The Covid-19 pandemic has presented a number of new opportunities to reach consumers as discussed by Fruitnet Live: China's speakers during the event's final session.
Ng Kok Hwee, marketing director for Greater China of Zespri, joined MarkTanner, managing director of China Skinny, in examining changes in consumer behaviour and how companies can reach them.
Ng shared the work Zespri has been doing in China following the company’s brand refresh and described the increasing consumer interest in health during the pandemic.
She said Zespri had been working with key opinion influencers to communicate the health benefits of its kiwifruit to consumers, particularly in the increasingly important e-commerce space.
“The shift towards e-commerce was happening even before the pandemic but post-Covid the trend has accelerated. Some consumers during the lockdown started trying out e-commerce and some of that behaviour has stuck,” Ng said.
“Post-pandemic we saw a huge surge in interest behind Vitamin C and immunity and I think what has really been working for us is we have been constantly been communicating the health properties of Zespri kiwifruit in the marketplace for years.”
Tanner said the growth in e-commerce was accompanied a number of other emerging trends during the pandemic.
'Something we have seen, and you saw it with the big shopping festival 618, the fastest-growing category was groceries and the third fastest-growing category was kitchen appliances, which shows a couple of those big trends,' Tanner explained.
“One is people are buying groceries online… the other is people are spending more time at home and they are investing in their home and cooking at home, a lot of them are more confident now and are more aware in the way the cook.”
More key insights from Fruitnet Live: China will be published on Fruitnet over the coming days. A full round-up of the event will appear in the upcoming July-August edition of Asiafruit.
