France’s national apple sector committee has broadened its strategy to include pears.

Daniel Sauvaitre, president of France’s national apple sector, headed up the founding general assembly of the Association Nationale Pommes et Poires (apples and pears) in Paris earlier this month.

Representatives from every part of the industry including production and distribution attended, with a combined responsibility for approximately 950,000 tonnes of fruit per annum.

The assembly looked at a broad range of issues including integrated fruit production, research and development and economic lobbying. The next assembly is scheduled for December.

Meanwhile, marketing campaign Le Crunch, which promotes French apples in the UK, enjoyed a stellar 2007, with a rise in sales of almost 60 per cent during promotional periods with a total reach of 13.2 million consumers.

The campaign is enjoying steady progress this season with the Le Crunch primary schools programme, an Apple Day competition and a trade event planned for March around the England versus France Six Nations rugby match.

The Apple Day competition, which runs until February 2009, offers schools the chance to win £3,000 to spend on their playgrounds. It has attracted a huge number of enquiries from regional schools co-ordinators, in addition to the core 6,000 member schools involved in the scheme. Parents will also be targeted through healthy-eating information leaflets.

The trade event in March will give key decision-makers the chance to discuss future opportunities for Le Crunch apples within the UK market. Activities will include on-pack promotions and competitions, in-store POS, online games as well as coverage in retailer magazines.

Topics