The start of the apple season has been highly promising for Pink Lady, with good sales growth across its main European markets and a communication plan set to reach millions of new consumers
The Pink Lady Europe association has estimated a volume of 225,000 tonnes of Pink Lady and PinKids quality apples for the 2023/24 campaign, a 20 per cent increase over last year’s total.
Accompanying the arrival of the first fruit in European stores is a major marketing and communications plan, including promotions on radio, billboards and digital channels in ten European countries, with expectations to reach over 350m people in November.
Despite an especially hot start to the autumn, along with heavy rainfall, the quality of the Pink Lady apples harvested in Italy, France and Spain has been optimum, according to the group, with excellent colouration, a high sugar content and satisfactory firmness.
In-store, Pink Lady apples have got off to a dynamic start, with sales up 24 per cent for the first two weeks of the campaign, including good growth in the brand’s main markets (+34 per cent in the UK, +28 per cent in France and +18 per cent in Belgium).
Sales are also up 21 per cent across wholesale markets in France and as much as 54 per cent in Spain, the company revealed.
A range of new products is set to attract consumers and build loyalty, according to Pink Lady Europe, including a host of promotions and two new shopping bags signed by two European designers, French painter Léa Morichon and German artist duo Zebu. The bags are available in nearly 2m 2kg trays.
“Then there’s the partnership between PinKids apples and the release of the Trolls Band Together film until March 2024, with almost 2m punnets in the licence colours distributed,” the association stated. “A major food event, Pink Chefs, will also take place from January 2024, with a 360° campaign in almost 10,000 outlets across Europe, inviting almost 5m consumers to come up with creative ideas for enjoying Pink Lady apples.”
