Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL) has joined forces with Malaysian fruit importer Chop Tong Guan to launch a retail promotion for Pink Lady apples in Cold Storage and Jason’s supermarkets later this month.
The promotions will take place in 18 Cold Storage and Jason’s supermarkets over four weeks, from mid-August to mid-September, according to APAL’s market development manager Claire Fitchett.
“The promotions will involve product sampling, which will allow Malaysian consumers to taste the premium quality of Australian Pink Lady apples,” Fitchett explained.
“If the initial promotions are successful, we also plan to provide promotional gift bags for volume shoppers. This strategy was trialled last year for a Pink Lady promotion in Bangkok and was a real success amongst the supermarket’s target market of young female shoppers.'
Malaysia is already a key market for Pink Lady apples in Asia, accounting for almost 40 per cent of Asian imports of the brand, according to Fitchett.
But she sees good potential to boost the sales and profile of Pink Lady apples in Malaysia, as well as developing and differentiating Australia as a source of supply.
“Consumers are always looking for something new to try, and whilst the Pink Lady brand is not new, it is still unfamiliar to many consumers in Asia,” said Fitchett.
“In a crowded marketplace with competition from low-cost commodity varieties, it is important to differentiate Australian produce.
By demonstrating the characteristics of Pink Lady and showcasing the colour, sweetness and crunch of Australia’s offering, APAL hopes to create brand recognition and loyalty to Australian produce.”
Apples are sold both loose and in 10-piece pre-packs at Cold Storage stores, providing options for Australian exporters to supply different-sized apples: count 80s and 90s for loose and 120-135s for pre-packs, Fitchett added.
Chop Tong Guan is one of three licensed importers for Pink Lady apples in Malaysia, and the seeds for the Malaysian promotion were sown when director Koay Swee Aik visited Australia in April this year as part of the APAL-organised Asian Pink Lady licensees importer tour.
“The group visited orchards in Victoria and South Australia and Swee Aik was impressed with the quality of Australia’s offering,” said Fitchett. “He expressed an interest in promoting Australian fruit in Malaysia, because there are opportunities amongst consumers looking for a premium product.”
APAL is now coordinating for a delegation of Australian apple growers and exporters to visit Malaysia in late August to see the promotion in action. “Visiting the market enables growers to see the modern, dynamic retail environment in Asia and build direct relationships with importers, retailers and consumers,” said Fitchett. “This is vitally important in an increasingly competitive trading environment.”
