Fresh produce giant Chiquita plans to develop a major presence for its fresh-cut and convenience products in Italy, following last week's launch of a range of four different fresh fruit juice smoothies under the Frullati trademark.
The launch represents the company's first foray into the Italian fresh-cut convenience market and, according to Chiquita Italia's director of marketing and retail sales Maurizio Pisani, is the first in a series of planned product launches targeting the growing market for pre-prepared fresh fruit products in Italy.
'The launch of Frullati Chiquita represents the first step towards differentiating our offer, one which will soon bring other blue-label convenience products to Italy,' said Mr Pisani during last week's Convenience Fruit Workshop, held at the Hotel Le Méridien Gallia in Milan on 1 October.
With a short shelf-life, the juices will be available in four flavours: strawberry and banana, pineapple and banana, coconut and mango, and raspberry and pomegranate. The drinks will carry the famous blue Chiquita label as well as the phrase I Frullati 10 e lode ('A+ Smoothies'), thereby incorporating the company's existing strapline for the Italian market.
Frullati smoothies will be sold from refrigerated units alongside other fresh-cut products. The Chiquita-branded drinks are now sold in eight European countries, with sales of around 8m bottles expected during 2008.
The launch event was attended by several retail buyers as well as journalists and fresh produce supply chain operators. A publicity campaign involving television, print media, posters and other non-traditional activities will run until early next year.
