JPFD’s ‘love fruit’ slogan is making itself know to consumers up and down the land, resplendent as it is on the group’s fleet of UK lorries. But while lesser known, it is a fair bet that the ‘love juice’ logo plastered on its trucks that deliver citrus to sister company Sunjuice in South Wales have raised more eyebrows.
In some respects, this position mirrors the conundrum facing JPFD. Established in the psyche of many fruit traders as a banana supplier, the company is much, much more than that and wants the world to know. While the banana category has largely failed to deliver on its potential in the last two years - due to forces outside of the control of the major suppliers to the UK market - JPFD has seen consistent growth in other categories it supplies.
Citrus is typical of this. Already a preferred citrus category supplier to retailers in the UK and Ireland, the company secured additional business in 2004 that has enabled it to reinforce its focus on citrus and concentrate on driving its share of the category upwards.
Perhaps surprisingly, as Sunjuice is a sister company, until April 2004, the volume of citrus it sourced from JPFD was minimal. While Sunjuice is free to source from wherever it chooses, the potential cost efficiencies of working with a family member had never been brought to bear.
“That’s changed,” says JPFD citrus category manager Charlie Richmond. “Processing has now become an extremely important part of our citrus business. We are now supplying Sunjuice with a 52-week offer, which makes us an entirely different proposition to our growers.”
Crop utilisation is, of course, a major factor for all growers, and the capability of JPFD to offer a viable year-round alternative destination for its grower partners fruit has proved very attractive. “We both recognised very quickly that building business together would benefit both parties,” says Richmond. “And as sister companies, we are able to enjoy a lot of clarity in our relationship.”
JPFD group marketing manager Dickon Poole adds: “We are trying to broaden our image and the way to do that is through results in areas other than bananas. Few people for instance would know that JP owns a juicing company, let alone one that supplies most of the leading UK retailers very successfully. This is a very strong message for us to send back to growers, who will recognise our stature within the citrus category and the potential we offer their fruit
Richmond adds: “The arrangement has already enabled us to make substantial investments in our grower base and it will be an advantage to us in all of the sectors in which we operate,” he says.
In the retail environment, Richmond believes a key skill is to help customers drive the category forward as a whole by filling the gaps that exist in the supply calendar with new and improved varieties, while innovating to add value throughout the supply chain. “Through Dole in South Africa, we have a very strong southern hemisphere supply source and that has been a big help to us,” says Richmond. “But we have searched for other sources that give us the opportunity to establish long-term partnerships, and develop the premium lines and concepts that will give us the point of difference to stand us apart in the UK marketplace.
“We are not looking for mass volume, but to pick off the areas where we can genuinely make our mark and help our customers achieve their goals. There are a lot of opportunities at the premium end of the market.”
The sealing of a contract to supply the NSFVS with easy peelers was not only another step up the citrus ladder, for the company it also represented an ideal fit with its corporate objectives. “We are very keen to play a part in this scheme in the long-term,” says Poole. “School kids are our industry’s future and the earlier we can introduce them to fruit the better. It is good for the industry but also contributes to the future health of the nation and we are fully supportive.”
Citrus, in the form of easy peelers, and mainly clementines, sits second in the popularity list among kids surveyed after they have participated in the scheme, and the 100 per cent adherence with quality and delivery criteria achieved by JPFD has helped towards that.
Richmond says that supplying the scheme is no different in many ways to supplying a retail customer. “The NSFVS is obviously very price-competitive and we have to work very hard with our supply base to ensure they can supply the quality required but are not left out on a limb,” says Richmond. “The scheme has a very high profile and due diligence and standards are as challenging as they are in any sector. We only use two sources, one in Spain and one in the southern hemisphere, and both are Tesco approved suppliers.”
Poole says: “We have invested in merchandising for schools and will help the government in any way in its aim to add an educational aspect to the supply of fruit into schools. Just giving fruit to kids is not an answer in itself, the challenge of educating them about what they are being given has to be addressed.
“It has to be fun, children don’t care about healthy eating. And as the company that introduced the Garden Gang concept to Asda, JPFD has the expertise and creativity to play its part.”
For some firms, the NSFVS has become a major focus for their business, but JPFD believes that it has provided its citrus business with an added cutting edge. “Again, it helps with crop utilisation,” says Richmond, “and strengthens further our relationships with growers. We have more scope for knowledge sharing and refining our product portfolio. For instance, we are now looking to bring in the clemnfina from Spain rather than the Fortuna, which gives the NSFVS a sweeter tasting fruit that is easier to peel and more suited to kids palates.”
The NSFVS is essentially introducing citrus into consumers new to the snacking market. “Consistency is vital when supplying schools. Kids can eat a Mars Bar or a yoghurt and know pretty much what they’ll be getting. They need to have the same guarantees from citrus fruits. If you lose children at that age (4-6 years-old) you’ve lost them for life.”
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