Florida grapefruit will feature on Outback Steakhouse menus in South Korea for the first time ever this year as part of US state government efforts to promote the fruit in that country.
The Florida department of agriculture (FDOA) said that this year was the first time it had worked with a restaurant chain to promote the fruit in South Korea, where Florida grapefruit is increasingly popular.
The FDOA told Fruitnet that meetings would begin in the autumn to discuss whether the Steakhouse link-up would continue next year.
The FDOA said Florida grapefruit exports to South Korea are up 400 per cent since it began promoting the fruit there in 2007 under its Fresh from Florida brand.
After just one year of promotions, the volume of Florida grapefruits exported to South Korea increased by 248 per cent, the FDOA said.
“Combined efforts through online media releases, magazine ads, endorsements by a famous chef, in-store promotions and many other key marketing tactics have resulted in a continued increase in exports to South Korea,” a spokeswoman told Fruitnet.
As well as South Korea, the FDOA funds international retail campaigns for fresh Florida fruit in 4,400 stores across 26 different nations.
“During 2013, our agricultural exports reached a historic high at US$4.1bn, that’s an increase of more than US$900m in just the last three years and equates to adding 25,000 new jobs to the Florida economy as well as US$88m in indirect tax revenues,” an FDOA spokeswoman said.
Elsewhere in Asia, the FDOA runs successful grapefruit campaigns in Singapore and Japan, and sees potential to reach new markets China and Thailand in future.
The Florida/Singapore campaign supports a total of 173 grocery outlets through trade development, the FDOA said.
“The growth of retail outlets within the Singapore campaign grew 686 per cent between 2011 and 2013,” the spokeswoman said. “Social media, brand promotions, packaging, sampling and newspaper ads are some of the combined efforts that the Florida/Singapore campaign has used along with Florida’s Natural to increase the awareness and sales of Fresh From Florida brands.
“Florida products marketed in Singapore include Valencia oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes and blueberry wines.”
In Japan, Florida marketers have established initial contact with a Japanese distributor that supplies a company with 173 grocery outlets within the Wakayama Prefecture of Japan.
“Additional growth opportunities are available in the future, as the distributor has partnerships with 17 other leading supermarket chains across Japan,” the spokeswoman told Fruitnet.
“Although these negotiations are in the initial stages, they offer not only an opportunity to enter the Japanese market, but also enter the other countries (China and Thailand) in which the distributor operates,” she added.
“Florida grapefruit is being promoted in March and April and the company has just agreed to a limited test of consumer interest in Florida blueberries in early May.”
