The Winter Berries campaign in the UK has received a huge cash boost from the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association (Asoex) in support of Chilean blueberries and Foods from Spain backing soft fruit from the Huelva region.
The budget for Winter Berries and British Summer Fruits for 2006-07 is also taking a gigantic leap and is up to £418,000 for the two seasons compared to £215,000 for both campaigns in 2005-06. Of this sum, £100,000 has been raised by Spanish exporters through the trade association Freshuelva with support from the Spanish trade office and Foods from Spain. In addition a further £48,000 has been pledged by Chilean blueberry senders through their association.
Laurence Olins, chairman of both campaigns is thrilled at the development. “Speaking on behalf of the members of Winter Berries and British Summer Fruits, I am delighted to be able to announce our collaborations with Freshuelva and Asoex to promote berries to the British consumer market for the coming winter season,” he said. “Our success during the past three years - since the launch of the British Summer Fruits campaign and the introduction of the Winter Berries campaign in 2005 - has shown us that investing in promotional activity pays off; turnover for all berries to supermarkets during the summer has risen from £100m in 2003 to £250m in 2006…We look forward to being able to extend the campaign reach to more consumers than ever before.”
The year round promotion of soft-fruit began last year with the launch of Winter Berries and members of both campaigns have reported sales increases of strawberries and raspberries for the 12 month period of 26 per cent and a massive hike in blueberry and blackberry sales of 54 per cent.
Key components planned for the 2006-07 campaign are: a new celebrity to act as a berry ambassador; collaboration with top beauty therapist and facialist Kirsty McLeod; extensive sampling activity at spas and train stations nation-wide, striking new Valentine’s Day themed photography; and a consumer press trip to Chilean blueberry fields.
Asoex’s representative in Europe Lianne Jones said the Chilean industry was “very excited” by the development. “We are hoping to target more people than ever before and get them to try the fruit,” she said.
The consumer-facing e-zine www.superberries.co.uk, which launched in June 2006 continues with an exclusive interview with McLeod, health and beauty tips and fashionable recipes.
A full presentation on the British Summer Fruits 2006 campaign will be given by Lucy Rickett of Sputnik Communications at the Soft Fruit Conference on November 14.
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