Colombia’s diverse, rich fruit production and vibrant personality are sharing centre stage in a marketing drive aimed at cementing new perceptions of the South American nation.
Government promotional body ProColombia is putting the final touches to a new integrated campaign to underline the strengths of Colombian fresh food. The idea is to dovetail the initiative with the Sabrosura brand already used to encourage tourism, the term referring to a mix of flavour, taste and personality described as “the mysterious force that makes Colombians unique”.
It’s a tantalising concept, and part of a wider project to give Colombia a clear identity around the world. “We are working on trying to develop a message around Colombian food, similar to what they have done in Peru and Chile,” explains Andrés Castellanos, manager for agrifood exports at ProColombia. “It’s about showing that Colombian food is as exciting as its origin.”
A high-quality video with supporting images has been produced showcasing sumptuous fresh produce, and across the wider food sector there are variations for cacao, fruits and fish. So far the video has been showcased at trade events, but a website is also in development and from August ProColombia plans to advertise across Google, LinkedIn and Facebook in key markets. Appearances at events including Fruit Attraction will follow later in the year.
“The idea is to show our biodiversity,” says Castellanos, adding that Colombia has an unparalleled mix of coastline, altitude, soils, fresh water and as much as 80 per cent of its production coming from small farmers. “That mix produces delicious and nutritional fruit, and only Colombia has such a range of products.”
The timing of the marketing push is significant given Colombia’s history, but a concerted and long-term effort by government and industry to tackle well-documented problems in Colombia’s past has left it on a secure footing and looking ahead with confidence.
The message now is one of warmth and openness, and that’s particularly important when it comes to pushing smaller crops that do not have the marketing clout of the big exports of coffee, flowers and bananas. For the up-and-coming avocado industry, as well as mango, passionfruit, physalis, melon, pineapple, berries and more, it’s an opportunity to develop what is currently a fledgling export trade.
The challenge remains to convince small Colombian growers of the potential for international trade, and getting them to work more collaboratively together will be key to that. This is still, as Castellanos puts it, “the childhood of the industry”, but the sector is growing up fast, learning and increasingly ready to showcase its unique products on the global stage.
