The Chilean fruit season was launched by Roger Manning, director general of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association – Europe, who unveiled plans to supermarket buyers, category managers and government representatives in London.

The public will see the industry commercial featuring luscious fruit on 650 cinema screens following the results of a highly successful campaign to increase awareness last year.

This year however, at a cost of £300,000, Manning has moved the scheduling thereby increasing exposure by a week and allowing it to benefit late grape and apple varieties. Screening began on March 7 and will continue until May 5.

Manning also forecast increased programmes, specially tailored to supermarket requirements in line with the volumes of fruit being sold.

Evidence has already come separately from Tesco, which this week announced that its top 100 stores would be hosting tastings of new season Gala, grapes, and plums as part of its Season's Best strategy.

This will be backed by a voucher offer of 30p on prepacks of apples and grapes. Information will also be on the on the Tesco website and Tesco Visa customers will receive Chilean fruit offers. For a two-week period the commercial will exclusively tell cinemagoers that Chilean produce is available at Tesco stores.

Business planning manager for fresh produce, Hamish Renton, added: 'We want our customers to know we are importing from Chile and to tell them that we are doing this because theirs is the best produce available at this time of year.' And with the UK having one of the lowest consumption of fruit per head of population in Europe, he believes it will also reinforce the 5-a-day message.

'Feedback has told us that people place great value upon the seasonality produce as they know it ensures plentiful, good value and has a fantastic flavour profile,' added Renton.

Manning confirmed: 'Tesco is the leading UK retailer of Chilean fruit and we are delighted to endorse the campaign with the CFFA - E signature of quality. Several other multiples are also involved with a sequence of promotions.'

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