The Chilean Fresh Fruit Association’s (CFFA) UK blueberry promotion has hit the streets of Yorkshire, with a three-week whistle-stop tour of nine of the county’s city centre shopping districts.
Shoppers in the county - which has the lowest consumption rate of blueberries in the UK - can pick up samples of the fruit and a handy z-card leaflet outlining its key nutritional messages.
The activities are being backed by local Michelin-starred chef Jeff Baker, who has produced a signature dish - Ruby Cheese, Drop Scone and Sweet and Sour Blueberry Jam - using blueberries and incorporating rhubarb, a fruit synonymous with Yorkshire.
Eat the Blues - You Have to Eat Them to Beat Them also comprises a national print and online PR campaign geared to the over-50s, which market data has identified as a huge untapped audience for the superfruit. The CFFA will be running national advertorials in British lifestyle publications and newspapers including The Daily Telegraph, Saga Magazine and Reader’s Digest, as well as websites such as saga.co.uk and 50connect.com.
“This market has huge potential for us, and this target group needs to be educated on the benefits of adding blueberries into their diet,” said Christian Carvajal, marketing manager Europe-Asia for the Chilean Exporters’ Association (Asoex).
This is the second outing for the campaign, which was piloted in London, Birmingham and Manchester in January 2007. Spearheaded by the CFFA, it complements the national berry campaign run by the Winter Berry Committee. This year’s promotion is being supported by a consumer offer for shoppers to win a year’s supply of Chilean wine, by sending in proof of purchase of Chilean blueberries during January and February.
“We are working very closely with the Winter Berry Committee, and together with them we will be able to track how our promotional activities are impacting the blueberry segment. We’re committed to running this activity for a number of years and we’re confident of a successful change in the segments we’re targeting,” said Lianne Jones, CFFA European field manager.
“In the short term, we want to take advantage of the growing market for fresh berries in the UK; in the long term, we want to increase consumer penetration so as to secure a future market for the increased production of blueberries in Chile in the coming years,” added Carvajal.
The fruit is also being promoted on the continent.
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