The Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX) and its Chilean Cherry Committee won the Marketing Campaign of the Year for their high-profile campaign to promote Chilean cherries in China during 2017/18. The US$5m campaign targeted 63 cities across China, seeking to encourage consumption of cherries at any time and for any occasion, with family, friends or alone, while highlighting the fruit’s health attributes. Targeting a range of channels, the campaign succeeded in achieving significant profile at retail and consumer levels, and contributed to a record result for Chilean cherry exports to China in 2017/18, which more than doubled to account for over 85 per cent (160,146 tonnes) of total exports.
India’s IG International scooped the ASIA FRUIT AWARD for Importer of the Year. Since establishing its import business in 1999, IG has become one of India’s premier fresh fruit importers, handling 50-plus varieties of fruit from more than 20 countries. IG has invested heavily in cold chain infrastructure to support the growth of fresh fruit imports, establishing a national network of facilities and trucks. Such infrastructure has helped the company to deliver fruit with optimum quality and taste to Indian consumers while also giving global suppliers more confidence to ship large volumes to India, Hey noted. IG was also recognised for its pioneering role in expanding the range of imported fruits available to Indian consumers. Apples dominate India’s fruit import market, and IG has worked with leading global suppliers to introduce a number of premium brands. The company has also helped to grow the market for a range of other fruit categories such as pears, kiwifruit, citrus and, more recently, berries and avocados. IG has taken a proactive approach to promoting imported fruits to Indian consumers, conducting extensive tastings, deploying high-profile brand ambassadors and introducing new packaging.
Ranch Market group was recognised for its clear-sighted customer focus and its impressive work in promoting fresh produce in the Indonesian market. “The group has raised the bar to a level that has forced others to follow suit, and Indonesia’s predominantly young, growing and aspirational middle class has responded positively to this offer,” said John Hey.
The inaugural ‘Impact’ Award was presented to Dalton Thomas, who recently retired as president of leading Washington grower-packer-shipper Oneonta Starr Ranch and was launched at this 20th anniversary edition of ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS to honour a person, company or institution that has made a significant impact in developing Asia’s fresh fruit business. Thomas was recognised for his pioneering contribution to developing Washington/US fresh fruit exports to Asia from the very early years of trade. As well as sharing his market insights with industry, Thomas displayed a career-long commitment to industry export programmes, seeing the value of increasing promotional activities for the benefit of the entire industry, Hey noted.
The ASIA FRUIT AWARDS, the annual pan-Asian awards for Asia’s fresh produce business, are presented by ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, the leading continental fresh fruit and vegetable trade show in Asia, and ASIAFRUIT MAGAZINE, the industry’s premier publication. The awards celebrate excellence and recognise outstanding achievement for the best players in Asia’s fresh fruit and vegetable business, with the winners selected by the two organisations.
