first-hand expert insights are Jessica Fong of Common Farms, Lionel Wong of Upgrown Farming Asia and Marc Oshima of Oshima Good Food.

Asiafruit Showcase: fresh innovation

Asiafruit Showcase is the stage where exhibitors present the newest products, technologies and solutions at Asiafruit Knowledge Centre. On Day One, Sekoya’s value chain and retail manager Hans Liekens shares insights from the development of the blueberry category in Europe, explaining how product differentiation is key to building value. Duncan Aust of AgroFresh outlines how the company’s post-harvest technologies are empowering the fresh produce business at every step of the value chain. On Day Two, Copeland’s Gerd Uitdewilligen discusses its cargo monitoring solutions for the Asia market.

DAY THREE: LOGISTICS & TRADE

New infrastructure investments are changing China’s fresh produce distribution landscape – and Day Three of Asiafruit Congress opens with a look at some groundbreaking developments. Justin Chan, CEO of VX Cold Chain, explains the logistics company’s efforts to develop a next-generation fresh produce supply chain with its Fresh Hub facility. Joining him to discuss the rapidly evolving landscape is Rahul Bagde, Zespri’s VP of supply chain for Greater China, and Ivan Marambio, president of Chile’s fresh fruit exporters’ association, Frutas de Chile.

Egypt and Morocco are in the spotlight as fastemerging suppliers on Day Three of Asiafruit Congress in a session hosted by economist Andriy Yarmak (FAO Investment Centre). El Mehdi El Alami of Morocco Foodex and Hajer Magdy of the Food and Agriculture Organization outline Morocco and Egypt’s respective fresh produce offerings. Hesham ElNaggar of Daltex and Idriss El Honsali of Morocco Foodex then delve deeper to discuss the market opportunities and challenges facing both suppliers in Asia. Plus, they highlight some exciting new products on offer.

Asiafruit Congress rounds up with a focus on the future of the intra-Asia trade. Patrick Vizzone, co-founder and CFO of Vertical Oceans, provides a macro view of the intra-Asia trade landscape, looking at factors such as geopolitics and economic integration. Wayne Prowse of Fresh Intelligence also provides a statistical snapshot of the key trends in the intra-Asia trade. A panel of experts then discuss the evolving landscape, looking at what the rapid growth of the intra-Asia trade means for global suppliers. Speakers include Sam Sin of leading Chinese exporter Pagoda Global Fresh and Julio Bellota, VP of commercial logistics for South-East Asia at DP World. Asiafruit Business Forum kicks off on Day Three

with a focus on ‘Building the fresh produce supply chain of the future’. Steve Alaerts, director of market access and logistics specialist Foodcareplus, explains how greater collaboration between logistics service providers and shipping lines can benefit everyone in the supply chain.

Expert talks also provide practical takeaways on logistics innovation. StePac’s Ivo Tunchel shares expert insights on how post-harvest technologies can extend the reach of products and help to open new markets. He also discusses the development of automated solutions for bulk packing of blueberries and cherries.

PromPeru’s Juan Antonio Portugal gives a talk on the Port of Chancay, Chinese shipping company Cosco Shipping’s new US$3bn megaport in Peru, which is due to open in November. Dubbed as the new gateway from South America to Asia, the Port of Chancay, will cut transit times between South America and Asia by several days and benefit not only Peru, but exporters across the entire region.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT—Speakers on the Logistics & Trade Day at Asiafruit Knowledge Centre include Justin Chan of VX Cold Chain, Frutas de Chile president Ivan Marambio, Steve Alaerts of Foodcareplus and Patrick Vizzone of Vertical Oceans

Turning the focus to cold chain technology, DeltaTrak’s Karl McDermott outlines some of the key advances helping to maximise shelf-life and boost operational efficiencies. He looks at a range of innovative solutions, from real-time monitoring to modified atmosphere technologies.

All sessions at Asiafruit Knowledge Centre include simultaneous English-Chinese translation. A

For the full Asiafruit Knowledge Centre agenda, including speaker profiles, visit the website: www.asiafruitknowledgecentre.com More

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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, Winnie Wang & Yuxin Yang

GOODFARMER

Chinese fresh produce giant, Goodfarmer, will spotlight ten proprietary branded products at its stand this year. These include bananas, pineapples, young coconuts, fresh and frozen durians, cherries, dragon fruit, apples, berries and sweet corn. Some key products Goodfarmer represents in China will also be showcased, such as Zespri kiwifruit, Rockit apples, Driscoll’s berries, and Pink Lady apples.

Wang Zhejiang, sales director for traditional channels of Goodfarmer’s fruit business division, says the company is dedicated to bringing more new and innovative products to consumers. “In the past year, our organic bananas and Deluxe pineapples have achieved significant growth, indicating that consumers are increasingly seeking healthy and tasty fruit products,” he says.

For Goodfarmer, Asia Fruit Logistica provides an ideal platform for both procurement and sales. “It is quite convenient for the clients we invite to attend the trade show in Hong Kong. The enthusiasm of our clients for attending the show is quite high.”

AGROFRESH

AgroFresh is a leading post-harvest specialist providing quality and freshness solutions. With a legacy of innovation that stretches back more than 40 years, AgroFresh addresses fresh produce supply chain challenges, offering a full suite of integrated storage, packing line, and digital solutions. At this year’s event, AgroFresh is excited to spotlight a range of innovative products and solutions, including the powerful combination of Uvasys and SmartFresh for table grapes, and Berrisys and SmartFresh for blueberries.

The company will also be promoting Tomasys for tomatoes and highlighting SmartFresh’s capabilities. This includes its benefits for grape penetration, especially for long-term storage, as well as developing solutions for new growth crops like peaches and cherries.

JOY WING MAU GROUP

Joy Wing Mau Group (JWM) prides itself as a core enterprise in the global fruit distribution value chain. As an old friend of Asia Fruit Logistica, JWM will again showcase the group’s strong capabilities under the theme of “Maximise Your Value In China”. The JWM stand will feature its proprietary brands, such as Joyvio and Joy Tree, as well as fruit from its global strategic partners. A wide range of fresh-cut fruit products will also be unveiled.

Since the last edition of Asia Fruit Logistica, JWM has made progress in various aspects of its business. In December 2023, JWM moved into a new headquarters in Shenzhen. The building incorporated advanced technologies and functions such as a fully automated distribution centre and smart cold storage facility. JWM has also made great strides in collaborating with leading global logistics service providers in innovative solutions such as chartered ships and flights, sea-air combined transport, and multi-port decentralised customs clearance.

SINOLYCHEE

Guangdong Sinolychee Agricultural Group has over 20 years’ experience in developing exports of Chinese agricultural products. Currently, its products are exported to more than 20 countries and regions worldwide.

At this year’s show, Sinolychee will continue to promote the lychee brand Hua Dan while also introducing the new Sweet Guli brand, which focuses on Xinjiang fruit, mainly plums and melons. Sinolychee currently has four proprietary lychee and longan varieties, ensuring stable output to the highend lychee market. This year, the late lychee varieties the group grew in Sichuan and Chongqing have successfully borne fruit, which will further extend the lychee supply period in the future. Additionally, Sinolychee will continue to work on the Yunnan highland lychee project. »

FALL CREEK CHINA

Fall Creek China is the Chinese subsidiary of Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, globally recognised for its work in blueberry genetics and propagation. Established in 2021 in Yunnan, Fall Creek China specialises in serving blueberry growers in China, providing both Southern Highbush and Northern Highbush blueberry genetics through its young plant nurseries located in the main global production regions. In the past 12 months, Fall Creek China successfully delivered its first round of young plants to blueberry growers in China.

Besides presenting the current range of Fall Creek proprietary varieties on offer to Chinese growers, the company will also introduce five new blueberry genetics at Asia Fruit Logistica, including FCM14-057, ArabellaBlue (FC14-062) and PeachyBlue (ZF08-029).

PAGODA

China’s top fruit retail chain Pagoda sees Asia Fruit Logistica as a meaningful window connecting to the global fruit industry. The retailer will take the opportunity to showcase its achievements over the past year at the event.

“Pagoda is not just a leading fruit retail chain brand, but also a comprehensive service provider for the fruit industry, with a global perspective and international competitiveness,” says Peter Zhu, Pagoda executive director and senior vice-president.

Pagoda will have its core products and diverse category fruit brands on show at its stand, with a special focus on customised fruit gift boxes. These offerings cater to consumers’ needs in various consumption scenarios and fully demonstrate Pagoda’s latest achievements in supply chain management and category brand development.

The progress Pagoda has made in B2B and overseas business will also be highlighted at its stand. Over the past year, Pagoda has actively explored market demands overseas, established a reliable supply chain system, and enhanced the strength and competitiveness of Pagoda’s export business.

SPM BIOSCIENCES (BEIJING)

SPM Biosciences (Beijing) is a fresh preservation specialist. The company will promote its 1-MCP powder, tablet, sachet and fresh-keeping card and other products at the show. In addition to its post-

harvest solutions, SPM has also developed pre-harvest products in recent years with great feedback following field testing. The company believes they will be in demand among fruit growers around the world. For SPM, Asia Fruit Logistica provides the team a good opportunity to meet with a large number of companies that focus on the Asia market.

HUTCHISON PORTS YANTIAN

Hutchison Ports Yantian is a member of HPH Trust and part of Hutchison Ports’ global network of port and logistics operations. Located in east Shenzhen, China, Yantian is the key gateway for China’s foreign trade, serving approximately one third of the import and export container volume of Guangdong province. Home to the busiest European and American shipping routes, Yantian has access to most destination ports worldwide via its nearly 100 weekly services.

“With the support of related departments and working closely with our business partners and customers, we launched stable and green cold chain railway services for customers who import via Yantian and destined to inland cities of China in the past year,” says Linda Lin, the deputy general manager - commercial department of Yantian. “We are willing to explore more tailor-made logistics solutions for customers according to different needs and demands.”

Greenfog-AS green technology against claims

GREENFOG-AS, “zero residue” broad spectrum fungicide and disinfectant smoke treatment for fruit and vegetable produce.

GREENFOG-AS is a dual solution with high disinfectant efficacy and that can be used for the treatment of fruit in cold /degreening rooms and containers. Its active ingredient is a green chemistry compound (approved for post-harvest treatment of citrus fruits) and a GRAS substance for the American FDA, and a "minimal risk" fungicide for the American EPA.

FRESH DEL MONTE

Fresh Del Monte Produce looks forward to showcasing its Del Monte Rubyglow pineapples. It is the latest innovation from the company following more than 15 years of R&D efforts, leading to a registered plant patent in the US. With very limited production volume, the fruit is naturally ripened in Costa Rica on the plant and sold crownless at a super-premium price. Rubyglow was first launched in China at the beginning of 2024, and is now also available in the US market. As one of the world’s leading vertically integrated producers, marketers, and distributors of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables with a global client network, Del Monte is looking to connect with potential customers, suppliers and partners from around the world at Asia Fruit Logistica.

XIANFENG FRUIT

After 27 years of development, Xianfeng Fruit has become a global enterprise integrating new retail, intelligent cold chain logistics, and supply chain B2B platform. Currently, Xianfeng Fruit has over 2,000 chain stores nationwide and possesses five central distribution centre logistics parks and 16 regional distribution centres. Additionally, it has dispatched over 200 procurement experts to more than 300 highquality fruit production bases worldwide. This year, Xianfeng Fruit will bring a variety of fruit products to Asia Fruit Logistica. “These highquality, consistent products will provide clients with strong competitive differentiation,” the company

says. “We hope to help brands comprehensively reach end consumers nationwide, while also enhancing the recognition and influence of international fruit brands in the Chinese market.”

WELL-PACK

Well-Pack, established in 2006, serves a growing customer base in the fields of electronics, agrochemicals, cosmetics, food and beverage, and fresh produce packaging, both domestically and globally. At this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica, the company will primarily promote its fresh-keeping modified atmosphere packaging bags for fruits and vegetables. The specially designed ethylene-absorbing film effectively slows down the deterioration and decay of fruit and vegetables by absorbing the concentration of ethylene released during transport or storage, thereby extending their shelf-life.

Well-Pack says Asia Fruit Logistica provides a platform for the company’s original vision – ”reducing resource waste, minimising environmental damage, and contributing to the sustainable growth of the earth” – which it plans to showcase to a global audience at the event.

ULINK AGRITECH

It has been a breakthrough year for ULink Agritech. The Indian exporter has sent the first sea shipment of pomegranates to the US, become the first Indian company to take Indian Cavendish bananas to the Netherlands, and secured a memorandum of understanding with Middle Eastern retailer Lulu Group to supply bananas and guavas. It hopes Asia Fruit Logistica will provide a platform for further growth as it features its Kimaye brand and diverse portfolio of fresh and processed products comprising bananas, pomegranates, guava, dragon fruit, whole mature coconuts, baby corn and more.

Our global sourcing network is designed to deliver seamless, year-round quality. With vertical integration and strong grower relationships in premium growing regions around the world, we keep your supply strong and shoppers happy.

Location: Chao, La Libertad, Peru

S&W

S&W is looking forward to this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica as it continues to showcase its S&W Deluxe Premium pineapples, which have continued to gain popularity across China since the offering was first introduced in 2022.

S&W ensures this naturally extra sweet pineapple reaches maturity while still attached to the plant, so it can develop its full flavour. The fruit is then harvested from pre-selected fields that conform to Deluxe Premium quality specifications.

Asia Fruit Logistica continues to be a strategic venue for S&W, allowing the company to keep abreast of developments in the fresh industry and meet up with existing and prospective partners. It also provides S&W a platform to highlight its wide range of offerings including frozen pineapples and not from concentrate (NFC) juice.

AOMORI TRADING

Premium apples from the Aomori prefecture in Japan will be on display at the Aomori apple from Japan stand at Asia Fruit Logistica. Organised by Aomori Trading the stand will spotlight a number of highquality apple varieties available for export. Some seasonal fruits such as melons and peaches will be displayed while apple juice will also feature with tasting samples on offer.

Aomori Trading hopes to use Asia Fruit Logistica to develop new markets for Japanese Aomori apples, after last year’s edition helped pave the way for the first shipment of Aomori apples to the UK.

COMEX FARM

Vietnamese exporter Comex Farm continues to expand its portfolio of products and will seek new export markets such as the US, Canada, Europe and more at Asia Fruit Logistica. The company’s key fresh lines include dragon fruit, coconut, lime, pomelo, banana, and passionfruit. In particular dragon fruit and coconut are driving growth with the Middle East and India emerging as key markets. In the past year it has secured supply partnerships with retailers in these regions including Barakat Fresh, New West Zone, Onedayone Group and Anusaya Fresh. Comex Farm is also investing in product development particularly easy-to-open coconut designs including its Thumb Coconut brand as well as various processed products such as frozen, dried, and chewy dried fruit.

KALYA EXPORTS

Kalya Exports is a flagship company of the Kalya Group specialising in the production, processing, and export of fresh fruits and vegetables. Kalya will target South-East Asian markets at this year’s Asia Fruit Logisitica with its expansive, high-quality offering. This includes fresh fruits such as pomegranates, grapes and bananas; vegetables such as okra, tomatoes and onions; dried fruits, fruit pulps, and IQF (individually quick frozen) products. In the past 12 months Kalya Exports has enhanced its infrastructure with advanced packhouse and cold storage facilities, increasing its capacity and efficiency and maintaining product quality. »

DAEMYUNG FARMS

Korean importer-exporter-distributor Daemyung Farms has been working to expand its business across retail and wholesale channels with its turnover now surpassing US$250m. The growth is built on assuring high quality produce from farmer to buyer and working to meet the range of market demands on quality and price. Daemyung Farms will be promoting a wide range of produce at Asia Fruit Logistica as it looks to further develop intra-Asia trade.

It will be spotlighting Noeul, a new melon variety developed from musk melon that has yellow flesh with sweeter flavours and a longer shelf-life. A new kiwifruit variety will also be on show with lower acid levels and increased Brix and firmness.

DAIKIN REEFER

Daikin Reefer is a leading provider of refrigeration equipment to the global container industry and has been at the forefront of refrigerated container shipping for over 50 years. At this year’s event Daikin will be showcasing its Daikin Active CA, as well as additional viable solutions for the transportation of fresh fruit and vegetables, using its technology and know-how. Daikin Reefer continues to push the boundaries of refrigerated transportation to enable the carriage of new cargoes on diversified routes. It has been working with industry stakeholders on converting shipments of perishable cargo from air to sea with the use of our controlled atmosphere (CA) technology, which enables temperature-sensitive cargoes to reach new and distant markets.

ECOPLANTS

Post-harvest solutions provider Ecoplants has cultivated a prominent position in the Korea market with its patented 1-MCP generating device FreshLong. Ecoplants’ Seokin Back says the company has been able to meet the needs of Korean growers, packers, distributors and exporters with a combination of its cutting-edge technology and know-how. Now, it is

looking to expand its presence in other Asian markets.

“Just by adding FreshLong to your current method of storage, you can expect a dramatic extension of shelf-life. The application of FreshLong post-harvest can increase the value of your produce by maintaining the just-picked level of quality,” says Back. Ecoplants is also working on adding more smart features to its technology such as mobile data sharing.

EVERGOOD CORPORATION

Top Korean exporter Evergood Corporation returns to Asia Fruit Logistica in 2024 looking to expand into more markets. It currently supplies high-quality fresh produce to around 20 markets, including SouthEast Asia, China, Japan, the US, Canada, and the EU. Its top categories are strawberries, grapes and pears, but it also supplies persimmons, peaches, melons and mushrooms. The company is also expanding its business to processed food products.

At this year’s event Evergood will debut new packaging and a mascot which will help promote the new products the company is developing. Its new offerings include Star apples and new varieties of grapes including Red Claret, Red Shine Muscat, Hongju, Sunny-Dolce and So-Pyeong-Hong.

BOBEN ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL

BoBen Environmental Control is a Chinese company that provides post-harvest quality solutions. Over the past decade, it has focused on post-harvest management of fruit and vegetables, food factory design, and cold chain logistics EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) services.

BoBen has formed a strategic partnership with the quality testing company ACC and jointly operates the Sanya Yazhou Bay Tropical Freshness Application Research Laboratory with The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research.

This collaboration links post-harvest preservation management practices to develop localised and customised post-harvest solutions. The laboratory, spanning over 6,00m2, has become one of the world’s largest research centres on tropical post-harvest applications, providing optimal post-harvest quality solutions for fruit and vegetables.

MAGNUS FARM FRESH

Grower-exporter grower exporter Magnus Farm Fresh works with around 1,200 Indian smallholder farms to bring its products to customers from more than 20 countries. Its range includes grapes, pomegranates, bananas, coconuts, and mixed vegetables. At Asia Fruit Logistica it will highlight its banana brand Laila while also looking to develop annual programmes and private labels for banana clients across the Middle East. Other leading brands include Simmba and Frution grapes, Magnus coconuts and Magnus and Taj pomegranates. To support expansion plans, Magnus

Farm Fresh has significantly increased its human resources, and its team has quadrupled to 40 since its formation in 2020, with plans to add more in the coming years.

THAI BEST PRODUCTS

‘Passion for freshness’ is the core value of exporter Thai Best Products (TBP) which supplies seasonal fruit and vegetables to a range of international markets. TBP has three packhouses which service lines including coconut, longan, mango and other seasonal fruits such as rambutan and mangosteen. At Asia Fruit Logistica the exporter’s hero product will be its Coco+ easy open coconut. The Aromatic Coconut – which is GI (Geographic Indication)-approved – has a shelf-life of 45 days and has already captured attention across Asian markets. TBP hopes to expand further afield and is targeting customers in Europe and Asia. It will highlight its recent breakthrough in Korea where it has established exports of Nam Dok Mai mango using vapour heat treatment (VHT). A

Australasia

Growers, exporters and marketers from Australia and New Zealand will promote everything from new product lines, varieties and partnerships to innovative packaging solutions and rebrands at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica.

by Bree Caggiati

SEEKA

Major New Zealand-headquartered grower-marketer, Seeka, is set to market its new red Nashi pear at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica ahead of its commercial launch in 2025. The red-skinned variety has a crisp, juicy and crunchy texture and an appealing taste profile, according to Seeka.

Alongside the new red Nashi offering, Seeka will also showcase its green kiwifruit, other Nashi varieties, fresh jujube and newly developed dried jujube.

“The season for fresh jujube is relatively short,” says Seeka Australia sales manager, Cameron Carter. “So, it made sense to lengthen the season by drying the fruit as this is how it is commonly consumed in Asia.”

The company says the addition of the red Nashi variety and dried jujube will bolster its fruit range, enabling the company to supply high-quality, Australian-grown fruit throughout most of the year.

AUSTRALIA FRUITS

Australia Fruits will exhibit alongside producers Wandin Valley Farms and VFS Siciliano. The Australian fruit and vegetable exporter represents both brands, exporting stonefruit into Asia for VFS Siciliano from November through March and cherries for Wandin Valley Farms from mid-October through to February.

This will be Australia Fruits’ 14th time at Asia Fruit Logistica. Managing director Joe Tullio says it’s always a great opportunity to showcase Australia Fruits. export and logistics services, including cold treatment and documentation as well as meet with existing and potential customers.

“It’s a great time for us to talk to industry, meet with our existing long-term customers and explore potential new markets,” says Tullio.

Following improved protocol access for Australia in Korea, Vietnam and Japan, Australia Fruits sees

growth opportunities for Australian produce into Asia.

“We are targeting growth in markets that have improved protocol access and looking forward to meeting people from these regions,” Tullio says.

AUSVEG

Ausveg, Australia’s national peak industry body for vegetable, potato and onion growers, will exhibit this year alongside ten exporting Australian growers. The delegation will showcase a range of Australian vegetables, including carrots, onions, potatoes, brussels sprouts, celery, baby leaf salads, baby broccolini, pumpkins, swedes, shallots and more.

Developing export markets is a key priority for Ausveg. The organisation works with exporting growers in Australia and international customers to provide skills and networks to supply international markets with high-quality fresh vegetables. Ausveg will continue to target Asian and ASEAN markets, with Singapore, the UAE and Malaysia remaining the topthree destinations for Australian vegetable exporters.

“Asia Fruit Logistica serves as an important platform for Australian vegetable growers to connect with suppliers and buyers from around Asia and the world,” says Ausveg chief executive Michael Coote.

“Exhibiting at the show ensures our growers and members have market exposure to customers from Asia and around the world, as well as driving trade outcomes.”

FRESHMAX GROUP

Global fresh produce business, Freshmax Group, and its subsidiaries Valleyfresh, Innovar and Berry Co. will emphasise its cool chain distribution and export marketing services at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica.

“We really like to use our stand as a meeting place for customers and suppliers to get together and talk about past successes, iron out issues and talk about the future and opportunities ahead,” says director, Ryan Smith.

The company will also highlight its Tangold mandarins and Berry Co ‘Royal Blue’ blueberry offering.

“We promote these two products specifically during Asia Fruit Logistica in September because they happen to be in season during this time,” Smith says.

WA FARM DIRECT

Australian marketer-exporter WA Farm Direct is set to highlight two of its premium fruit brands, Ondine flat nectarines and peaches and Soluna apples at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica.

The promotion comes ahead of WA Farm Direct’s plans to launch the Australian Ondine stonefruit for export later this year, following successful trials at the beginning of 2024. WA Farm Direct works with selected grower partners to produce its Ondine stonefruit which the company says boasts a balanced “semi-sweet” flavour with vibrantly coloured skin and a distinctive flat shape that sets them apart. Ondine will be available throughout selected Asian and Middle Eastern markets from December 2024 to March 2025.

Soluna apples are available in Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, India, the Philippines and Middle East GCC from May to December.

GOLDEN BAY FRUIT

Golden Bay Fruit will show off its range of premium New Zealand apples including exclusive IP varieties Cherish, Miranda, Sassy and Posh as well as PiqaBoo pears at this year’s exhibition.

The marketer will also feature its new branding for Miranda which includes a bespoke card tube that has taken off in China.

“It’s a yellow-green apple, surprisingly sweet, making it really stand out among the predominantly red apple category (in Asia),” says marketing director, Eleni Hogg.

Golden Bray Fruit has been actively investing in its IP varieties with more than 150 containers set to come online this season from varieties including Cherish, Sassy and Miranda. It will also welcome the first commercial-scale shipments of Posh.

Volumes will continue to increase substantially as more trees come into production with 100,000 new trees planted each year, according to Hogg.

N&A GROUP

N&A Group is set to showcase its range of Australiangrown fresh produce, from its family-owned and operated farms: Ardrossan Orchards and Sunland Fresh Fruit. The key categories include apples, stonefruit, avocados and mangoes. In addition to exclusive brands, N&A will also promote its range of licenced varieties including the Ondine flat series as well as Swing, Sunrise Magic and Snapdragon apples.

In the past 12 months N&A has continued to cement its place as a leader in new variety development in Australia with a successful commercial season of Ondine flat peaches and nectarines. The group worked with WA Farm Direct to send the first-ever export shipments of Australian-grown Ondine flat peaches and nectarines into Asia earlier this year.

N&A is building towards commercialisation of its exclusive sustainable apple variety Swing, with more plantings going into orchards this winter.

The company has also invested in several sustainable non-plastic packaging offerings that will be on display at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica.

BIOPAC

Post-harvest solutions provider, Biopac, will launch a new modified atmosphere bag designed for table grapes at Asia Fruit Logistica this year.

According to the company, the new solution, AgroLife Plus, extends the shelf-life of table grapes by keeping the oxygen and carbon dioxide at the optimum level, maintaining relative humidity and inhibiting decay causing microorganisms through its antimicrobial properties.

The bags can be used for storage or transport and can replace the need for sulphur dioxide pads.

Results from customers using the Biopac Map Bag with organic and conventional grapes have shown storage of up to four to five weeks depending on the grape variety.

PERFECTION FRESH

Australian producer-exporter Perfection Fresh will again showcase its range of premium proprietary lines at Asia Fruit Logistica including Calypso mangoes. Chief marketing and innovation officer, Luke Gibson says Calypso is well-loved for its unique pink blush, smaller seed, and firmer silky-smooth flesh.

“Firmer flesh means the fruit holds up better to the rigours of the supply chain, ensuring it arrives in-store looking fantastic and has a longer shelf-life,” Gibson says.

The vast majority of Perfection exports go into the Asian market including Vietnam, China, Indonesia,

Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Korea.

“We have our own VHT (vapour heat treatment) facility in Brisbane, Queensland so we can control the whole process of treating and shipping into Asia. This is the largest VHT facility in Australia, processing up to 9 tonnes of fruit per treatment,” Gibson says.

BUDOU FARMS

This year marks the third year Budou Farms has exhibited at Asia Fruit Logistica. The grape producer-exporter will join the Australian pavilion for the first time and showcase a range of new varieties coming into production.

Having an expanded varietal offering is set to extend the window of harvest for Budou Farms providing a pathway to expand into new markets across Asia.

As part of these expansion plans, the company intends to launch new branding across its lines.

“I think unique branding

backed up with strong marketing and consistency in flavour makes a huge practical difference for customers and consumers,” says owner Enrique Rossi.

CHERRI GLOBAL

Cherri Global returns to Asia Fruit Logistica to meet new and existing partners ahead of an upcoming bumper crop. The New Zealand cherry grower is expecting to double its harvested volume with a forecasted volume exceeding 1,000 tonnes this season.

Alongside production growth, the company is set to roll out more rain covers for crop security, new and improved packaging options and an updated marketing strategy.

“Our growth and crop protection measures pose an exciting opportunity for us and our customers whereby we can be their one-stop-shop for New Zealand cherry supply because we have much greater volume,” says Peter Marshall, general manager sales and marketing. »

PREVAR

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

Prevar is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024. The company says it is very proud of the strong portfolio of varieties it has developed in that time and is excited to continue driving the future of fruit innovation for the next 20-year horizon.

The bright-red PiqaBoo pear is one offering that is increasingly capturing the attention of the Asia market, with volumes increasing year by year, and licensees eager to continue developing new destinations for the pear variety. Within Asia, PiqaBoo is being sold in China, Hong Kong, Singapore as well as building a loyal following on the New Zealand market.

“There is an exciting future ahead for the Piqa brand, with our hero Red Piqa pear an absolute star and consumer favourite, and many other exciting new interspecific pears coming through the Plant & Food Research pear breeding programme,” says Prevar brand manager Amanda Lyon.

ROCKIT

Rockit will be showcasing its multi-SKU strategy this year which includes the hero (4/5 piece tubes) and convenience packs (2/3 piece tubes), along with the new family, shuttle and gift packs.

“With record volumes of Rockit apples arriving in global markets, we’re excited to be collaborating with Universal and DreamWorks Animation on Kung Fu Panda, while establishing new distribution into new channels to help drive demand,” says Mark Pay, general manager global sales.

“We’re also looking forward to meeting with key retailers, both national key account retailers and strong small regional retailers – and, of course, the distributors who make all this happen – as we gear up for our strongest season yet,” Pay says.

INTEGROW MARKETING

New Zealand-owned procurement and marketing company, Integrow Marketing, will celebrate 25 years in exporting this year. The company markets New Zealand-grown fruits and vegetables, including apples, onions, PiqaBoo pears and squash predominantly into Asia and Europe and has recently added cherries to its offering.

Managing director, Phil Bird, says sales volumes are in excess of 35,000 tonnes of produce per year.

“Over the last 25 years we have serviced an

extensive range of New Zealand growers and international customers, continuously developing new markets,” says Bird.

“We look forward to meeting our customers, catching up and planning together for the future.”

T&G GLOBAL

T&G Global will this year attend Asia Fruit Logistica as part of the BayWa Global Produce family. The producer-exporter will present its premium apple portfolio, including its Envy and Jazz apple brands.

Envy apples continue to be a standout performer in the premium apples space, with T&G reporting it was the most consumed apple brand in Thailand in 2023.

“Consumers and customers seek out the apple for its sweet, crisp and crunchy taste and distinctive bright red colour,” says

Shane Kingston, T&G director international sales and marketing. “Jazz apples are also loved around the world for their tangy-sweet flavour and refreshing taste profile.”

The New Zealand-grown season is in full swing across Asia for both Jazz and Envy.

OZBLU

Australia-based agricultural company United Exports will showcase a series of its premium Ozblu blueberry varieties as well as its full range of innovative packaging options, designed to enhance the shelf-life and convenience of its products.

In addition to its existing range, United Exports will introduce two new varieties: Ozblu Raquelle and Ozblu Olivia.

Ozblu Raquelle is a late-season variety with a remarkable shelf-life,

which has been stored for up to seven weeks in trials without compromising flavour, firmness, and size.

Ozblu Olivia is an early-season variety with year-round production capabilities. Both varieties are currently undergoing development and initial trials.

“We are thrilled to share our progress and innovations with fellow attendees,” says Roger Horak, United Exports executive chairman and founder.

JOYA

For the first time, apple brand, Joya, will have a dedicated booth at Asia Fruit Logistica providing an exciting platform to unveil its refreshed brand identity and positioning.

The update comes after a thorough strategic review and the commodity apple category. It features an updated logo and brand positioning to celebrate the sunny disposition and joy that Joya apples bring to the table.

“Visitors to the Joya booth will experience firsthand the vibrant energy and revitalised image of the brand, embodying the essence of Joya apples,” says Philip Turnbull, group chief executive of Twenty Degrees and Apple & Pear Australia. “

This milestone marks a new chapter for Joya, as the brand continues to capture the attention of apple lovers with its exceptional quality and bright spirit.”

According to Turnbull, Joya is known for its robust performance attributes and consistently great eating experience, offering consumers a crunch with every bite. »

AUSTCHILLI

Australian farming and manufacturing business

AustChilli has expanded its avocado convenience range AvoFresh this year with the launch of its new ‘Smashed Avocado’. The new product joins existing popular flavours to continue providing consumers with a way to enjoy avocado that is “always ripe and always ready”.

“Smashed avocado is an incredibly popular Australian breakfast item that has gained worldwide popularity,” says Francisco Riesco, head of export sales. “On the back of the success of AvoFresh, we have had multiple customers ask us for a ‘plain’ option making Smashed Avocado the perfect addition to our line.”

AustChilli will also launch its new Foodservice AvoFresh range with three products – Smashed Avocado, Hint of Lemon, and Guacamole - in larger, 500g packs.

“Hospitality faces the same pain points as avocado consumers and our 500g range is the perfect solution to always ensuring customers are served perfectly ripe avocado, while reducing kitchen wastage,” Riesco says.

AvoFresh has enjoyed double-digit growth in the Australian retail market and the company is continuing to expand its global reach, with products now on shelves in Thailand and Hong Kong. This is in addition to its existing presence across New Zealand, Malaysia, and Singapore.

“We are proud to offer a solution avocado lovers around the world can always rely on.”

KIWI CRUNCH

New Zealand pipfruit growerpacker-exporter Kiwi Crunch will exhibit some of its key varieties at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica.

“We are excited to showcase some of our key varieties and connect, with new and existing customers to share our Kiwi Crunch story,” says Sophie Hughes, brand manager.

The company exports its fruit to more than 30 countries around the world, with a key focus on China, Vietnam, and Taiwan.

“We aim to provide families globally with premium pipfruit known for its quality, crunch, and taste,” Hughes says.

“Looking ahead, we are committed to scaling our growth and continuing to build strong customer relationships.”

PINK LADY

Pink Lady will share its new brand positioning, specifically designed to build brand affinity and expand its customer base across Asia. The team has leveraged consumer insights, market intelligence and campaign experience to create the new brand which celebrates the

vibrant, colourful personality of Pink Lady apples.

“We’re excited to share insights into the Pink Lady brand’s value proposition with new and existing partners,” says Philip Turnbull, group chief executive of Twenty Degrees and Apple & Pear Australia (Apal). “The passion behind the brand, the strength of its global licensing network, the stringent quality controls, and the enduring power of the household name Pink Lady make it truly distinctive in the apple category.”

Pink Lady has broadened its scope in Asia by entering a new management partnership with Goodfarmer to further grow the brand in the dynamic Chinese market.

The Pink Lady booth will also host representatives from Apal’s newly launched commercial entity, Twenty Degrees, which brings together specialised expertise in IP protection, strategic marketing, brand management, quality assurance, compliance, territory management and licensing to promote the commercial development of branded fresh produce. A

EMEA

Europe, Middle East and Africa remain key suppliers to various countries across Asia. And as more and more markets in the region grant access to their products, opportunities for further trade development look set to grow.

by Mike Knowles, Carl Collen, Maura Maxwell, Tom Joyce, Fred Searle & Fred Meintjes

JINGOLD

Kiwifruit marketer Jingold returns to Hong Kong for this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica on the back of a notable increase in production (see full story, p159). According to Federico Milanese, the company’s marketing manager, the event remains an essential appointment for its expanding business. “These meetings will be crucial for outlining strategies for the upcoming campaign and exploring potential collaborations with new buyers,” he tells Asiafruit. The group aims to highlight its leading role in supplying red kiwifruit to markets in the region. According to Milanese, the company expects to expand its sales of the product by almost one-third in 2024.

CSO ITALY

Leading market development agency CSO Italy once again hosts a number of Italy’s most important fresh produce companies on its stand at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica. This year its stand will be home to companies including Apofruit Italia, European Fruit Group, F.lli Clementi, Infia, Mazzoni, Nava, Oranfrizer, Origine Group, Rivoira Group, RK Growers, and Tagliani Vivai. Several of those are involved in The European Art of Taste, a three-year promotional campaign co-funded by CSO Italy and the EU to raise awareness and appreciation of fruit and vegetables produced in Europe. The project is aimed at Asian markets, especially China, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand.

B&B FRUTTA

One of Italy’s leading fruit exporters, Verona-based apple specialist B&B Frutta is a market leader in the supply of Granny Smith and generates most of its business outside of Europe, in markets including the Middle East, North Africa, Latin America and Asia. According to its chief executive, Loredano Brentegani, it was also the first Italian company to export apples using blockchain to record and track its shipments. Seven years ago, it opened a brand new packhouse in Zevio, to the south-east of Verona, which in recent years has served as a platform for further growth.

RIVOIRA GROUP

Rivoira Giovanni & Figli and sister company RK Growers will use the event to raise awareness of the Kikoka Kiwi Consortium (Europe), which was set up in March 2024 to manage production and marketing of Kikokà, the name for two protected varieties of yellow-fleshed kiwifruit developed and owned by Italy’s University of Udine. The group brings together 11 partners and 1,550ha of licensed cultivated area. A further 200ha are expected to be planted in 2024. It recently elected Andrea Peviani of Peviani as its first president and appointed Fabio Zanesco as executive director, effective from 1 September.

WATERMAN ONIONS

Waterman Onions, Sawari Fresh – an importer of ginger and garlic – and Holland Cambridge Farms will join the Dutch pavilion at Asia Fruit Logistica in September. Waterman Onions says that shipping to Asia from the Netherlands is currently “very interesting” due to the ongoing container imbalance. Dutch onions, known for their long shelf-life and high dry matter content, are popular in Asia. “We can quickly deliver onions, providing alternatives to importers affected by recent export challenges and aim to connect with those seeking a reliable supplier of high-quality onions,” the group notes.

AGRIFOODS

Netherlands-based Agrifoods is a trading agency, importing and exporting fresh fruits and vegetables from all over the world. In the past year it has started moving a new line of Hass avocados from Brazil to

Europe, and the group says it is interested in potential Asian clients as well. Agrifoods’ core business is selling Brazilian apples to Bangladesh and India, while it also sends Shine Muscat grapes from Brazil to Asia. The company is hoping to see more markets being opened in the East, such as Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia, especially for its apple range.

HOLLAND AGRI FOODS

In recent years, Holland Agri Foods has rapidly grown its exports to Asia, says the company’s sales support coordinator Lotte Roskam. “Our main product is the Dutch onion, which is appreciated by customers from all over the continent,” she outlines. “Customers can also approach us for garlic, potatoes, carrots and much more. We are not scared to take on a challenge and won’t shy away from any request. We have experience with almost all Asian countries.”

BAYER VEGETABLE SEEDS

Bayer Vegetable Seeds is looking forward to connecting with the value chain partners who will visit Asia Fruit Logistica, according to Nico van Vliet. “It is critical for us to have match-making moments based on consumer demand of fruits and vegetables to increase consumption,” he explains. “A good farm-to-fork approach is only possible through collaborative partnering with focused value chain partners.” Bayer will showcase a range of fresh products, including glasshouse tomatoes, melons, and several local Chinese vegetable varieties. »

FRESH-PRIDE

Barendrecht-based Fresh-Pride is focusing on expanding its market presence in Asia and has seen positive developments after recent customer visits in Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. The group’s key products for the Asian market include Australian and South African oranges and mandarins, Kenyan avocados, New Zealand apples, Ecuadorean pitahayas and Chinese grapes. Fresh-Pride is particularly excited about the potential in expanding its market reach in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, it says, and exploring new opportunities in Japan and China, while monitoring potential growth in Korea and the Philippines. “We are actively addressing challenges such as direct imports, price ceilings, and maintaining strong long-term relationships with existing partners amid competitive pressures,” Fresh-Pride notes.

FRUITMASTERS

FruitMasters, the largest fruit cooperative in the Netherlands, delivers top-quality Dutch fruit from its affiliated growers directly to national and international markets. With its own facility and logistics centre, FruitMasters says it ensures efficient supply and versatile packaging for a superior fruit experience.

At Asia Fruit Logistica, the cooperative is inviting visitors to discover its innovative offerings for the Asian market, including its Morgana, Tessa, Bloss, Migo, Conference and Prestige fruit brands.

TFC HOLLAND

While TFC Holland primarily focuses on the European market and does not engage directly in sales in Asia, its broader BayWa Global Produce group has a significant presence there. Notably, its subsidiary T&G Global is active in Asian markets, particularly with apples, and is demonstrating a strong performance, according to the group’s Yannick Henßler. TFC itself relocated to a new, state-of-the-art facility in Waddinxveen, Netherlands, in 2023 to better accommodate its increased demand and growth. The facility includes advanced Softripe ripening chambers and new drying facilities for ginger, which it primarily imports from China and South America. At Asia Fruit Logistica, TFC Holland will be part of the BayWa Global Produce joint stand, and its focus will be on networking with existing and potential suppliers and growers of exotic fruits, Henßler confirms, with visitors encouraged to see and taste the two premium consumer apple brands Envy and Jazz in particular. »

PLANASA

Planasa’s acquisition of Yunnan Meiming Agriculture last year signalled its intention to become a serious player in China’s burgeoning blueberry market. As well as continuing to promote its extensive portfolio of blueberry varieties, led by Blue Madeira, Blue Manila, Blue Maldiva and Blue Malibú, the company is now developing its raspberry and strawberry offering.

“We are very satisfied to have become the largest company of patented varieties in terms of planting area in China, with more than 2,000ha planted,” says Jeffrey Fan, managing director of Planasa China.

“Asia Fruit Logistica is a great opportunity to continue strengthening our brand image in the Asian market, showcasing our genetics and nursery capacity, as well as our commitment to providing technical support to the region’s growers.”

To put the importance of this market in context, Fan points out that in 2021 China overtook the US to become the world’s largest producer of blueberries. “The Chinese blueberry industry is in the highefficiency development phase, and increasingly intensive, large-scale and standardised production will release greater vitality for the entire industry,” he predicts.

“It is also one of Planasa’s most important markets, and we will continue to explore the Chinese market to introduce more and better berry varieties. Proof of this is that we have expanded our sales area beyond Yunnan, now covering provinces such as Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangsu, Anhui and other regions, consolidating our presence in the Chinese market.”

BIONEST

Bionest, Spain’s biggest producer of organic strawberries, will be at Asia Fruit Logistica to showcase its entire range of organic berries. This includes new varieties with a longer shelf-life, allowing the company to cut food waste and reach new markets such as Asia, says commercial manager José Manuel Rodríguez.

“We will also present a heat-sealable cardboard punnet that provides numerous advantages when packaging berries,” he tells Asiafruit. “The packs reduce the use of plastic by 98 per cent, improve the visibility and versatility of the product and allow for better storage.”

Reducing the environmental impact of its berry production is one of Bionest’s top priorities. The company pioneered cardboard packaging some 12 years ago and today, 45 per cent of its export volume is shipped in bulk or packed in biodegradable containers, a quarter of which have been thermo-sealed to eliminate the need for lids.

Of the remaining amount, 700,000 units have been packed in Prevented Ocean Plastic, an initiative that promotes the use of recycled plastic from plastic bottles from coastal areas of South-East Asia.

“We see Asia as one of the most important markets worldwide and want to continue to develop our brand throughout the continent,” Rodríguez says.

PINK LADY EUROPE

Sales of Pink Lady and PinKids apples rose 18 per cent year-on-year to reach 211,000 tonnes. According to Pink Lady Europe, these results have been made possible thanks to solid partnerships with retailers and continued collective efforts to boost the category.

“900 operations to promote the brand were carried out with trade marketing support tailored as closely as possible to the needs of retailers, thereby enabling them to perfectly control the positioning of Pink Lady in stores,” the company says.

Advertising in the media focused on promoting the brand’s values along with influencer marketing strategies, helped to generate over 300m contacts around the “What will Pink Lady do for you today?” brand platform.

The company says it is preparing for the next five years with an action plan covering issues related to the Pink Lady Commitment Charter, including production, quality, societal expectations and collective organisation.

PICO

Egyptian producer-exporter Pico is highlighting its new varieties in strawberries and grapes at this year’s exhibition, as well as introducing avocados and Barhi dates to its offering, according to regional sales manager Muhammad Fayed.

He says that target markets in the region include Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, while the company is also looking to expand in China, Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam.

“There is huge potential for Egypt in Asia,” he says. “Egypt is now a good source for citrus, strawberries, grapes, stonefruit and avocados. Egypt has developed a lot in varietal development and we now have new varieties that are requested worldwide. Plus we have a price advantage versus competing regions.”

At the moment, logistics is the main concern for Egyptian exporters to East Asia. “In addition to issues in the Red Sea, we are seeing a huge increase

in airfreight prices to Far East countries,” says Fayed.

VLAM

Vlam, Flanders’ Agricultural Marketing Board, will host six Belgian exporters: BelOrta, Belgian Fruit Valley, Devos Group, Wouters Fruithandel, Fresh Fruit Service Europe and Elite Food, all with representatives present for commercial talks on the exhibition floor.

A professional chef will be on site to prepare snacks made from Belgian fruit and vegetables. “Products from Belgium are popular,” says Hilde Peeters, export project coordinator. “We see a lot of pears being exported, and chicory is also important as a niche product within the vegetable category. From the reactions we had during the last edition, we can see that there are also opportunities for specialty products, such as strawberries, tomatoes and celeriac. So Vlam remains committed to the Asian market.”

KEITT EXPORTERS

This year, Kenyan avocado exporter, Keitt, looks to continue its growth in East Asia. “Among the new lines we have launched this season is the ready to eat avocado (RTE),” says Anne Kavai. “We are also excited about our ongoing value-added avocado oil project.”

Despite a tough season, Keitt has continued to invest, even if logistics and rising competition remain a challenge. “We continue to push for growth on the Chinese market and also hope to see the Korean market open up,” says Kavai. “We had good volumes of avocados in Kenya this year, and the rains will help boost production and improve quality and sizes for the coming season.”

One of the main issues this season has been transit times due

to the Red Sea crisis. “We need more options with shorter transit times,” says Kavai. “Australian fruit has also flooded the market in Asia and Peruvian fruit is earlier, so we have to brace ourselves to remain competitive in this region.”

AWDI GARDENS

New plantings at Lebanon’s Awdi Gardens are set to add not just the newest grape varieties to the company’s portfolio, but also popular cherry varieties, as the company looks to expand. “Our very first markets for Lebanese grapes were in Asia,” says vice-president Ghassan Awdi (pictured below). “We want to continue growing in Malaysia and Singapore where we are well established. But we also hope to use this opportunity to find and access new markets such as Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. We want to reconnect with our customers and use this opportunity to properly plan the upcoming season. Although we are limited in the number of countries that have established protocols to import Lebanese grapes, we believe our customers in Asia have become accustomed to Lebanese grapes and they are always included now as part of their supply programmes.” »

SINCLAIR

Established in 1982, Sinclair provides a full management service for the labelling of fruit and vegetables. The company has exhibited at Asia Fruit Logistica for a number of years and considers it an important show for meeting customers and networking.

This year Sinclair has a demonstration labelling machine on its stand and will also be showcasing its latest home-compostable label from its compostable range. The company says the label offers superior application performance and meets many of the legislative composting requirements, as well as composting standards AS 5810 and NF T51 800.

Sinclair currently operates in more than 40 markets globally and says it would like to help packers and growers realise the full potential of having fruit labels on their loose produce.

FRUITNET MEDIA INTERNATIONAL

Fruitnet publishes the world’s leading fresh produce business magazines and organises the world’s premier fresh produce business conferences. It is based in London, Düsseldorf, Madrid, Melbourne, and Shanghai.

Focusing on new growth in established and emerging markets, Fruitnet's high-quality publications and events are essential platforms for any company or organisation seeking to raise its profile in the industry.

Conferences for fresh produce professionals are a key component of Fruitnet’s business: Deutsche Obst und Gemüse Kongress, Asiafruit Congress, Fruitnet Berry Congress, Fruitnet Tomato Congress, Fruitnet Grape Congress, European Packaging Forum, Fresh

Produce India, Fresh Produce Vietnam, Fruitnet Citrus Congress, Festival of Fresh and many more.

Fruitnet is the exclusive knowledge partner of both Asia Fruit Logistica and Fruit Logistica.

ANGUS SOFT FRUITS

Angus Soft Fruits is a leading supplier of berries to UK, European, Middle Eastern and Asian retailers. The Scottish company breeds, grows and packs berries around the world to ensure consistent supply of the best-tasting berries to its customers.

This is its third year at Asia Fruit Logistica, and the supplier is eager to meet retailers and wholesalers to expand supply in Asia. Angus Soft Fruits will be showcasing its Good Natured Berries brand, which includes strawberry and raspberry varieties from its exclusive premium-tier AVA range.

Angus Soft Fruits is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024. Over the past three decades the business has enjoyed remarkable growth, both in terms of fruit volume and the expertise of its dedicated team of berry specialists. With its culture of innovation and continuous improvement, the company is looking to continue its legacy of excellence for the next 30 years and beyond. »

BERRYWORLD

BerryWorld says it is thrilled to unveil its best-selling blueberry and strawberry offering which has been carefully crafted for the Asian market.

“For eco-conscious consumers,” says BerryWorld sales manager Stefan Viljoen (pictured below), “we are delighted to present our premium blueberry range, wrapped in sustainable packaging that showcases the highest-quality, award-winning blueberries. This premium offering is also available for organic and jumbo blueberries, catering to a broad range of consumer tastes and preferences”.

He says BerryWorld’s access to a pipeline of leading varieties of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries means there is always something new and interesting knocking on the door, ready to excite customers and give them the edge in the market.

This demonstrates BerryWorld’s commitment to driving innovation and excellence according to Viljoen.

“We are streamlining our brand image to highlight the freshness and quality of our products. This bold new look will debut globally next season, showcasing our dedication to continuous improvement and superior customer experience,” he notes.

“We are targeting Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong in Asia and in the Middle East the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman.”

CLEMENGOLD

Leading South African brand specialist Fruitalyst, which handles the ClemenGold brand, says Asia Fruit Logistica offers a vital networking platform where it can meet with valued existing clients to finetune agreements and discuss further opportunities.

“Simultaneously, we enjoy meeting prospective partners from the Asian fresh fruit environment who share our passion for branding and marketing excellence and innovation,” says Adéle Ackermann, marketing manager for ClemenGold International

(pictured above).

“Our mandarin and seedless lemon brands are firmly established in especially China and the wider Asia market, with tailor-made in-store promotions for ClemenGold, Sweet C and LemonGold drawing shoppers with a promise of quality consistency and great flavour.”

CAPESPAN

Fresh produce exporter Capespan will showcase a range of its topquality brands at Asia Fruit Logistica this year including Cape, Outspan and Goldland.

The Cape brand is the company’s premium quality fruit brand used for grapes, apples and pears. Outspan covers excellent quality citrus, which chief executive Charl De Bois (pictured above right) says is sourced from the world’s best growers.

“The Outspan Gems brand of premium mandarins has shown exponential growth and has become known for its excellent taste profile, uniform appearance and consistent quality,” De Bois says.

The last of the brand range, Goldland, has helped the company to strengthen its global footprint in the Middle East.

De Bois says Capespan is excited about the unlimited potential for growth in the Asian market via close collaboration with selected

retail and wholesale customers.

“Although the big industry growth has been in China, we are as excited about countries such as Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Taiwan.”

SOUTH AFRICAN PAVILION

South African exporters and industry representatives say they are heading to this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica ready to advance business relations on the back of greatly expanded market access in the region. This year saw increased opportunities for South African citrus fruit, table grapes, apples and pears in Asia. Avocados are also expected to arrive in the market in the second half of the year.

“In the light of what already happened this year, we expect keen interest to visit the South African stand,” says one industry observer. A

Americas

Exhibitors from the Americas will flock to the other side of the Pacific Ocean this September to meet with existing and prospective customers and partners and showcase new marketing ventures, produce varieties and tech systems.

by Jeff Long

USA PEARS

“USA Pears have been exhibiting at Asia Fruit Logistica since the first show in 2007,” says international director Jeff Correa.

This year, the organisation will showcase its in-season varieties Green Bartlett and Starkrimson varieties.

“The timing of the show is ideal for USA Pears as it falls in the middle of harvest,” Correa says. “The trade show is a great opportunity for our industry to meet with importers and retailers in the Asian region and around the globe and discuss the upcoming USA Pear crop.”

CALIFORNIA TABLE GRAPE COMMISSION

The California Table Grape Commission is an original Asia Fruit Logistica exhibitor from 2007.

“Asia Fruit Logistica provides an opportunity to discuss our Grapes from California campaign and its many promotional activities with retailers, importers and wholesalers,” says chief marketing officer Alyson Dias. “California produces over 80 varieties of table grapes in three different colours, red, green and black, each with its own unique taste, texture, size, and shape.”

For 2024, Dias says the commission is launching a new global marketing campaign designed to drive consumer demand not only in the US but 21 target markets around the world.

NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA) is back again for its fifth year exhibiting at Asia Fruit Logistica. “Our main goal is to promote North Carolina state Muscadine grapes and series products,” says assistant director for international marketing Cathy Ma.

The Muscadine grape variety is unique to the South-Eastern US and, according to Ma, is notable for its crunchy skin that contains an extraordinary amount of health-promoting antioxidants.

The NCDA will also display the state’s nutritional algae products at its booth.

“We are looking for importers and distributors who are interested in nature’s healthiest grape and nutrition algae products,” says Ma.

MIATECH

Post-harvest solutions company, Miatech, has been a regular exhibitor at Asia Fruit Logistica since 2013.

“Since then, we’ve never missed a show (as) it’s helped us to get many new customers in Asia and make our solutions and products more known in this part of the world,” says representative Dimitrios Loutsaris.

Miatech will feature its ethylene and airborne pathogen removal systems as well as humidity and produce misting systems for retailers.

“We invite all the visitors to come to our booth and find out all the details,” Loutsaris says.

NOVEM

As a first-time exhibitor at Asia Fruit Logistica, the British Columbia-based Novem will promote its newly launched “Big Air Foods” brand of freeze-dried fruit snacks at the Hong Kong show.

Big Air Foods freeze-dried snacks are offered in apple, blueberry, strawberry, cherry and a variety of other fruits.

According to Sauve, Novem’s specialised processing equipment ensures that its products have a long shelf-life without compromising flavour and nutritional value.

SUNVIEW MARKETING INTERNATIONAL

California-based Sunview Marketing will again promote its top-quality table grapes to Asia Fruit Logistica attendees, according to spokesman Phil Gruszka.

“We feel that it is an exciting way to meet with our customers across the globe (as) it gives our current and prospective customers a chance to see the amazing fruit that Sunview Marketing has to offer.”

Gruszka advises that Sunview will have on display not only its branded table grape varieties but jumbo conventional and organic raisins.

“Our raisins will also be featured in our new updated packaging,” he says.

“We are so proud of this launch and thought it would be special to announce it at Asia Fruit Logistica 2024,” says spokesperson Bri Sauve. »

BARD VALLEY DATE GROWERS

Bard Valley Date Growers is back promoting the region’s famous Medjool dates at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica.

“[We find Asia Fruit Logistica] an invaluable platform to connect with both current and potential new customers,” says spokesperson Shayna Telesmanic. “It's an opportunity for us to introduce new products, collaborate on sales and marketing strategies and, most importantly, listen to feedback.”

Among the products on display this year will be both conventional and organic Medjools showcased in various packaging options. “We're also excited to feature our Mini Medjools as well as our latest creation, Medjool Date Strips with Chili Lime seasoning – a perfect blend of sweetness and heat.”

CALAVO GROWERS

An Asia Fruit Logistica exhibitor since 2018, Calavo Growers is back in Hong Kong showcasing both its fresh and processed avocado products.

“Calavo is a global industry leader of fresh avocados (while) our fresh foods division offers a portfolio of processed avocado products such as avocado pulp and guacamoles,” says marketing manager Lindsay Martinez.

This year, Calavo will also celebrate its 100th anniversary.

“We’re proud of our heritage as pioneers who helped shape and launch the avocado industry and look forward to an even more promising future,” says Martinez.

WASHINGTON APPLE COMMISSION

Aa a 20-year participant at Asia Fruit Logistica the Washington Apple Commission (WAC) clearly sees plenty of value in exhibiting in Hong Kong.

“We have found Asia Fruit Logistica to be a key place to meet current and potential Washington apple importers, wholesalers, and retailers from Asia, India, and the Middle East,” says spokesperson Jennie Strong.

This year, the WAC will be showcasing the state’s leading varieties including Cosmic Crisp and Honeycrisp along with many proprietary club varieties.

“Cosmic Crisp, our most recent release,

is increasing in production, which will continue to climb annually. Last season was the second largest Washington apple crop in history but we are hoping to see a ‘return to normal’ crop size this year.”

CHELAN FRESH MARKETING

According to Chelan Fresh spokesperson Lorinda Oscarson, SugarBee apples will be on display at its Asia Fruit Logistica booth for the first time this year.

“SugarBee is a new variety that has been grown in the US for the last four years,” Oscarson says. “The sales desks of CMI Orchards, Sage Fruit as well as Chelan Fresh are excited to bring this apple to the attendees of Asia Fruit Logistica.”

According to Oscarson SugarBee apples are now available yearround.

“We think the sweet but complex flavour profile and the crisp nature of this premium apple will be well received by consumers in Asia and the Middle East,” Oscarson says.

US HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRY COUNCIL

This is the US Highbush Blueberry Council’s (USHBC) third consecutive year exhibiting at Asia Fruit Logistica.

“We are looking to promote the many ways USHBC serves as the global leader and one-stop shop for blueberry inspiration and support,” says director of communications Kristy Babb.

“Asia Fruit Logistica provides us with a great way to inform and educate participants about the extensive work the USHBC does to drive demand for all forms of US highbush blueberries with consumers, foodservice operators, food manufacturers and retailers around the world. This includes providing insightful research,

connecting buyers to suppliers, supporting R&D teams, and offering full-service assistance for blueberry-based products and menu items.”

CALIFORNIA FRESH FRUIT ASSOCIATION

California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) will exhibit for the second time this year and use the opportunity to continue to boost its networks in the Asian market.

“We find great value in the number of attendees from all over Asia coming to the show at a time where we can showcase California stonefruit,” says spokesperson Caroline Stringer.

The association will showcase its primary fresh categories peaches, plums and nectarines following recent news the stonefruit has gained access to Vietnam (see p12).

“California peaches and nectarines were just granted market access to Vietnam – a desirable market for California’s premium peaches and nectarines,” says Stringer.

SEKOYA

This is the second year running blueberry varietal breeder, Sekoya, will exhibit at Asia Fruit Logistica.

“Last year we did a ‘try out’ to better understand the potential of blueberries in Asia and get a better understanding of the Asian consumer,” says value chain and retail manager Hans Liekens.

“(This year) we will show all Sekoya varieties, both high chill and low chill, which creates the opportunity to have fruit available for 52 weeks.”

Sekoya will also display its new blueberry dispenser.

“It’s an ‘eye catcher’ and a new way of selling snacking blueberries in a hygienic, convenient and fun way,” Liekens says. A

Further Asian expansion on cards for Peru

New trade deals and improved market access for key products augur well for the future of Peruvian produce in the region.

by Maura Maxwell

The importance of the Asian market for Peruvian fresh fruits and vegetables cannot be understated. Exporters have been making steady inroads in the region over the past decade and as Peru’s output continues to grow, Asia will account for a greater share of overall shipments.

“Peru is on its way to being the eighth largest fruit exporter in the world. Currently, the country is the world's leading exporter of fresh blueberries, table grapes and fresh asparagus and the second biggest for avocados and ginger. Even as recently as 10-15 years ago, no one could have imagined that Peru would be the number one in table grapes and blueberries,” says Bernardo Muñoz, director of the Trade Commission of Peru in Shanghai.

Underpinning all of this progress is the work carried out by the private sector, supported by public incentive policies, accompanied by the National Strategic Export Plan, PENX 2025.

Today, Peru is an established supplier to global markets and there’s still plenty of room for further growth, especially when taking into account the many largescale irrigation programmes and logistics projects that are currently underway in the country. These include DP World’s US$400m project to expand the Port of Callao, making it one of Latin America’s leading logistics hubs (see p160).

The past year has not all been smooth sailing, however, with the effects of El Niño impacting many of Peru’s key export crops. Avocado exports, for example are projected to reach 468,000 tonnes in 2024, down from 558,000 tonnes the year prior, while shipments of fresh blueberries ended 2023/24 on 215,000 tonnes, a decrease of 25 per cent on 2022/23.

“These types of weather events undoubtedly affect production of some crops, but if we look at it in the round, agricultural exports have grown continually for the last 25 years,” Muñoz says.

“The challenge is to be able to take preventative actions and make the necessary investments to minimise the impact of possible climate change in the future. Our

BELOW—Peru is the world’s top exporter of fresh blueberries and second-biggest exporter of avocados

position as a supplier to Asia remains on course –the weather might be unpredictable, but our export companies want to maintain strong trading links and Asia forms a crucial part of that.”

There’s no doubt that improving market access for Peruvian products is of high importance to Peru’s government. During June’s visit to China by President Dina Boluarte, for example, a new agreement was signed to allow exports of table grapes by air. A

Extreme heat affects San Joaquin Valley table grape harvest

Volumes remain low following early finish to heat-affected Mexican table grape season.

by Jeff Long

The California table grape industry has seen its fair share of change in recent years. It seems almost every season growers from Coachella to Fresno are confronted with fluctuating circumstances well beyond their control with the potential to threaten their businesses. These include rising costs of production, labour shortages, declining exports

BELOW—2023 saw the lowest level of California grape exports since 1989

OPPOSITE—Brian Crettol of Jasmine Vineyards

as well as an increasingly volatile climate. What hasn’t changed, unfortunately, is the consumption rate of table grapes in the US, which has remained essentially flat for decades.

Export markets have long been counted on to absorb a certain percentage of California’s annual table grape production and to help support domestic returns. However,

with the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic and its lasting impact on the global supply chain, less fruit has found its way to foreign markets over the last several seasons as shippers have been reluctant to export on substantially prolonged sea voyages. According to USDA data, total US exports of fresh grapes fell by 24 per cent between 2019 and 2022, while shipments to the Pacific Rim dropped 49 per cent.

Last year, exports reached their lowest level since 1989 due to a rare tropical storm that slammed the San Joaquin Valley in late August, destroying an estimated 25m cartons worth of fruit yet to be harvested. Exports could be impacted again this season as the 2024 summer is already one of the hottest on record, exceeding 38oC every day from 2 July through to mid-month – and frequently topping 43oC. Such prolonged heat has caused grape vines to shut down metabolically, affecting sugar development, impacting colour in red varieties and potentially delaying the 2024 San Joaquin harvest.

“The heat has just been incredible so far and has really kept a lid on volume,” said Brian Crettol of Jasmine Vineyards in the second week of July. “Mexico and Coachella are both done and the trade wants to switch to the San Joaquin but the supplies just aren’t there yet.”

San Joaquin growers have become accustomed to contending with the presence of Mexican fruit lingering in domestic supply channels through much of July every year. That’s not been the case this season as Mexico’s production fell short of initial estimates due to its own heat issues causing it to finish the season early.

While shipping more fruit than last season, the Coachella Valley has seen its production drop off substantially in the last couple of decades due to shrinking acreage. Consequently, supplies of table grapes have been unusually short across North America towards the end of July, keeping FOB prices abnormally high.

“Both Flame and Sugraone Seedless (varieties) are running between US$26 and US$28 at the moment,” Crettol said. “We’ll see the first of the premium

Mexico’s production (also) fell short of initial estimates due to its own heat issues causing it to finish the season early

varieties in another week or so but these will be even higher in price. Until this heat lets up, I don’t see any promotable volumes (of grapes) until sometime in August.”

Short supplies have reportedly not been a problem for shippers to start the San Joaquin deal, however. According to vice-president of sales, John Harley, Anthony Vineyards has been packing fruit in good

volumes since late June as it owns some of the earliest-bearing acreage in the Valley.

“Our business has just been ‘screaming’ the last few weeks,” says Harley.

He adds that Anthony Vineyards’ San Joaquin

inventories are supplemented by fruit repositioned from their Coachella operations with stocks of proprietary varietals that are preferred by retailers.

“Our Flames from Arvin (near Bakersfield) have size and colour and with repositioned fruit from »

our Coachella deal, it’s been a good start to the season for us. It also helps that there’s been little overlap with Mexico this year.”

However, Harley says that overall volume in the San Joaquin could be reduced during the course of the season unless temperatures moderate.

“You could easily see sunburning occur in some of the later varieties because sugar levels are still quite low,” Harley says. “That might not be a bad thing, however.”

Harley refers to the fact that late-season California grapes are increasingly impacted by imports from South America, particularly Peru.

“I used to sell fruit well into December every season,” said Crettol. “No longer.”

Not that many seasons ago,

California regularly shipped more than 110m cartons of fruit annually. However, competing foreign production on both ends of the San Joaquin season, combined with flagging international demand, has led to speculation that more San Joaquin grape acreage may need to be removed to bring supplies better in balance with demand.

“The California industry can still be profitable with production at the low 90m-carton level, which is where it’s basically been the last few seasons,” says John Pandol of Pandol Bros. “Volume this year is shaping up to be similar to pre-Hurricane Hilary levels and with the proper quality, we should have a successful season.” A

RIGHT—

Vice-president of sales at Anthony Vineyards, John Harley

GENERATIONS FAMILY FARMING

Sun World launches two new table grape varieties

Production of Applause and Epic Crisp set to ramp up in next five years.

by Bree Caggiati

California-based breeder and licensor Sun World International has launched two new table grape varieties, Sugrafiftyfour marketed under Applause and Sugrafiftysix under Epic Crisp.

The Sugrafiftyfour variety is a mid-season green seedless variety with a tropical fruity flavour. Sugrafiftysix, also a mid-season green seedless variety, is marked by a crunchy bite and sweet juice.

The Applause brand is set to include a range of limited-release, high-flavour red, green and black seedless grape varieties. According to Sun World, each release will feature an unexpected twist not found in the everyday grape experience.

These official launches are part of Sun World’s branding

“Having multiple unique varieties under one brand allows the consumer to more easily recognise the brand”

strategy, which includes marketing brands that bring together multiple varieties with similar attributes, similar to other produce categories such as apples, citrus and berries. This approach has been implemented to find a more sustainable and simplified approach to grape branding while fostering consumer recognition and preference, ensuring better returns to growers and reducing packaging input costs in the long run.

BELOW—Applause will include a range of limited-release, high-flavour red, green and black seedless grape varieties

“In the current marketplace, consumers aren’t loyal to a specific brand of grapes; only green, red and black. That’s why we believe in driving awareness of grape brand attributes at the shelf,” says Dané Joubert, Sun World International’s senior marketing manager.

“Flavoured varieties are a niche space in the marketplace. Having multiple unique varietals under one brand, with unique attribute call outs, allows the consumer to [more easily] recognise the brand versus having different brands for each unique variety. It also simplifies the packaging complexities for growers packing various varieties under one brand.”

Supplies of Applause and Epic Crisp will be limited as production ramps up in the next five years globally.

Sun World International is committed to bringing more innovative, sustainable and nutritious varieties to growers’ farms and consumers’ tables. As new varieties are developed, growers have access to new and improved offerings that are more sustainable, easier to grow, yield better, require less input cost and are disease resistant, the company says.

Applause and Epic Crisp will be stocked in major grocery stores across the US. A

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Bloom Fresh holds first-ever open day in China

More than 80 guests attend Yunnan event to learn about breeder’s table grape portfolio.

by Maura Maxwell

Bloom Fresh has held its first-ever table grape open day in China. More than 80 people attended the Yunnan province event in early June to showcase the company’s varieties. The programme included tours of the vineyards followed by lectures and tastings of Bloom’s varieties, including Sweet Bond, Candy Dreams, Sweet Nectar,

Candy Snaps, and Sweet Magic.

“It was an exciting moment to witness the imported varieties that are grown well or even better in the soil of our motherland. Very encouraging,” says Mandy Chan, co-owner of Hong Kongheadquartered, import and distribution company, P&C International Trading. China is the world’s biggest

BELOW LEFT—The programme included tastings of Bloom Fresh varieties Sweet Bond, Candy Dreams, Sweet Nectar, Candy Snaps, and Sweet Magic

BELOW RIGHT—More than 80 guests attended the open day in Yunnan

grape producer with an annual output of around 12.6m tonnes, of which 84 per cent are table grapes, according to the USDA. The country also represents a major market for Bloom Fresh thanks to its vast land mass, temperate climate across many regions, and soil quality.

“We saw great opportunities for the varieties,” says Michell Yip from Chinese import company Rui Ocean. “We trust we’re opening a new track for the industry.”

David Smith, Bloom Fresh general manager, table grapes and cherries, China, says the event was a significant milestone for the company.

“Our first open day in China was a groundbreaking success, marking a significant milestone as the first of its kind in China,” he says. “We witnessed the enthusiastic interest and positive feedback from growers, especially considering the challenging conditions of growing grapes in Southern Yunnan province.”

Smith says the event was a chance for growers and licensees to network, opening the potential for potential collaborations.

“This event not only showcased our leadership in the industry but also paved the way for potential collaborations, with many first-time conversations between growers and main licensees. We are proud of our team in China for their outstanding organisation and execution to make this a success.” A

China green lights imports of airflown table grapes from Peru

Decision announced during recent visit by President Dina Boluarte to China.

by Maura Maxwell

Airflown table grapes from Peru can now access the China market thanks to a new agriculture deal signed by the two countries during the recent visit of President Dina Boluarte to China. The agreement updates the phytosanitary protocols to allow exports of table grapes by air, along with exports of horse and donkey meat and other products. It means fresher, high-quality grapes will be able to be supplied to fill the premium market segment.

Angel Manero, head of Peru’s Agriculture Ministry, Midagri, says the government wants Peru’s agricultural exports to grow to

more than US$11.5bn a year. “Peru is one of the main exporters of table grapes, blueberries, avocados and mangoes in the world, and the government’s objective, through Midagri, is to continue promoting access of our products to the Chinese market,” he says.

During the visit, progress was also made on securing access for other Peruvian agri-exports, including fresh pomegranates and pecans.

In the case of pomegranates, Peruvian plant health authority Senasa’s report on cold treatment was approved and reviewed by China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC), pending the development of the phytosanitary protocol.

For pecans, the GACC has unofficially reported that a delegation was due to visit Peru in July to carry out a complete audit of its production, harvest and post-harvest, a crucial stage for the signing of the phytosanitary protocol. A

Westfalia Fruit Peru joins blueberry boom

Westfalia’s Peruvian subsidiary, Westfalia Fruit Peru is adding blueberries to its growing list of fruit exports. The avocado specialist, which also exports Peruvian-grown citrus and mangoes, will harvest its first crop this August in Lambayeque and Áncash, and expects to ship around 500 tonnes of the fruit to the US, Europe and Asia in its first year.

General manager Omar Díaz told Peruvian daily Gestión that the blueberry production pilot should have started last year but was delayed due to El Niño.

“We are working with the Matías variety, but we are also evaluating other varieties,” Díaz said. “We are working to implement a production plan focused on the high genetic quality of the plants, with the aim of ensuring significant volumes of high-quality products for the international market.”

Díaz noted Westfalia plans to expand its blueberry production to other areas, with output growing by 15-20 per cent annually.

ABOVE—Fresher grapes will now be able to fill the premium market segment

Mecia Petersen takes on SATI chief executive role

Petersen shares her leadership style, the challenges that lie ahead and what she’s most looking forward to in her new role as SATI chief executive.

by Fred Meintjes

Mecia Petersen took on her new role as SATI chief executive on 1 July replacing AJ Griesel, who left the industry body at the end of May. She first joined SATI in March 2022 and has since managed numerous key projects and initiatives.

Petersen is the second woman to take on the chief executive role in SATI history and she says she is “proud to be a woman in agriculture”.

Asiafruit caught up with Petersen during her first week in the chief executive position to hear how she’ll approach the role.

Congratulations on your new position as chief executive of SATI, can you share a little bit about yourself?

Mecia Petersen: I enjoy joining the

BELOW LEFT—SATI is the industry body for South African table grape growers

BELOW RIGHT—Mecia Petersen is the second woman to become CEO of SATI

dots between where we are now and where we’d like to be – the strategy to get us there. I enjoy being part of environments and processes that have impact, and I enjoy contributing to a cause greater than myself. This industry and role provide an opportunity to contribute to my country, which I see as a privilege.

I consider my leadership approach situational – my natural style is consultative, yet I am decisive when required. I value teamwork and believe in leveraging the strengths of my team members. A positive working environment and team morale are important to me.

What are the challenges you see for the next couple of years?

MP: There are always challenges. The table grape industry navigates challenges similar to other fresh »

produce sectors – climate change and unseasonal weather patterns mean that industry role-players need to remain abreast of trends, and producers need to be agile to adapt on-farm processes when required.

Market dynamics and rising input costs are important challenges, as is the global logistics landscape. In this regard, it is encouraging to see the progress that has been made due to collaboration between the industry and private sector. I value positive stakeholder relations, and this is one of the areas I plan to focus on. I am excited about the predictive logistics model project that SATI has commissioned, which aims to reduce stacks during peak grape season weeks. The model will provide the industry with insights that can guide commercial decisions, in the interest of upholding grape quality during peak export weeks.

What do you enjoy most about working in the South African table grape industry?

“I view the opportunity to be in this role as an honour and a privilege, and it is something I take very seriously”

MP: Entering this industry has widened my perspective so much. I thoroughly enjoy the dynamism of the industry. There’s a friendly and open culture – observed since I first interacted with agriculture. I enjoy the global nature of the industry and think it’s amazing that of all the countries in the world, South Africa is the fourth largest exporter and so highly valued by global consumers. What a privilege to work in an industry like that. I also enjoy eating grapes of course!

You are the second woman at the helm of SATI, quite an achievement for someone so young. How did you feel accepting the position?

MP: I view the opportunity to be in this role as an honour and a privilege, and it is something I take very seriously. A leader is as strong as their team and I value teamwork and the power of collective strengths – this is not a one-person job, it’s a team effort. I am proud to be a woman in agriculture and look forward to the positive contributions I can make

to SATI and the industry. We stand on the shoulders of giants and those who have come before me paved the way for me to continue. I value all who had a role to play in SATI’s development before me and am grateful to everyone along my path who has contributed to my development. Whether as a mentor, colleague, friend, teacher, or role model.

I was overwhelmed by the calls and messages of support and encouragement I received – this reaffirmed one of the things I have enjoyed most about agriculture since I joined the industry – the open, positive approach and people’s drive to work together for positive outcomes that benefit us all. Being a young woman in this role is not something I take lightly. It comes with responsibility. I am prepared to put in the work to the benefit of the industry, and the next generation of leaders who will come after me. A

ABOVE—Petersen first joined SATI in 2022

CREATING A PROGRESSIVE, EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE TABLE GRAPE INDUSTRY

SATI’S KEY AREAS OF INTERVENTION

Technical Market Access | Market Development | Research and Technical Transfer | Industry Statistics and Commercial Information | Transformation | Technical Support | Communication and Stakeholder Engagement | Human Capacity and Skills Development. These interventions are aimed at assisting producers to Gain, Retain, Optimise and Widen (GROW) market access.

SATI is funded by a grower levy. SATI is a co-founder and a key supporter in the Sustainability Initiative of South Africa (SIZA).

SOUTH AFRICA – QUALITY ON ROOT

63 Main Road, Paarl 7646

PO Box 2932, Paarl 7620

+27 21 863 0366

info@satgi.co.za

linkedin.com/company/satgi @sati_sa

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Consistency key to driving demand, says Moyca

Commercial director Josefina Mena explains why varietal innovation is fuelling consumer interest in table grapes.

by Maura Maxwell

Spain’s biggest table grape grower-marketer is set to get even bigger. Each year Totana, Murciabased Moyca plants new farms and tests new varieties and the company has now opened its sixth packhouse to handle its growing output. Today, Moyca harvests around 75,000 tonnes of grapes from 2,200ha of production and boasts a seedless portfolio of well over 50 varieties.

When it comes to new varieties, Moyca’s commercial director Josefina Mena says two particular areas of focus are on the late season window for seedless white grapes and the early window for red and white seedless cultivars. “With all new varietal developments, the goal is to get good, consistent grapes onto supermarket shelves through 12 months of the year,” she explains.

Mena is expecting a good quality crop this year. “Despite high temperatures at the beginning of the year, things have got back on track. We had muchneeded rains in the spring and now we’re seeing hot days and cool nights, which are key for quality and consistency,” she says.

Harvesting of the first white and red varieties

was expected to begin in week 25, with black grapes and speciality cultivars like Candy Snap coming on stream around a week later. While the new-season crop from Spain is eagerly anticipated by domestic retailers, Spain is facing mounting competition from Egypt on the European market during the early part of its season. “Egypt is expanding its grape acreage and planting a lot of licensed varieties. In terms of production and packing, it has improved a lot, so we expect competition to get stronger,” says Mena.

The company will likely have to scale back its programmes to Asia and the Middle East due to the ongoing crisis in the Red Sea. “Having to ship via the Cape of Good Hope adds around ten days to the journey and this affects the

condition of the grapes on arrival,” Mena says, adding that airfreight is still an option for speciality varieties that are guaranteed to fetch a premium.

On the subject of packaging, Mena notes that costs have come down somewhat compared to last year but still remain high. The greater concern is the ongoing uncertainty caused by proposed changes to EU packaging legislation. She believes that better consumer education about the relative merits of different packaging materials would help curb some of the negative myths about plastics.

“Plastic is the best option provided it is properly recycled. Cardboard production is water intensive, generates emissions and runs the risk of encouraging deforestation if not sourced sustainably. What’s more, it doesn’t offer the same protection for the fruit, and anecdotal evidence from retailers suggests that sales go down when you use cardboard packaging because plastic punnets provide greater visibility.”

Meanwhile, with all the innovation in breeding, Mena is confident that demand for grapes will continue to grow as the year-round supply of high-quality varieties improves. “As a growermarketer, all we strive to do is produce varieties that are sweet, crunchy, consistently good quality and, above all, profitable for the grower,” she says. A

BELOW LEFT—Josefina Mena at one of Moyca’s table grape farms

Japan lifts restrictions on Australian grape imports

Australia celebrates removal of varietal restrictions of table grape exports to Japan.

by Maura Maxwell

Japanese consumers will be able to buy the full range of Australian table grapes from next season, following the removal of varietal restrictions on imports.

The Australian government says the expanded market access, which was announced on 22 July after a long campaign, is a win for Australia’s table grape industry.

For the past ten years, Australia has only been able to export three varieties of table grapes to Japan

– Crimson Seedless, Red Globe and Thompson Seedless. Now, Australian producers will be able to ship more than 130 table grape varieties grown in the country to Japan for the upcoming table grape export season, which runs from December to May.

Australian Table Grape Association chief executive Jeff Scott says the industry’s campaign had been a long time in the making, and the achievement will transform table grape exports to Japan.

“Interest for Australian table grapes in Japan has increased steadily over the past ten years, since technical market access was granted in 2014,” Scott says. “However, our export market value has been limited by the varietal restrictions in place”

LEFT—Australian table grape exporters can now ship more than 130 varieties to Japan

BELOW—Interest for Australian table grapes in Japan has increased steadily

According to Scott, Australian producers and exporters have sustained strong trade relationships with Japanese importers and buyers.

"We know Japanese consumers are eager to take advantage of all Australia’s table grape varieties on offer,” he says.

Table grape varietal access is expected to increase the export market value by A$30m over the next few years, to A$50m– a far cry from the initial 16 containers sent in Australia’s first year of table grape exports to Japan.

Former minister for agriculture, fisheries, and forestry Murray Watt says the move is important for both Australia’s table grape industry and agriculture sector at large.

“Japan is Australia’s secondlargest market for agriculture, forestry, and fisheries products and a valuable market for premium Australian fresh fruit,” Watt says.

“The lifting of these restrictions is an important development for the industry as Japan is a stable and sophisticated market providing long term growth opportunities.”

The achievement follows last year’s success in removing varietal restrictions for Australian mangoes. A

South African mandarin brand Sweet C introduces new mascot

Sweet C brand has received a strong reception in China and South-East Asia.

by Fred Meintjes

Sweet C mandarins from South Africa have been arriving in China accompanied by a new brand mascot telling the story of this brand and its fruit journey.

The mandarin brand has found traction in China and South-East Asia over the past three years with its bold consumer marketing campaigns and distinctive blue packaging. This season, shoppers

were treated to an animated lemur character, named Sunny.

“Feedback from Chinese clients indicate that using the character as part of in-store promotions, and especially as a life-sized mascot, invites great interaction with children and their parents,” says Sweet C marketing manager Adéle Ackermann. “They say shoppers consequently also linger to taste the fruit.”

Ackermann says creating special characters or mascots is a well-known marketing strategy, welcomed and enjoyed by adults and children alike.

“In an environment where different messages compete against each other in often compact and busy spaces, a character draws attention, adds an element of fun, and provides the brand with a ‘spokesperson’. In a way, consumers have an emotional response to such a character and the brand it represents,” she explains.

Sunny the lemur was developed by Sweet C to have a personality and language of his own.

“There’s such creative freedom that comes with a character. It can have its own language; and it can interpret the brand benefits or unique selling points through storytelling,” Ackermann says.

Consumers have come to know Sunny as boldly quirky and friendly, with a healthy appetite for citrus, according to Ackermann.

“Some retailers have taken the next step of creating mascot suits for promotors to be able to engage with shoppers – a move that has proven very successful with young and old alike. Another client mentioned that the placement of the character on packaging and marketing material arouses curiosity about its origin and relation to the brand and draws consumers in for a conversation,” she says.

“It is important to consider your consumer when developing such a character. Thorough research and concept testing will reveal what consumers in specific markets will relate to and what could miss the mark completely, or even be considered as offensive.” A

LEFT—Sunny the lemur is the new mascot for Sweet C mandarins

BELOW—Using characters as part of in-store promotions has been a hit with consumers

Sweet C launches into Inner Mongolia with Shanghai Shengguo

Following the success of ClemenGold and LemonGold, Shengguo will distribute Sweet C to its China markets with a collaborative sales strategy.

Fruitalyst, the global marketer of South Africabased Indigo Fruit Farming citrus, recently launched its Sweet C brand of mandarins in Inner Mongolia through a successful launch event at Naadam Festival. The Sweet C-sponsored event promoted brand sales in north China with a large-scale advert displayed across an outdoor LED screen.

For the launch, Fruitalyst and sales partner Core Fruit worked together with licensed distributor Shanghai Shengguo to ensure the products met the high standards of the brand owner ClemenGold.

On the market side, Core carefully planned sales strategies that consider both high returns for farmers and support for the retail side. With these strategies in place, market sales are orderly, and retailers have started selling even in the early stage of the season, laying a foundation for continued sales throughout summer.

Shengguo has been honoured to distribute a range of Fruitalyst products for some time including ClemenGold mandarins and LemonGold lemons and it is now adding Sweet C mandarins to its offering.

This year, early arrival volumes were lower than usual causing the market price to remain relatively high and sit in a similar range as Australian citrus.

The Chinese market favours high quality and good-value products. With its attractive

With its attractive appearance and good flavour, ClemenGold citrus remains popular with consumers

appearance and good flavour, ClemenGold remains popular with consumers.

Shengguo has worked with the internationally renowned brand, which has a reputation spanning 21 years, for some time. Over this period, it has identified several key factors that have helped the brand succeed in China.

ClemenGold’s main competitive advantage versus domestic and other imported brands supplied during the same period lies in its relatively high brand awareness. This was built on a combination of long-term stable quality and supply volume, as well as extensive brand marketing.

Director of international procurement at Shengguo, Jason Liu, says fruit quality is the foundation.

“It involves the growers, the technicians and the exporters,” he says. “The exporters are probably

the most important, and Core has done a great job.”

Stable volumes are also an important factor for building out a brand.

“For international brands that rely on retail channels, the importance of quantity is beyond doubt,” Liu says. “Advanced planning, strong adaptability and strong problem-solving ability are the basic skills of exporters.”

In addition to a stable supply, brands need to support sustained promotional investment to drive awareness within the consumerbase.

“Brand promotion depends on accumulation, whether it is the reputation in the eyes of consumers or the continuous exposure of the brand,” Liu says. “Fruitalyst is a professional brand holder, investing every year in advertising costs and designers for brand building. It makes a great

contribution to brand promotion.”

Finally, the role of distributors in brand promotion is an important link in achieving the goal of establishing a brand in a new market.

“Understanding and execution will eventually be translated into results, which is the most challenging link,” Liu says. “Shengguo has to continue to work harder and be more innovative to stay in the mix.”

Contact person: Jason Liu, director of international procurement Email address: Jason@shengguofruit.com Company address: Room 418, Building6, No.1688 YongNan Rd, Shanghai, China

LEFT—

OPPOSITE—Sweet C mandarins

The Sweet C advert displayed at the Naadam Festival

Premier Fresh launches Emu Citrus brand

Australian fresh produce growerexporter Premier Fresh Australia has this year launched a new citrus brand: Emu Citrus.

The line offers mandarins, oranges and Cara Cara fruit to both its domestic and international customers.

“With our own farms coming into bigger production, this has given us the opportunity to begin packing into our own brand,” says Frank Frappa, executive general manager, international sales at Premier Fresh.

“We felt it was important to have a brand that allows customers to identify which fruit is coming from our own farms.”

The brand, named after a large native Australian bird, leans into the Australian story and intends to draw on customer association with high-quality Australian citrus.

“Through conversations with our customers, they suggested having something that represented Australia, was eye-catching and fun,” Frappa says. “I feel we have achieved this with Emu Citrus.”

Quality improvements bode well for Australian citrus

Strong domestic market for mandarins and increased export volumes for oranges suggest Australian citrus industry is back on track.

by Bree Caggiati

Pre-season predictions for improved quality and size for Australian citrus seem to have held true with much of the industry pleased with the early season offering.

TOP RIGHT—Australia’s domestic demand for mandarins has been strong this season

OPPOSITE TOP & BOTTOM—Costa Group’s mandarin exports are down on last years volume

“It has been a positive start to the season,” says Frank Frappa, executive general manager of international sales at Premier Fresh Australia. “Size of fruit is peaking in the medium range, quality is much cleaner than the previous couple of years and eating quality is very good.”

For Frappa, this higher quality fruit is a good sign for export relationships.

“Having higher quality fruit is

always positive,” he says. “It gives importers greater confidence of receiving premium fruit.”

Australian fresh produce heavyweight, Costa Group, has also welcomed this shift.

“There have been a lot of changes for Costa, but within category, we're really focused on having a successful season and so far, the quality has really played ball relative to the last couple of years,” says Simon Campbell, divisional sales and marketing manager.

“Size is significantly larger than last year. It's right in the sweet spot for most of the markets we're supplying to, which is positive.”

Costa, like much of the Australian citrus industry, struggled the past few seasons with weather-related quality issues including albedo and small size.

“This year, those issues appear behind us,” Campbell says.

“The Australian domestic market for mandarins has been excellent this year, so this is keeping prices for mandarins strong”

MANDARINS

It’s been a positive start on the local mandarin market according to Ryan Smith, director of Australian-based international fresh produce sales and distribution business, Valleyfresh.

“The Australian domestic market for mandarins has been excellent this year, so this is keeping prices for mandarins strong,” says Smith.

According to Campbell, a lighter crop of Imperial has increased the demand for other varieties, boosting prices.

This in turn has affected export volumes for earlyseason offerings.

“We haven't shipped as much to China year to date as we had last year,” Campbell says. “We’re probably down, maybe 80 per cent compared to last year on Amorette, our earliest variety.”

However, Campbell expects Costa will export later varieties including Phoenix and Honey Murcott at similar volumes to last season.

For Valleyfresh, exports have maintained alongside domestic demand.

“Mandarins are showing good demand in Indonesia and the Middle East, so this has kept us busy from the start of the Queensland season and will go right through to the end of the Tangold and Afourer season,” Smith says.

“The Tangold fruit quality is excellent this year. The Brix and flavour profile is really fantastic. Fruit size is larger than what we saw last year, which happened to be particularly small.”

Following a strong Queensland season, Premier Fresh has seen an earlier harvest from its southern crops.

“Afourer are eating exceptionally well and the earlier start has given us the opportunity to commence overseas retail programmes much sooner compared to previous years,” says Frappa.

EXPORT MARKETS

Asia continues to be the major market for Australian citrus exports.

“We're shipping more volume to more premium, higher paying markets this season,” says Campbell. “For us, Japan and Korea are probably the two focus markets. We ship a lot of the larger fruit to Vietnam and have a pretty strong programme in China as well.”

However, Campbell says disruptions to trade routes could increase competition in Asia this season.

“Issues in the Red Sea and the shipping congestion that we're currently experiencing in a couple of ports, particularly Singapore and Shanghai, are making it a little challenging to ship to some markets,” he says.

“We've got a peak season surcharge into the US and Canada for east-bound freight. So, we are seeing a little bit of domestic competition going into Asia where previously it might have gone into North America. And equally, shipping into Europe and even the Middle East is becoming a little bit more challenging.”

Further afield, China and other Asian markets have become more popular destinations for fruit from other Southern Hemisphere countries as well.

“Certainly, I think South Africa is shipping more to Asia than they have in previous years,” he says. “But we've got better eating fruit this year, which I think will sell well.” A

Imports of Australian oranges into Korea up 766 per cent

According to Citrus Australia’s ‘Citrus Export Report – to week 25’, export volumes to Korea have increased 766 per cent compared with last year. The report showed Korea had imported 199 containers by week 25 in 2024, up from 23 containers the previous year.

This number is partially impacted by earlier arrivals from Australian citrus exports in 2024.

“Looking at the imported volumes, twice the amount was distributed to the Korean market in the first three weeks compared to last year,” says Hyojun Kim, senior sourcing manager at Shinsegae Food.

In 2023, Korea imported 92 containers for the first three weeks of the season, while in 2024 this rose to 199.

According to Kim, wholesale market prices were very strong between July and September in 2023, leading to increased profits for importers. This, teamed with the relative ease of selling Australian oranges in-market due to less brand bias compared to US oranges, has likely caused the boost in orders.

“At the end of last season importers made significant money, so they’ve come out really bullish this year,” says Simon Campbell, divisional sales and marketing manager at Costa which has increased its exports to Korea this season.

“And, unlike some previous seasons, we’ve been able to fill the orders.”

Despite initial hope the improved quality of Australian fruit and lack of crossover with late US citrus would buoy consumer demand alongside the increase in supply, Campbell reports that orders have slowed. “Orders for most exporters are currently minimal,” he says.

According to Kim, Korean wholesale market prices of oranges have already dropped to the same level as the import price. “I think it will be move below the import price soon,” Kim says.

Nutrano sees more growth potential for Australian citrus

Leading exporter says demand consistently outweighs supply for highquality Australian citrus.

by Bree Caggiati

Leading Australian citrus and mango exporter, Nutrano Produce Group, is heading into the new export season with renewed confidence in the quality of its citrus offering, following back-to-back seasons of industrywide struggles.

“We are very excited about the overall quality this year,” says export manager Mathew Roberts of the Nutrano crop. “It’s definitely going to be better this year than it has been for the last few years.”

Improved quality provides a good opportunity for Nutrano to further establish its export markets.

“This is the year to put our best foot forward,” Roberts says. “It’s exciting to be able to maintain our consistently high quality throughout the season.”

In June, Nutrano was named Hort Innovation Exporter of the Year at Hort Connections.

“We are honoured to be

LEFT—Abbotsleigh

White Murcott is one of Nutrano’s key brands for export markets

BELOW—(l-r)

Export manager Mathew Roberts with Sunraysia Farms manager Tommy Braybrook

recognised for our contribution to Australia’s horticulture industry and our dedication to exporting quality citrus and mangoes worldwide,” Roberts said upon accepting the award at the Hort Connections gala dinner.

The company’s vertically integrated supply chain allows it to service customers across the globe exporting citrus and mangoes into key markets in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the US, Canada, New Zealand and more.

“Our citrus exports have strong demand in North America and across the Asian markets,” Roberts says. “We’re anticipating a strong season ahead.”

According to Roberts, the Australian citrus industry is yet to reach its full potential and demand is continually growing.

“Australian fruit has an excellent reputation internationally,” he says. “It’s exciting times for Australian growers as there’s a

lot of opportunity out there for Australian citrus.”

BOOSTING BRANDING

As part of this season’s marketing efforts, Nutrano is set to invest in underpinning its brand presence in its export markets.

“We’re really proud of what we grow, and we know that we have a good product, so we will put more promotion into our own brands, on the shelf going forward,” he says.

This push towards brand promotion comes as Nutrano has set up pre-packing facilities in both its main sheds allowing the company to create branded packs.

“The Sunwest brand and Abbotsleigh are already strong, and we will definitely see more focus on these brands this season.”

A lot of the promotion will focus on marketing Australia as Nutrano’s country-of-origin.

“We want people to know where it comes from,” Roberts says. “Australia has a very strong citrus industry and while I’m a little bit biased, I think it’s probably the best in terms of quality.”

Consumers aren’t always discerning about specific farms or brands, but they often associate Australia with quality, according to Roberts.

“If someone has a good experience with our product, they’ll come back and buy it again, and that’s where Australia’s advantage is,” he says. “You know they will come back and buy it again because Australian growers do such a great job.” A

A reimagined future for Citrus Taiwanica

Conservation efforts to rebuild the near-extinct Citrus Taiwanica in Taiwan’s mountains could be the answer for food and fragrance industries seeking lower-cost yet high-quality processed peel.

HDAN LEPARD Food writer desk@danlepard.com

igh up in Taiwan's dense prehistoric mountain forests, while slightly panicked about possible snakes and wild pigs, I'm helping to dig a hole in the rocky volcanic soil. Working alongside Xia Rongsheng, director of the Hsinchu Branch of Taiwan’s Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, and members of the indigenous Saisiyat community who co-steward the steep mountain forest, we're planting the first of 300 nearextinct Citrus Taiwanica seedlings in order to reestablish them in their once-native forest habitat.

For some onlookers it's a wildly odd fruit for saving, with a thick tough orange peel, an intense bitterness from the flavonoid naringin, lots of pips, and almost no juice. But there's strong scientific thinking, and a possible new market behind their mission – and I'm on their side.

For both food and fragrance manufacturers there's a market for top quality processed peel and its by-products. Transforming citrus peel into an ingredient suitable for the food sector, through debittering, cooking and infusing with sugar, is an extremely old and relatively straightforward process. It requires

fruit that is either underripe, or, in the case of Citrus Taiwanica, a fruit that retains its peel thickness and firmness through the ripening process. Leading companies like Italy's Mauro Morandin, Agrumaria Amedeo, and Pianetta di Barbieri, are legends within the processed peel market, yet many retailers find lower-priced producers aren't anywhere close to the quality they need.

Candied citrus peel has seen subtle growth within the ambient and fresh bakery sector, with the total candied fruit market showing an average annual increase of 4.4 per cent since 2013 according to market intelligence platform, IndexBox.

The upswing might be due to renewed excitement around two of Europe's famous baked cakes: Panettone from Italy, and Stollen from Germany. While both are

TOP & BOTTOM—I joined the Hsinchu Branch of Taiwan’s Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency and members of Saisiyat community to plant Citrus Taiwanica seedlings

OPPOSITE—Citrus Taiwanica can be used in many forms: fresh, candied and as an ingredient in food products

traditionally Christmas treats, supermarkets and retailers are seeing the market expand to cover other annual celebrations. For example, Kuala Lumpur-based Malaysian bakery consultant Gan Kim Po says he's seen increased demand for imported quality peel during Chinese New Year celebrations.

“Beautiful premium candied peel,” says Po, “especially if the pieces are prominent with a rich golden hue, let the Panettone symbolise 'wealth and fortune', and this is getting my customers very excited.”

While China has the largest volume of candied fruit consumption (155,000 tonnes) and value (US$541m) globally, according to IndexBox, baked goods producers like Po's clients are still struggling to source high quality candied peel in Asia.

In top kitchens the challenge is getting the quality at a fair price. Philip Khoury, Australian-born head pastry chef at Harrods in London, explains that there's room to grow that middle ground in peel quality.

“When you taste an authentically good peel, it’s a

revelation,” says Khoury. “There's a nostalgic note to it for our customers that's very reassuring.”

Beyond food ingredients, citrus oils and juices have a central place in the fragrance sector, as the perfume industry looks to incorporate natural ingredients to suit customers wary of synthetic aromas. Citrus extracts are among the top choices for creating refreshing and invigorating scents, in a natural fragrances market that's expected to be worth US$48.3bn by 2032, according to Market Research Future.

I asked Dominique Preyssas, director of perfumery at CPL Aromas France, which produces unique custom fragrances for big brands, if high-quality citrus aromas have a growing market.

“Absolutely,” says Preyssas. “There's a vibrancy and radiance to citrus essential oils, across all the intricate variations of extractions – from sharp and tangy peels, to sparkling juices – that continue to make citrus notes the most supremely useful in modern fragrance creation.”

For the Citrus Taiwanica trees on Taiwan's mountains, there is a potential future so long as a market

can be found. Xia Rongsheng, director of the Hsinchu Branch of Taiwan’s Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, says there are many possibilities.

In 2025, Taiwanese preserve maker KeYa Jam won gold at the UK World Marmalade Awards with fruit from one of the last mature trees to huge interest from the media and public.

“Depending on the path we take,” says Rongsheng, “we'll continue our plan for Citrus Taiwanica's conservation and Saisiyat community's cultural inheritance, explore more uses with local materials, promote industrial applications with sustainable thinking, and celebrate our citrus heritage with even more culinary inspiration.” A

Maf Roda breaks new ground

Redland’s packhouse is the largest Maf Roda installation in the Southern Hemisphere and is setting new standards for efficiency and automation.

by Liam O’Callaghan

BELOW—Redland’s packhouse was updated to pack citrus OPPOSITE—Maf’s automatic packing robots pick the perfect orientation

As fruit travels through Redland’s packhouse in Shepparton, Australia, the lack of a human touch is apparent. A mixture of apples, pears and citrus flows through graders and water pre-sizers before being loaded into bins and whisked off to storage on a fully automated high-bay, integrated with a monorail. An automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) precisely switches bins in and out before sending fruit off to automated packing lines that work away at a constant pace.

The entire facility has been outfitted by Maf Roda and Maf Oceania, and it represents one of the company’s most sophisticated installations worldwide.

Speaking with Asiafruit, technical sales director Frederic Scellier says every design decision was made to help deliver efficiency across the three main sections of the facility: pre-sizing, automatic storage and packing.

“The packing process at Redland is completely

automatic, you have no forklifts once the fruit is dropped off until palletisation at the end of the process,” says Scellier.

“The main question driving new projects is how do we save labour. It is not only a question of the quality of pre-sizing, but the customer focus is how to save money.”

QUALITY AND FLEXIBILITY

When this installation was first commissioned in 2021, apples and pears represented the vast majority of fruit packed in the facility. Redland acquired the packhouse in 2023 with plans to update

the facility to cater for its citrus production in addition to apple and pear packing.

Scellier says the packhouse has been able to smoothly handle the added requirements thanks to a bit of innovation.

“To pack citrus and to pack apples is not the same at all. Citrus is more complicated than apples and has a more complicated fungicide treatment,” explains Scellier.

“We updated the external grading software on Globalscan 7 and hardware and software on the internal defect detectors in order to pack citrus.

“After some minor adjustments we were also able to adapt the apple and pear water pre-sizing line to pre-size citrus as well. I think it is the first packhouse we’ve done this for in the world.”

The system can pre-size 1,000 bins a day at a rate of 60 bins per hour for citrus and 70 bins per hour for apples with the help of two eight-lane Pomone sizers and a three-lane Uniway sizer.

The water pre-sizing system has 64 flumes, can sort into more than 40 different sizes, and is serviced by a Maf-designed and produced water treatment and filtration system. Graded fruit is automatically packed into bins using a water bin filler and transported to storage.

“The target is to automatically pre-size the product to put all the

same size in one bin according to diameter, colour, weight internal and external defect before it is sent to storage,” says Scellier.

STREAMLINED STORAGE

After pre-sizing, full bins make their way to an imposing ASRS. Spread across two controlled atmosphere rooms, it features four retrieval robots, 25 levels and has the capacity for 5,200 bins. The Maf-designed system gives Redland a comprehensive picture of every piece of fruit in its packhouse.

“We have complete mapping of the bins. We are able to follow them through the packhouse without labels and we know what is in each bin, whether it contains apples or citrus and the quality and size,” says Scellier.

Meet us at

Booth 5L02 Hall 5

With the ability to store 140 bins an hour and retrieve 120, the ASRS delivers increased productivity, according to Scellier, reducing labour in this section of the packhouse by about 50 per cent.

Fruit removed from storage is run through one of three pregraders to double-check quality before it is sent to pack.

PRECISION PACKING

Labour savings are also evident in the final section of the facility with six specialised packing lines that can pack fruit in boxes, punnets, bags, hat bins or bins.

The highlight of this section is a suite of Maf Roda Linepack with 16 automatic packing robots. Scellier says it is Maf’s largest Linepack installation in the world and the machines do more than just move fruit from one place to another.

The Linepack solution uses advanced artificial intelligence to analyse and rotate each piece of fruit so it is packed in the ideal position, increasing visual appeal and reducing potential damage.

“First the machine orientates the fruit using an overhead camera to make sure the best side of the fruit is facing up. Then the fruit is

placed using a robotic arm which ensures each piece has the right orientation and all the fruit faces the same direction with the stem and calyx in line,” explains Scellier.

“These machines have been used every day since they have been installed and one robot is worth roughly one person. This installation needs only two people to pack five tonnes per hour instead of what would normally be 16.”

Automation is present across the other lines, with three speed packers installed to increase packing output. Maf also upgraded part of the existing packing lines so Redland could efficiently pack

citrus and apply appropriate fungicide treatments.

Scellier says the entire process is united by a unique warehouse management system (WMS) specially developed by Maf. The WMS gives Redland visibility over every aspect of the facility helping to power efficiency gains with detailed data.

He says Maf’s ability to provide complete turnkey solutions makes complex projects like this possible. It can ensure smooth integration between each piece of equipment to enhance efficiency and provide value for fresh produce packers. A

TOP—Redland has been able to reduce its labour needs with automation

BELOW—Maf’s Globalscan 7 helps to maintain quality standards

Soren Bjorn Driscoll’s

Monica Bratuti Turners International

Filip Fontaine VLAM

Alk Brand Westfalia

Tarun Arora IG Group

Christelle Bertin Blue Whale

Steve Magami Agrovision

Stephan Weist Rewe

Fabio Zanesco VIP

Dan Mathieson Zespri

Jose Antonio Gomez Camposol

Helge Sparsoe Fyffes

Raffaele Benedetti Unitec

Hannes Tauber VOG

Marion Regan Hugh Lowe Farms

Mohammed Abbas Del Monte Franks Rodriguez ALDI South Group

Michael Fellner ALDI South Group

Freshco improves grading accuracy with Tomra

New Zealand apple packer says Tomra’s LUCAi technology tackles stem splits and punctures with precision.

by Maura Maxwell

“Royal Gala and Breeze apples tend to have quite a lot of splits. LUCAi made it really easy to control that”

Tomra says its LUCAi technology has dramatically improved the efficiency and accuracy of the packing operation of a top New Zealand apple grower.

Fresh Fruit Company of New Zealand (Freshco) recently implemented the new LUCAi upgrade package on its Tomra Spectrim grading platform.

“It allows Freshco to not only tackle laborious stem split and puncture defects, but to move seamlessly between varieties without making adjustments,” Tomra says of the upgrade.

The LUCAi package for Spectrim includes deep learning models, pre-trained by vast datasets captured from Tomra’s machines across the world and precisely labelled by Tomra’s Data Science Team. With LUCAi, Spectrim assesses thousands of high-resolution, multichannel fruit images every second and cross-references them with these datasets to make grading decisions. It can precisely detect and classify apple defects, such as splits and punctures across multiple varieties.

“The main defects are around the stem area. The splits are really hard to get around the stem, and you’re forever working on the splits and punctures,” says

Robin Mudgway, technology and machinery manager at Freshco.

“With LUCAi we get a model from Tomra and then we just put our own severity and confidence into it.”

LUCAi enables the operator to seamlessly switch varieties without slowing down the process.

“You can use a model that is doing stem split and stem punctures, for example, on Gala apples. Then you can move to another variety that has the same defect and it just works. You don’t have to make any adjustments to it,” says Glen Kaunds, Tomra Food’s senior application engineer.

Spectrim with LUCAi allows customers to easily adjust the severity of grading parameters –something which previously had to be done by experienced operators –to cater to seasonal dynamics and

market preferences.

LEFT—LUCAi

“We deal with a lot of Royal Gala and Breeze apples, and they tend to have a lot of splits. LUCAi made it really easy to control that.

Production was not slowed down at all like it would have in the past. This means that throughput stays at a good pace within the shed,” Mudgway says.

According to Tomra, Spectrim with LUCAi is easy to operate thanks to the user-friendly interface.

“The new user interface is really beneficial for tracking grades. You can see more data and when you make changes, you can see the percentage change you’re making. The return on investment is a no brainer because your production’s not slowing down,” Mudgway concludes. A

includes deep learning models pre-trained by vast datasets

Diversifying markets key to success for New Zealand avocados

With export volumes recovering following years of weather-affected crops, the New Zealand avocado industry looks to diversify and promote country of origin as a differentiator.

by Bree Caggiati

After two consecutive years blighted by summer cyclones, the New Zealand avocado industry is set to welcome improved export volumes this season.

“With our strict export quality standards, fruit quality was impacted,” says chief executive of industry body, New Zealand Avocados, Brad Siebert. “Yet it is expected to improve for the season ahead to allow a greater share available for export.”

Siebert tells Asiafruit early crop estimates look to have reverted to more normal volumes, which will support exports of around 2m trays across Asia and North America, with Australia and Pacific Islands

taking a smaller share.

Last season, Cyclone Gabrielle slashed crops to just over 1.3m Class 1 export trays across the entire industry – a ten-year record low. The vast majority of the crop was downgraded to Class 2 and 3, as well as processing grade which meant fruit had to stay onshore where prices lowered.

Historically, a high proportion of New Zealand’s avocado exports have been sent to Australia, but this has reduced in recent years with the growth of the local industry. Australia has also since become a competitor in markets further afield after gaining access to both India and Thailand.

ABOVE—Good weather this season has increased volumes of New Zealand avocados again

OPPOSITE TOP— Avanza markets around 60 per cent of New Zealand’s avocado exports

OPPOSITE

BOTTOM—Ben Lay, sales manager for NZ Avocado Collective

Some growers fear the long-term reliance on Australia meant New Zealand didn’t invest in other markets early enough. For others, the transition provides an opportunity to double down on the unique properties of the New Zealand offering – namely taste and eating quality.

“While it’s a definitely more competitive and congested marketplace relative to other origins we believe there are good windows for New Zealand avocados, especially in the context of higher pricing in North America for Mexican fruit and at the conclusion of Peruvian supply,” says Ben Lay, sales manager for NZ Avocado Collective, a vertically integrated growermarketer bringing together three of New Zealand’s

biggest avocado growers.

“Demand ebbs and flows between seasons, but it’s interesting to observe more recently some customers are placing more emphasis on taste and eating quality, which we think bodes well for New Zealand-origin fruit.”

Siebert agrees and says quality is a high priority for the industry alongside sustainable growing methods.

“A focus on provenance along with substantiated sustainability credentials continues to differentiate the New Zealand supply,” Siebert explains. “Globally there are increasing concerns around product sourcing, food safety and environmental sustainability with consumers wanting to know that what they purchase aligns with their values.”

Drawing on this, Avanza – a joint venture between Southern Produce and Primor Produce which collectively markets around 60 per cent of the avocados exported from New Zealand – is set to promote its country-of-origin in marketing efforts this season.

“Working with in-market

Shorter supply boosts Peruvian avocado prices

The value of Peruvian avocado exports grew 12 per cent in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year despite shipments falling 14 per cent in volume.

According to consultancy Fresh Fruit Peru, the country shipped 286,389 tonnes of avocados worth US$559m in the three months from April to June.

The increased value was due to better prices – at US$1.95 per kilogram, the average price was 31 per cent higher than in the same period of 2023.

The main destinations were the Netherlands with a 31 per cent market share, Spain with 19 per cent and the US with 17 per cent.

Industry body ProHass said a projected 16 per cent decline in Peruvian Hass avocado exports this year would likely reduce the risk of an oversupplied European market this summer. Shipments are projected to reach 468,000 tonnes in 2024, down from 558,000 tonnes last year, mainly due to unfavourable climatic conditions and a slowdown in new plantings.

PR and promotion agencies in our key volume markets, our plan is to refresh and better localise the ‘New Zealand story’,” says Steve Trickett Avanza’s marketing manager.

“This will include greater use of the industry ‘Respectful harvest’ and ‘Triple Active’ assets which form a key part of our consumer education on how our avocados are grown, as well as some of the

unique nutritional attributes of New Zealand fruit.”

With the better-quality crop forecast for this season, Avanza has a renewed motivation to execute its export campaign.

“Our plan is to progressively lift export volumes across all markets over the next five seasons, but for this upcoming season we are placing extra focus on Korea, Japan

and Taiwan,” says Trickett.

Trickett says because each market in Asia is diverse, dynamic, and often at different stages of its avocado category life cycle, they all make an important contribution to the overall campaign.

“While Australia is expected to remain a significant market for Avoco (Avanza’s parent company), our medium to long term strategy is to continue market diversification.”

This season will also see Avoco starting new business in Canada, as well as returning to the US market.

“Avoco is forecasting around 2m trays, still slightly down on our ten-year average of 2.25m, but at least a volume allowing us to run reasonable programmes across our 11 export markets,” Trickett says. A

ABOVE—Brad Siebert, chief executive of industry body, New Zealand Avocados LEFT—New Zealand is known for its high-quality offering

South African avocados move into Asia

First shipments of South African avocados make their way into China, India and Japan.

by Fred Meintjes

The South African avocado industry has entered a new chapter this year, gaining trade access to significant markets India, China and Japan.

Access was confirmed for each of the new markets earlier this year, however, it has taken some time for the agreement details to be finalised.

Initial trial shipments were sent to all three new markets throughout July by both air and sea, with exporters eager to test the markets before launching a full commercial season in 2025.

The first container to Japan was shipped in mid-

ABOVE—South African avocado growers are increasing plantings BELOW—ZZ2 has already made marketing plans with China’s Mr Avocado

July to ensure South African exporters could adhere to Japan’s import requirements which state shipments must undergo cold treatment at 2°C for 19 days.

“South African research has shown that Hass avocados are able to withstand this treatment, and trial shipments to the UK under this regime have been successful,” says Derek Donkin, chief executive of Subtrop.

At the same time airfreight commenced to India and Chinese inspections were finalised.

“All this came together almost at the same time due to a concerted and joint effort by all involved in South Africa,” Donkin says.

Donkin and other avocado industry leaders say they are pleased South Africa has finally

crossed the hurdle of gaining access to these markets.

“It will certainly bring new impetus into our industry which has been on the route of expansion during the past few years,” Donkin says.

South Africa has been expanding its Hass plantings in late harvest regions and it is now also feasible to extend the season into the second half of the year.

This year, South Africa exported some 20m cartons of avocados with strong European and UK markets delivering growers excellent returns.

“It was a good year for us to harvest a bumper crop, because there has been less supply from Peru in our traditional markets,” Donkin says.

Exporters are already preparing to take advantage of the new trade access into Asia.

“This will really make a difference to our business,” says Clive Garrett, marketing director at ZZ2. “So far, we have already planted some 250ha and arrangements have been set up with the Chinese trader, Mr Avocado, a Chinese ripe-and-ready avocado brand.” A

Departing Zespri CEO reflects on golden era

Dan Mathieson has overseen a period of “phenomenal growth” as CEO of the world’s leading kiwifruit marketer. He tells Asiafruit what he’s proudest of looking back on his seven years at the helm.

by John Hey

DLEFT—Dan Mathieson led Zespri through an era of remarkable growth

BELOW—Building off-shore production is a key focus for Zespri

OPPOSITE—Zespri Red is beginning to take off

an Mathieson handed over the reins as Zespri chief executive to Jason Te Brake in early July after some seven years at the helm of the kiwifruit marketer.

Mathieson left Zespri after more than 20 years with the organisation to take over as president of the Americas for global berry giant, Driscoll’s.

Some 450 Zespri staff and growers bid a final farewell to their departing CEO during special functions at the group’s headquarters in Mount Maunganui at the end of June. Mathieson was recognised for his outstanding leadership over a decade which has seen remarkable growth for the organisation but also significant challenges in recent years.

Speaking to Asiafruit in early July, Mathieson highlighted how much bigger Zespri is today as a business compared with when he took over in September 2017.

“One of the things I am proudest of over this period is the phenomenal growth we’ve seen,” said Mathieson.

“In 2017, our total volumes were around 140m trays. This year, we’re forecast to reach around 215m trays globally, so that’s a 53 per cent growth.”

“What’s more important though is the value growth. We’ve gone from around NZ$2.4bn (US$1.45bn) back in that 2017/18 year to this year’s forecast just above the NZ$4.6bn-mark. That’s a 94 per cent increase in revenue.

“Within that, we’ve seen strong per-hectare returns for our kiwifruit as well. Green returns have grown by 43 per cent from where they were in 2017/18 and gold

are up 33 per cent.”

PEOPLE POWERS

Mathieson also singled out the “values-driven culture” Zespri has built with its people as one of his proudest achievements.

“It all starts from having a purpose-led, values-driven culture,” he said. “When you get a culture that’s working well, all your employees work harder every day to make decisions work better in terms of execution,” he said.

“You then attract great people, and those people come in and help you refine and execute the strategy. And that all flows through to the best chance you’ve got of creating sustained success.

“It’s something we’ve worked hard on building with our Zespri people right across the world. Having a clear idea of what our purpose is, what our values are, and what our strategy is, and making sure that’s aligned through to execution.”

INVESTMENT FUELS EXPANSION

Mathieson began to implement a market development strategy for Zespri in 2015 while serving as president of global sales and marketing, based in Japan. He said the board’s backing to implement this market-led strategy even before he became CEO was key to driving growth.

“We worked aggressively to open-up new markets. We were employing 50-100 people a year for four or five years in a row to make sure that we had a market base to keep demand ahead of supply.”

Zespri also began to ramp up plantings of SunGold kiwifruit during this period.

“We planted over 750ha a year for over four years, which is one of the big growth stories in the fresh fruit basket,” he said.

“To have the board’s support

for that, and the significant investment, was critical to our growth. We’ve been able to execute that strategy even through the challenges we’ve faced with climate change, weather events and the Covid period.”

CHALLENGING YEARS

Indeed, the past few years brought exceptionally challenging conditions for Mathieson and Zespri’s executive team to navigate. Covid-induced labour shortages during the 2022 season resulted in poor harvest practices. This, coupled with climatic setbacks and logistics disruption, led to major quality outturn issues in-market, ultimately resulting in a NZ$500m bill for quality losses.

Challenging weather events throughout the 2023 growing season led to a much smaller crop than usual, lowering revenues and increasing financial pressures.

On a brighter note, Zespri’s Quality Action Plan – implemented on the back of its poor harvest in 2022 – produced immediate results, with a ‘return to form’ on quality and much-improved grower returns.

And this year the industry is completing a turnaround in fortunes as production rebounds. Improved yields and the country’s largest-ever crop of 197m packed trays in 2024/25 has put Zespri on course to deliver strong returns to its member growers, and back on track to achieve its ten-year target of reaching NZ$4.5bn in revenue by 2025.

Mathieson said he is particularly happy

with the improvement in orchard gate returns for green kiwifruit.

“In the green space, we’ve taken that orchard gate return from less than NZ$4 back in 2017 to NZ$9.55 last year, on low yields. And this year we should be back at over NZ$8, or around NZ$85,000 per hectare on average, which will be the best per hectare returns we’ve delivered by a long way.”

GETTING RED GOING

Turning to more recent developments, Mathieson said he is excited about the rise of red kiwifruit for Zespri.

“To get the red category going is something we’d been wanting to do for a long time, but we didn’t have the right variety,” he explained.

“As a category, it’s still very much in its infancy, at 1.5m trays this year versus 124m trays of SunGold, but we’ve seen a very strong response from our consumers around the world.

“We’ve got some challenges in there – a smaller size profile, getting the yield up for growers – but it’s actually working well at this early stage.”

Commenting on shelf life, Mathieson said red is storing well in its intended eight weekwindow right now. In the future, he said that both storage life and the supply window will lengthen as new and improved varieties come through Zespri’s pipeline.

Another key focus under Mathieson’s »

leadership has been to grow Zespri’s offshore Northern Hemisphere production to develop year-round supply of the brand – something he cites as critical to the industry’s ongoing success and ability to deliver value.

“In 2017/18, we were doing NZ$260m in sales of offshore fruit. In 2023/24, we’ve done NZ$712m, so that’s an increase of 170 per cent over that period.

“In Korea, we harvested a million trays this year, and we’ll soon reach 1.5m. Japan will hit a million trays in the next couple of years. Our Italy business is now starting to get better yields and quality across the board. And we’re also looking at much stronger growth off a smaller base in France, with a lot more green sourced out of Greece than previously.”

At around 30m trays, offshore production is still a fraction of New Zealand supply, however. Zespri has already reached the threshold of offshore plantings approved by growers in New Zealand – capped at 5,000ha for SunGold. Mathieson said it is now in discussion with growers around increasing this. “We’re well short of our demand picture on current plantings,” he noted.

Sourcing from China is a more sensitive issue with growers, and one that Zespri won’t be revisiting

this year, according to Mathieson. But he said the company is monitoring unlicensed production of Zespri kiwifruit varieties in China closely.

“We think there are over 8,000ha of unauthorised G3 (SunGold) grown in China today. We’re taking legal action where we can, but it’s certainly something that concerns us for the future. So we’re going to want to have a discussion about pathways forward with growers. That’s not likely to happen this year, it will be in the years ahead.”

FUTURE FOCUS

With Zespri’s New Zealand production set to ramp up over the coming years, Mathieson said maintaining quality is key, and that will require continued investment in its supply chain.

“It’s vital that as we grow, we can maintain quality. We got hit really hard in 2022 with climatic events and lack of people. And that caused a lot of friction throughout the supply chain,” he said. “So this is going to be a major focus. We need a supply chain that’s futurefit, that’s going to be resilient and agile enough when we face climatic events.”

Another major focus of investment will be Zespri’s innovation pipeline, not only in terms of bringing through new

varieties, but also in developing more environmentally friendly packaging and cutting carbon emissions across the supply chain.

“Better water management will also be key,” he added. “Water is becoming a scarcity in growing regions around the world, so we need to ensure we have a growing environment that minimises usage.”

Mathieson highlights technology and automation as the other priorities. “We’re still heavily dependent on people to make our business work,” he said. “And as we look to business that could double in size over the next decade, we’re going to have to find ways to lessen our dependency on people.”

IN SAFE HANDS

Mathieson is very confident Zespri’s momentum will continue to build under the leadership of incoming CEO Jason Te Brake.

“Jason is just an exceptional person and leader. He’s been with Zespri now for five years. In every role he’s gone into – from commercial manager to head of New Zealand supply through to chief operating officer – he’s continued to excel,” said Mathieson. “We also have a very strong team of executives who have been with the business a long time, and a very experienced board. So from a leadership and governance perspective, we’re in good shape.” A

LEFT—Mathieson is particularly pleased with the improvement in orchard gate returns for green kiwifruit BELOW—Zespri’s new CEO Jason Te Brake

Red kiwifruit at the double for Jingold

The company has expanded its business in the past year and sees excellent potential for its green, yellow and redfleshed varieties in various Asian markets.

by Mike Knowles

Italian marketer Jingold says it more than doubled its sales of red-fleshed kiwifruit in 2023. And as it heads to Hong Kong for what it regards as one of the most essential meeting points in the calendar, Asia Fruit Logistica, the company predicts it will achieve a further notable expansion in sales of the product.

“A highlight of our exhibition will be our flagship product, the red kiwifruit,” says Federico Milanese, the group’s marketing director and a regular visitor to the show. “Currently, Jingold is the market leader for this variety, with

“Jingold China and Jingold Greece are set to increase their production quotas further and involve more partners”

BELOW—Jingold has more than doubled its red kiwifruit sales

anticipated volume growth of 30 per cent compared to last year.”

According to Milanese, the licensed variety in question has made for an exciting addition to

Jingold’s product portfolio and is one the marketer is keen to push in Asian markets. “The red kiwifruit is highly valued by consumers for its exotic aftertaste, exceptional sweetness, soft texture, and outstanding shelf-life,” he says.

Overall, the company expects to continue its recent commercial growth in Asia. In Hong Kong, it hopes to bring its patented green, yellow and redfleshed varieties to the attention of even more buyers and importers.

“Our presence at Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong will also provide a valuable opportunity to meet with our existing Asian partners and clients,” Milanese comments. “These meetings will be crucial for outlining strategies for the upcoming campaign and exploring potential collaborations with new buyers.”

He adds: “As we approach the new season, we are pleased to report a projected production increase of approximately 12 per cent compared with the previous year.”

During the fair, Jingold will also report on some important new projects. These include the expansion of its overseas operations Jingold China in Shanghai and Jingold Greece.

“These branches are set to increase their production quotas further and involve more partner companies in our projects,” Milanese confirms. A

LatAm port investments a boon for region’s fruit exporters

Cosco’s new mega-port in Chancay and expansion of DP World’s terminals in Callao and Posorja will increase capacity and improve connectivity.

by Maura Maxwell

Latin American fruit exporters are set to benefit from improved connectivity to global markets thanks to a raft of major investment projects that will beef up port infrastructure on South America’s west coast.

Emirati-based logistics company DP World is making significant investments in its port terminals in Peru and Ecuador to improve capacity and operational efficiency. In the coming months, the company will inaugurate the Bicentenario Dock expansion project at the Port of Callao in Peru, as well as start a project to develop the Port of Posorja in Ecuador.

The first involves a US$400m investment to expand the dock to 1,050 metres, allowing it to accommodate up to three ships simultaneously and increase its annual capacity to 2.7m TEUs. DP World says it will increase capacity at its Callao’s terminal by 80 per cent, making it one of the leading logistics hubs on the west coast of South America.

The project will also see the installation of state-of-the-art electrical equipment and the first electric charging station for trucks in Latin America, promoting sustainable logistics solutions. Around 60 per cent of Peru’s containerised cargo passes through DP World Callao. In addition, DP World operates the Port of Paita in northern Peru.

In Ecuador, meanwhile, DP World is to expand its berth at the Port of Posorja, which recently improved its connectivity with global markets after being added to three key service routes by Maersk.

The US$140m project will expand the port to 700 metres of berthing space and integrate advanced port equipment.

Meanwhile, this November will see the opening of Chinese shipping company Cosco Shipping’s new US$3bn mega-port in Peru, designed to be the “gateway from South America to Asia” according to one Cosco executive. The Port of Chancay, located 65km north of

Lima, will cut transit times between South America and Asia by several days and benefit not only Peru, but exporters across the entire region. Its natural deep-water harbour and direct connection to the PanAmerican Highway gives Chancay access to one of Peru’s most economically dynamic regions.

The port will have a draft of 17.8 metres, allowing it to receive the biggest containerships in the world, carrying up to 24,000 containers. It will feature advanced technology including automated cranes and driverless trucks.

The first phase of the project is now over 83 per cent complete and the port is due to open in November, when Peru hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ summit.

The project hit choppy waters earlier this year, when the National Port Authority of Peru filed a lawsuit challenging Cosco’s status as exclusive operator of the port, demanding that the facility should be available to other companies offering services such as loading and unloading shipping containers.

However, it was recently reported that Peru had withdrawn its request to revoke Cosco’s exclusive rights for the Chancay project ahead of a meeting between Peruvian President Dina Boluarte and Chinese President Xi Jinping in China. A

ABOVE—The expansion of the Port of Callao will make it one of the leading logistics hubs on South America’s west coast

MSC supports Asian growth

Container shipping company provides enhanced services and comprehensive cold chain solutions to help fresh produce trade seize opportunites in Asia.

by Liam O’Callaghan

According to data from Statista, the fresh fruit market in Asia is expected to outpace the growth of the global market and reach a revenue of US$362.30bn in 2024. As the trade chases this value, container shipping company MSC continues to enhance its offering to facilitate the transport of fruit across the globe.

Recently, the company has revamped its intra-Asia network and launched new services in an effort to provide more competitive transit times and new market opportunities. Every year, it carries more than 1.9m TEUs of reefer shipments globally.

Grace Chia, commercial general manager, MSC Asia Regional Office, says the company prides itself on being a trusted partner for producers, exporters, and importers around the world. This includes helping its customers overcome challenges and capitalise on opportunities.

“Like many other industries, fruit importers and exporters are susceptible to various external factors such as changes to the geopolitical landscape, economic uncertainties, supply chain disruptions, port congestion and other related challenges, especially given how volatile the environment can be these days. The perishable nature of fruits necessitates speed, flexibility, and advanced

temperature control technology, amplifying the impact of these challenges on fruit importers and exporters,” explains Chia.

“At MSC, we recognise the common pain points and challenges that fruit importers and exporters experience, along with the opportunities for business expansion. To address these issues and optimise the entire process in support of their global business growth, we take a holistic approach to serving the fruits and vegetables industry.”

MSC harnesses the power of its shipping network of 300 global routes to 520 ports in over 675 offices to service its customers and Chia highlights just some of the company’s efforts to ensure the smoothest journey possible.

“We have dedicated berths in various terminals to enhance

BELOW—MSC has revamped its intra-Asia network and launched new services

efficiency in handling reefer cargo and reduce waiting time,” she notes.

“We prioritise the loading for reefer shipments to maintain the quality and freshness of the fruits by promptly protecting them in the controlled environment of our reefers.

“We have also introduced new services and improved existing ones to cater to growing transportation needs, and to continue to provide competitive transit time.”

With sustainability demands increasing, Chia says MSC has worked to create a more environmentally friendly supply chain to help the fruit trade meet new requirements. “As the world embraces more sustainable practices, fruit importers and exporters are also under pressure to adopt sustainable approaches to meet consumer expectations,” says Chia. “MSC uses energy efficient refrigeration units. The average age of our reefer containers is under seven years old, and we are dedicating investments to energy-efficient units that employ refrigerant technology. Additionally, our reefers are equipped for R513A or R744 gases that exhibit lower global warming potential/ GWP values compared with conventional HFC refrigerants.” A

ONE trials dual-temperature CA reefer

The container can transport two different temperature zone commodities using a foldable partition.

by Liam O’Callaghan

Ocean Network Express (ONE) has completed its first-ever controlled atmosphere-equipped (CA) dual-temperature refrigerated container trial. The trial was conducted in partnership with Pan Pacific International Holdings (PPIH) and NAX

Japan and according to ONE it was the world's first use of marine transportation of the dualtemperature refrigerated container equipped with CA functions.

BELOW TOP—ONE’s dual temperature reefer trial was conducted with Pan Pacific International Holdings

BELOW BOTTOM—A foldable partition separates the zones

OPPOSITE—A dual temperature CA reefer can enhance shelf-life and reduce transportation costs

The container transported various types of perishable goods and fruits from Japan to overseas stores of Don Quijote, the largest Japanese discount store chain operated by PPIH.

In addition to transporting two different temperature zone commodities, the container also has CA functions, which prolong the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables. ONE says it will also create a more efficient way to transport cargoes in small quantities and reduce inventory risks, ultimately reducing cost, CO2 emissions and food loss.

“A foldable partition is installed in the middle of a container to accommodate different temperature zones.

“The room adjacent to the reefer unit supports both chilled and frozen temperatures, maintaining cargo from -30°C to +30°C, similar to a standard refrigerated container. In the other compartment of the container, a thermal fan sends cold air through the ceiling to maintain cargo between -5°C and +30°C,” ONE explains.

“Depending on a customer’s requirements, the position of the partition can be adjusted, and the partition can also be stored in the ceiling when it is not in use, turning it into a standard refrigerated container.”

PPIH currently operates 43 stores (as of the end of 2023) in six Asian countries, including the

specialty store Don Don Donki which offers mainly Japanese products. Fresh Japanese fruits and vegetables are popular at each store but maintaining freshness during ocean transportation has always been challenging says ONE.

Furthermore, the small volume of cargoes for countries with fewer stores, such as Thailand and Malaysia have made it crucial to improve container loading efficiency and reduce transportation costs.

“By utilising the dualtemperature refrigerated CA container, ONE, PPIH, and NAX Japan strive to enhance container loading efficiency by transporting smaller quantities of a more diverse range of perishable commodities in a single container,” says ONE

“This approach not only aims to reduce overall transportation costs, but also maintains the freshness and quality of goods throughout the shipment. NAX Japan is also working with ONE as a logistics partner in the export of perishable goods.”

The manufacturing of the dualtemperature refrigerated container and trial shipments are supported by a subsidy project conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Japan in 2022.

ONE, PPIH, and NAX Japan will continue this trial shipment to contribute to more stable exports of Japanese agricultural products and their global promotion. A

Steritech builds irradiation momentum in Asia Pacific

New X-ray machine for Australian irradiation provider is a testament to the growth of the technology’s use as a generically effective biosecurity tool.

by Liam O’Callaghan

The development of Steritech’s fresh produce irradiation business has been a slow burn. In 2015, 1,500 pallets were being treated annually through one facility. Just two crops and a single market accounted for 80 per cent of these treatments. In 2024 the picture is very different, Steritech treated 13,000 pallets over the past 12 months across two facilities. It treats produce 52 weeks, servicing over 80 crops and the domestic market has grown to 50 per cent of treatments.

The importance of the treatment for the continuity of Australian fresh produce biosecurity systems has seen the federal government contribute A$5m (US$3.4m) towards a second X-ray machine at the company’s Melbourne facility, more than doubling treatment capacity.

Fresh produce business manager, Benjamin Reilly, says the investment represents a new milestone for the use of sustainable X-ray technology as a phytosanitary measure for fresh produce, an application Australia is leading globally.

“Irradiation is a generically effective solution for treating any insect at any temperature, in any crop or packaging. The treatment has already been critical to maintaining trade following at least one foreign pest incursion and the suspension of several alternate domestic pathways,” says Reilly.

“The grant has helped Steritech bring forward a significant investment in increased capacity for future scenarios. It will help ensure idle capacity is available to industry in the moment of need, not two or three years after it.

‘The cost of X-ray equipment has almost tripled in the past five years. The government’s investment has been critical to realising this project.”

Reilly says the investment is also a testament to the Australian fresh produce industry, which has embraced the benefits irradiation has to offer.

“I’m really proud of the journey we have been on as an industry, patiently and systematically focusing on incremental developments to reach a common longterm vision. It’s a story that Australia can be really proud of,” says Reilly.

“Irradiation can play an important role in the security of Australia’s trade and future trade growth. One unique thing that Australia can always hang its hat on is our speed to market but we can only guarantee this with rapid, quality-friendly treatments like X-ray irradiation.

“We are also seeing some significant changes in biosecurity. There is always the risk of new pests arriving and domestic trade being severed. Growers need a way to move their product to market without commercial loss or damage to quality.”

Steritech has been able to enhance its capabilities during this journey adding mixed-density treatments with the greater control and flexibility that comes with X-ray source technology. Developing relationships has also been important to progress.

“We’ve built relationships with growers and marketers, industry associations, importers, retailers and government alike. We’re continuously working with these relationships to strengthen Australia’s biosecurity systems and enhance trade opportunities,” says Reilly.

This coalition of support has helped the industry effectively tackle the concerns around consumer acceptance as well.

“Historic concerns for consumer resistance have been disproven by real world retail sales data and consumer purchasing behaviour,” explains Reilly.

“The labelling requirements turned out to be a significant operational challenge, not a consumer concern. Products are routinely packed and palletised before they are allocated to orders which may or may not require a treatment.

“The operational challenge of trying to label at the package level creates a trade barrier. This is a genuine concern when other historic treatments are not held to the same standard of requiring labels.”

Steritech worked with stakeholders to develop in-store POS labelling that helps meet food standards requirements and almost every Australian retailer now relies on the treatment in some way or another.

Reilly says the response has also been positive,

with feedback overwhelmingly supportive.

“Australian consumers are wise. If it protects Australian farmers, meets Australian standards and replaces unnecessary chemicals, it’s a good thing.”

Reilly is hopeful other markets can follow in the footsteps of Australia when it comes to embracing irradiation. He is committed to helping the international market address hard barriers such as developing food standards, treatment facilities and trade protocols.

“My goal is to see harmonised food standards developed throughout Asia so that other countries can invest in infrastructure and benefit from this technology,” he says. “There are reciprocal trade opportunities for

countries wishing to export, in fact I think I can say many Australian producers would prefer to see this treatment technology used for imports to Australia to prevent the arrival of foreign pests.”

“Countries including Vietnam, Thailand and the US are excellent examples of regional leaders developing this technology to the benefit of their own producers and industries.”

Reilly is part of the Phytosanitary Irradiation Platform (PsIP), which is dedicated to advancing the commercial application of phytosanitary irradiation globally.

“PsIP is an independent global phytosanitary association and is an increasingly important platform for development. The organisation hosts regular webinars and in

person events uniting stakeholders from different sectors, organisations and regions.

“It is led by a panel of international experts in fresh produce, biosecurity and irradiation. Anyone with an interest or role related to phytosanitary irradiation is welcome and it is free to join.” A

80 fresh produce crops 52 weeks a year

OPPOSITE —Steritech has added a second X-ray machine to its Melbourne facility

BELOW—Steritech treats

Cultural customs drive Taiwan market

Modern retail formats continue to develop in Taiwan, but traditional channels still dominate.

by Winnie Wang

The annual per capita fruit consumption of Taiwan and its population of just over 20m is around 135kg, according to local industry sources.

As a subtropical island, Taiwan grows a rich variety of fruit, but for most temperate fruit, such as apples and cherries, it still relies heavily on imports.

“The demand for imported fruit in Taiwan remains high. Cherries, apples, and blueberries, which we import in large quantities, are scarcely produced locally,” says George Liu of Kingo, a key importer in Taiwan. “In terms of volume, apples are the largest imported fruit category in Taiwan.”

The demand for apples in

BELOW—The wet market is still the dominant retail channel in Taiwan

OPPOSITE—Fresh-cut fruit is a popular option for younger generations and office workers

Taiwan has remained consistently high, which is closely related to Taiwan's religious customs. According to Liu, in Taiwan, both households and businesses hold rituals twice a month to worship their deities or ancestors.

The main suppliers from the Northern Hemisphere are the US and Japan, while in the Southern Hemisphere, New Zealand and South Africa are key origins. “Last year, due to some quarantine issues, the import of South African apples to Taiwan was suspended. It has recently reopened, and the first shipments are currently being sent,” says Catherine Liu, Kingo channel manager.

Eason Chi, executive director of Rings Fresh, notes that while apples account for 40 per cent of all categories in the company's operations, cherries still rank top in value terms.

“The US and Chile are the two largest suppliers for cherries,” Chi says. “Last year, we imported around 100,000 cartons of US cherries to the Taiwan market.”

ONLINE EXPLORATION

Joanne Chen, Zespri's market manager for Taiwan, tells Asiafruit that online consumption in Taiwan still has many limitations.

“Taiwan's online payment methods are not very developed and mainly rely on cash transactions,” she explains. “The high rate of fresh food loss puts pressure on businesses. Moreover, the high cost of door-todoor delivery in Taiwan is mostly borne by consumers. With fruit retailers close to the neighbourhood, local consumers prefer to go to physical stores to directly evaluate price and quality.”

However, the seemingly constrained online channel is not without a “breakout”.

“Our physical store Sweet Seasons in downtown Taipei is serving as a cold storage and product display centre,” says Chi. “It can be used for hosting our offline marketing activities, and to keep the distance to end consumers within an affordable range. We can then deliver directly to consumers’ doors through our

logistics service.”

Another common onlineoffline integrated approach uses convenience stores as the delivery endpoint, where consumers pick up their orders in-store.

“7-Eleven has more than 6,000 locations in Taiwan, and each store manager functions similarly to a group-buy leader in mainland China,” explains Catherine Liu.

“Consumers can pre-order through the store's website or mobile app and pick up the goods in-store after delivery. Since the store has refrigeration equipment, the cold chain can be maintained continuously.”

During the recent US cherry season, Kingo received many group-buy orders through 7-Eleven, according to Catherine Liu.

CONSUMPTION TRENDS

In today's world, where inflation is rampant globally, Taiwan's consumers have also become more conservative. However, demand for novel varieties or high-quality imported products remains substantial.

“In recent years, the prices of imported fruits have increased significantly,” says George Liu. “As prices rise, consumer expectations are also higher. There is still market demand for high-end products, but people are less willing to purchase mid-to-low-end products, especially imported ones.”

In the meantime, consumers are leaning towards smaller packaging when buying fruits.

“Many supermarkets now use small packages,” says Catherine Liu. "We initially started repackaging in a limited space and later found that the demand was very high. Next we are going to expand this service.”

Chi says “the ideal situation is to keep the unit price within NT$100 (US$3) for small packages. We have

been working on different designs as well.”

With the accelerating pace of life among the younger generation and their pursuit of convenience, the supply of fresh-cut fruits in Taiwan's convenience stores has become very common.

“Taiwan's young people find eating fruits troublesome, as a result, we sell Zespri kiwifruit in fresh-cut form in convenience stores,” says Chen. “Office workers can also buy a nutritious portion of fruit when they purchase lunch.”

Another developing trend is that consumers in Taiwan are increasingly willing to pay high prices for locally produced fruits.

“Previously, people thought that local fruits were not good enough, but now it has changed,” George Liu says. “This is partly due to the concept of lower carbon footprint and support for local agriculture.”

MARKETING APPROACHES

Zespri continues to enhance brand awareness and trust in the Taiwan market, thanks to the efforts of its local team. With a deep understanding of Taiwan’s worship culture, Zespri has effectively promoted kiwifruit as an offering for rituals.

“We use well-known fortune tellers to share on media, not as endorsements, but from the perspective of the worship culture, explaining why kiwifruit should be used as offerings,” explains Chen.

Chi states the fruit industry typically has limited

budgets, and determining how to effectively use budgets to maximum effect is a challenge for marketers.

“We have our in-house designer and marketing staff, which can be considered one of our competitive advantages,” he says.

Kingo also achieved impressive results by partnering with 7-Eleven for a marketing campaign during the last Chilean cherry season.

“We invited members of the Chilean Cherry Committee to Taiwan to train 7-Eleven store managers, so they can educate their customers. By introducing Chile’s geographical conditions and cultivation methods, we boosted confidence in the product,” says Catherine Liu.

“This was 7-Eleven's first season attempting to sell Chilean cherries and its first time trying this type of marketing strategy. Due to the success of this campaign, it had a breakthrough impact on 7-Eleven's sales during the Lunar New Year period.” A

Taiwan’s exports back on track

Taiwan’s fruit industry has been actively expanding into overseas markets in recent years.

by Winnie Wang

According to the Taiwan Ministry of Agriculture, mainland China was the primary destination for Taiwan’s agricultural exports from 2013 to 2021, with fruit accounting for up to 70 per cent of the total volume. However,

Taiwan’s red dragon fruit finally gained access to the Japanese market in 2024, after eight years of negotiations and in April, Taiwanese pineapples gained entry to New Zealand. Furthermore, Taiwan resumed exports of pomelos and custard apples to mainland China last year.

“As of this year, our pineapple exports have surpassed 2,000 tonnes, marking a 40 per cent increase compared to the same period last year,” says Tracy Tarng, president of Mitagri. “Currently, our orders are fully booked, with many customers from Japan, Singapore, and Canada on our waiting list.”

“Korea has implemented zero tariffs on Taiwanese mangoes this year, and compared to countries like Japan, the requirements of Korea are also more relaxed. Therefore, this season, we are very optimistic about our mango in this market,” she indicates.

Under the guidance of the Taiwan Council of Agriculture, Mitagri was established in 2016. Its primary role is to integrate Taiwan’s agricultural export supply chain, assisting farmers and agricultural enterprises in exporting high-quality Taiwanese agricultural products to the global market.

“The average cultivated area per farmer in Taiwan is only 1.1ha, which means ensuring quality consistency is a challenge. This requires us to provide detailed guidance to export orchards to avoid the use of pesticides banned by the export destinations, among other things,” Tarng explains.

ABOVE—Tracy Tarng, president of Mitagri (right)

LEFT—Kelly Pai, chairman of Gping

since 2021, Taiwan’s exports to mainland China have been declining each year.

To reduce reliance on the mainland market, Taiwan’s fruit industry has been actively expanding into overseas markets in recent years.

“Taiwan began exporting pineapples to Australia in 2022, and the first batch was sent by us because the initial quarantine is the strictest. Additionally, during the pandemic, we shipped by air to minimise the risks associated with transportation time.”

For tropical fruit like mangoes, the issues to consider when choosing air transport go beyond just the cost.

“If mangoes encounter low temperatures before they are fully ripe, it will completely stop the ripening process, resulting in poor final taste,” explains Tarng. “Therefore, the large temperature difference by air makes it impractical.”

Despite the sharp decline in exports to mainland China, the exporter Gping has not given up on this opportunity-filled market.

“Before 2020, my export volume to mainland China reached hundreds of containers,” says Kelly Pai, chairman of Gping.

“I believe that if mainland China can establish clearer standards for the regulation of pesticides and pests, and implement a more comprehensive recycling system, then Taiwanese farmers will have greater confidence in this market.” A

Fresh-cut pioneer Fu Fruit upgrades

New facility is designed to ensure the company’s sustainable development over the next 30 years.

by Winnie Wang

From a fruit stall over 50 years ago, Fu Fruit has grown into one of the largest vertically integrated fruit suppliers in Taiwan, thanks in no small part to its pioneering and innovative approach.

Inspired by Japan's fresh-cut fruit, Fu Fruit started its own fresh-cut business over 20 years ago.

“In the first three or four years, we were losing money on the fresh-cut business, no one else thought it would succeed,” says Marc Chiu, general manager of Fu Fruit. “Buying fruit in Taiwan was just too convenient back then, and people were used to cutting it at home.”

However, consumer habits in Taiwan are gradually changing. Nowadays, fresh-cut fruit has become a major pillar of the Fu Fruit business.

“Gradually, consumers began to pursue convenience and dietary balance more, and the advantages of fresh-cut fruit began to emerge. Nowadays, this category has become very mature,” says Chiu.

“The interesting thing is that the Japan market for freshcut fruits is not as popular as in Taiwan these days, but it may rise again in the future.”

Off the back of this growth, Fu Fruit began building out a new facility in 2017, located in Tucheng District, southwest of Taipei City. With a total investment

of NT$2.6bn (US$79.69m) and a usable area of about 10,000 pings (around 3.3ha), the facility went into operation in 2023.

“Our current goal is to create a vertically integrated supply chain,” says Chiu.

“This new facility integrates functions such as fresh-cut processing, individual quick freezing, ripening, warehousing, and a cold chain logistics centre, with a scale five times larger than before, and all details are designed with a 30-year usage period in mind.”

“For example,” says Henry Chen, the general consultant of the chairman's office, “we use Flowcrete's antibacterial flooring from the UK and have established a dust-free environment. Moreover, everyone entering the facility must pass through a dusting gate.

"We also have our own small laboratory. All products must undergo testing and monitoring. Samples from each batch must be retained until the end of the sales period before they can be discarded.”

The company's long-term plans for the future safeguard its sustainable development.

“We have nine container terminals at the port, which also leave room for future business growth,” says Chiu. “We also have our own logistics team that can deliver to our clients.” A

BELOW TOP—Fresh-cut fruit has become very popular in the Taiwan market

BELOW BOTTOM—Fu Fruit’s new facility includes 19 ripening rooms

Food Taipei creates unlimited business opportunities

More than 5,000 international buyers attended the fourday trade shows in Taipei.

by Winnie Wang

The Food Taipei Mega Shows 2024 brought together over 1,600 local and overseas exhibitors on 26-29 June. With nearly 4,500 booths showcasing their products and services, the event enjoyed a 10 per cent increase in exhibitor numbers compared to last year and a 6 per cent expansion in the exhibition area, according to the organiser, Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA). Such growth signifies the resurgence of Taiwan’s food sector and underscores its significant potential.

Taking place in Hall 1 and Hall 2 at the Taipei Nangang International Exhibition Center, the Mega Shows included FoodTaipei, Foodtech Taipei, Bio/ Pharmatech Taiwan, TaipeiPack, and Taiwan Horeca.

The total visitor number exceeded 50,000 in four days. Among them, more than 5,000 international buyers from over 77 different countries/regions came to make the most of the opportunities to meet and do business with the exhibitors at the shows this year. The top five countries/regions represented were Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

TAITRA chairman James Huang highlighted that this year’s show featured national pavilions from 22 countries, including Eswatini, Saint Lucia, the US, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea and the Czech Republic. Spain also returned after a five-year absence.

Food Taipei Mega Shows 2024 focused on two main themes this

year - Food for Future and Food Safety & Sustainability. In collaboration with the Food industry Research and Development Institute, TAlTRA set up a Future Food Pavilion where visitors could explore innovative products and technology under three core concepts: Low Carbon Food, Smart Precision Tech, and Circular Sustainability.

A standout feature of this year’s trade show was the incorporation of AI into the food industry. Prominent companies like Beckhoff, ifm, ANStek, and Chieftek Precision (CPC) presented technologies in automation, monitoring, and miniature robotic arms. These advances are designed to improve transparency in the food supply chain, ensure food safety and quality, maintain productivity, and help businesses remain competitive in the market.

The Food Taipei Mega Shows served as a platform of opportunities for food industry leaders around the world and contributed to the continued growth of the global food market. The Mega Shows will return to Taipei next year, taking place on 25-28 June 2025 at Nangang International Exhibition Center, Hall 1 and Hall 2. A

LEFT—Food Taipei Mega Shows 2024 opening ceremony

BOTTOM—More than 1,600 exhibitors from 31 countries attended the Mega Shows this year

Pairwise breaks breeding barriers

US-based company is harnessing the power of gene-editing technology to deliver novel fresh produce varieties such as seedless blackberries, pitless cherries and more.

by Liam O’Callaghan

New varieties with improved characteristics are a crucial driver of value in the fresh produce industry and can be a tool to meet challenges such as a changing climate and food security.

Pairwise is a US-based company utilising geneediting technology including Crispr (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) to enhance the fruit development process.

Chief executive and co-founder Tom Adams says

Pairwise has created its own gene editing toolbox called the Fulcrum Platform which he says is the broadest suite of tools in the space. The company’s early work focused on row crops such as corn but it has also set its sights on fresh produce. “I can’t think of anyone who’s done more editing and of more crop and more different genes,” he says.

“We’re working on hundreds of different genes that we’ve edited across 60 different crops, some are commercialised, some are in testing, and some are proof of concept.

“The first challenge we saw we could take on outside of the row crop space was the challenge we all have of eating enough fruits and vegetables.”

OPPOSITE—Pairwise is developing seedless blackberries

ABOVE—Pairwise has created its own gene editing platform called Fulcrum

BELOW—Tom Adams, chief executive and co-founder of Pairwise

Pairwise has looked to address some of the obstacles to increasing fresh produce consumption.

“There’re a few things that seem to change consumption for example the year-round availability of a fruit,” explains Adams.

“When I was a kid, I was lucky if I got blueberries ever. By the early 2000s, after 60 years of breeding, we had enough varieties that could be grown in different parts of the world that I have blueberries almost every day now.

“The other is convenience, taking away whatever friction that keeps you from eating fruit and vegetables. The easy peel mandarin is an example we use a lot, it’s only been available since 2013 and it’s now the dominant player in citrus. We’re thinking about things that we could do like that.”

TECHNOLOGY IN PRACTICE

The first products Pairwise launched using its geneediting technology were new varieties of mustard greens. It was able to reduce the wasabi-like flavour of the raw leaves and create a new product for consumers who prefer a less-pungent taste but still want the nutrition of fresh mustard greens.

Adams says the gene-edited leafy greens mix was launched as the first Crispr food in North American food service and retail channels to positive response.

“The biggest set of direct feedback we created was before the official launch, we took the salads to some fairs across the US and had a booth explaining what gene editing was. When people were presented with the salad, they wanted to eat it. We had more than 3,000 survey respondents and it was 91 per cent top two box intention to buy the product,” says Adams.

The trial also proved instructive on the direction of Pairwise’s business, magnifying its focus on varietal development.

“We’ve proved people will buy gene-edited products and it was helpful in demonstrating early that many

countries view these products the same as those from conventionally bred plants. But we concluded the investment we would need to become a solid marketer was keeping us from making the investment needed to be a product inventor,” says Adams. “We looked for a partner to take that on and entered into an exclusive product licensing agreement with Bayer to further develop and sell the products at scale.”

PRODUCT PIPELINE

Although Pairwise has a number of products in the pipeline, Adams says cherries and blackberries are two current standouts not only for progress but potential opportunity.

“Cherries have two problems, they are not available all year round and they are kind of a pain to eat because of the pits. So, we’ve started work on a pitless cherry,” says Adams.

“It’s a little further out in our timeline because we’ve had to do things like build new systems for trees but ultimately we want to make pitless cherries that are available year-round.”

In its effort to achieve 12-month production Pairwise is taking some inspiration from blueberries and working to change the environmental requirements to grow cherries. It took decades of breeding to achieve for blueberries, but Adams believes gene editing can help accelerate the process.

“The moonshot idea is you turn the cherry tree into a bush, so you can grow it under hoop houses like blueberries. Then you could grow cherries in a lot more environments,” he explains.

The other product area that has received a lot of internal effort is cane berries, particularly blackberries, which the majority of consumers would prefer without a seed, according to Adams.

“The seed in a blackberry is

actually a pit, it forms the same way as a pit in a cherry. Removing this basically becomes a model to make something pitless, which we’ve now achieved. It is the first time anybody’s done that, to my knowledge.

“It’s early days, it’s going to be a couple of years before seedless blackberries make it to the market, but we’re quite excited about it.”

COMPLEMENTARY APPROACHES

Adams doesn’t see the use of gene editing as a conflict with traditional breeding. Instead, he says gene editing is a complementary tool that can build on the progress made by traditional methods and be used to help tackle some of the challenges facing the fresh produce industry.

“The challenge with plant breeding is, it’s all about scale. Most crops have 30,000 genes and even if they only differ by 10,000, that’s 10,000 coin flips. With traditional breeding you need to make enough outcomes to create the coin flip combination you want,” says Adams. “With gene editing, you can have a variety that has 9,995 genes that are right and you can change the other five.

“There’s lots of things that are good for the people and good for the planet that can come out of gene editing and we think it is part of the solution to a lot of problems. It’s not the only part but it can be a very important part.” A

Talking Heads: Jason Liu

Shanghai Shengguo's international procurement director takes satisfaction from developing creative marketing campaigns.

Can you give us an overview of your current position in the fresh produce business and your previous roles?

JL: I am currently serving as the international procurement director at Shanghai Shengguo. I previously worked at a foreign-funded financial software company and had extensive exposure to marketing activities.

How did you first get into the fresh produce business?

JL: My wife founded Shengguo in 2019. Back then the overseas sourcing needed to be expanded, and professionals were very difficult to find. As someone

who started from scratch, after studying hard in my spare time and receiving guidance from experts, I officially joined in 2020. So far, I have been an employee for almost five years.

What is your proudest achievement in your work in the fresh produce business?

JL: Achievements are not personal to me, many things are accomplished by a team. I would emphasise it was an exceptional honour that in my third year working at Shengguo, my supplier ClemenGold won the 2022 Marketing Campaign of the Year Award at the Asia Fruit Awards, which I made a contribution to.

Describe your typical day-to-day schedule?

JL: I usually arrive onsite around 6am and take a quick look at the wholesale market stalls to get information. Starting to communicate with clients around 9am is my daily routine.

After work in the afternoon, I usually go to large supermarkets and professional fruit chains to admire the art of product display, and chat with salespeople to learn about the varieties and specifications of the best-selling fruit. I try to find out the reasons for their popularity. It's very interesting.

Where have you travelled to lately in your job and where are you planning to go next?

JL: I recently went to Inner Mongolia for a large-scale campaign and the Mongolian culture deeply intoxicated me. We plan to go to Zhejiang and

Beijing soon to prepare for the next few campaigns.

What do you love in particular about your job, and what, if anything, would you change?

JL: My favourite part of my job is being able to work under the guidance of Fruitalyst and Core, to create creative marketing campaigns and explore more possibilities with a cross disciplinary mindset.

How much fresh produce do you consume and where do you shop for it?

JL: Due to my strong curiosity, I enjoy purchasing popular, rare, beautiful, and internet-famous fruits to personally experience them, which results in spending a considerable amount of money on fruit purchases every month. There are various purchasing channels, including large supermarkets, boutique supermarkets, well-known fruit chain stores, online e-commerce, and popular livestreamers.

What do you do to unwind after a tough day at work?

JL: I like to stay in a room by myself, in almost complete darkness, close my eyes, and listen to symphonies and classical music on high volume, letting my soul soar with the beat of musical symbols.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

JL: As a purchaser, no sweet words can compare to giving high returns and quick payments to fruit growers (suppliers). A

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At The Fresh Connection, our reputation and commitment are something we don’t compromise. With that reputation, we source produce from growers across six of the seven continents in the world with offices in the US, Mexico, South America, South Africa, Lebanon, India, Australia, and New Zealand. We have the ability to source the fruits and vegetables that suit your year-round needs with quality assurance teams that have standards just as high as your own. Combine this with experienced sales, procurement, and operational professionals, you can rely on The Fresh Connection for produce that fits your global needs. Take a closer look at thefreshconnection.com