South Africa's first marketing campaign since deregulation to support sales of grapefruit in the UK is fighting off difficult conditions for the fruit to help bring about an early upturn in sales.
According to those behind the campaign, one supermarket group has reported growth of 104 per cent for the fruit in stores, following customer sampling events.
The initiative by the country's Citrus Growers Association (CGA) is promoting the full South African basket of red, pink and white grapefruit, highlighting the eating quality and sweetness of modern varieties.
As part of the campaign, sampling sessions have taken place in over 200 stores including Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and Costco giving consumers the chance to try the Star Ruby variety, supported by in-store radio advertising and articles in retailer magazines and online.
In addition, public relations activity has included grapefruit recipes developed by Sophie Michell, as well as radio interviews based on a nationwide survey of UK eating habits at breakfast.
'We are really pleased to see this campaign begin and target the outdated perceptions of grapefruit, as a sharp-tasting and inconvenient fruit,' said Justin Chadwick, chief executive officer of the CGA.
'To date, 2010 has been a difficult year for South African citrus. As we started harvesting many areas experienced unseasonable rains, which led to delays,' Mr Chadwick noted. 'Then, as harvesting and exports got going again Transnet, the port monopoly, experienced labour strikes for a protracted period, which further impacted on our ability to service markets. As a result growers have revised crop projections for grapefruit downwards.
'Nevertheless, we have seen a positive response to the beginning of the UK campaign, and sales increases have already been reported in the stores on which have focused attention,' he added.
The grapefruit promotion is a part of the umbrella Beautiful Country, Beautiful Fruit initiative, which has highlighted South African fruit in UK stores and in the media since late 2009.
The cross-category initiative also involves Hortgro Services, which represents South African deciduous fruit, and the South African Table Grape Industry (SATI), with the support of the Fresh Produce Exporters’ Forum and the South African Government.
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