Promotion in the UK of French summer fruit is becoming increasingly important for the industry as competition from other suppliers hots up, according to Daniel Obadia, president of the French Summer Fruit Committee.
Since 2003, exports of French peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, grapes, cherries, melons and pears to the UK have risen by 28 per cent, to 22,000 tonnes in 2006. Nine per cent of volumes slated for export are destined for the UK.
The Sunshine Fruits from France campaign, with its £70,000 budget, will kick off on July 20, with tasting sessions across 25 major Tesco stores, largely focused in the South. In August, a branded yellow melon variety called Yelor will become available, exclusively in Waitrose.
For the first time this year, the campaign will also be supported by an eight-page supplement on French summer fruits in the August issue of Delicious magazine, which is sold across all major retailers. Readers will have the chance to win a cookery holiday in France.
“Consumers see French food and wine as top quality, and we have got to get them thinking of our fruit in the same way,” said Obadia, pictured above with a chef at Stoke Park. “The UK is a small market for us, as we cannot compete against Spain on price; nevertheless, it is important. We certainly do not want to start exporting more here for the sake of it - we tend to focus on quality.
“There is a window from July 14 onwards when French apricots are the only ones available, and it is then that French fruit comes into its own in the UK. August is a great opportunity for us, for all stonefruit, but especially apricots,” he added.
French summer fruits were served at tennis event The Boodles Cup, held last week in Buckinghamshire. The fruit was used in both the starter and dessert, pictured left.
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