Chilean Cherry Events Coming to Wholesale Markets Across China

With the arrival to market on Dec. 12 of the first ocean shipments of Chilean cherries, China’s winter fruit selling season is heating up. And with the Chilean cherry season come events at wholesale fruit markets across China organized by Chile’s cherry exporters. This season, the Chilean Cherry Committee of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX) has already staged season launch celebrations at Jiangnonghui market (formerly known as Jiangnan market) in Guangzhou on Dec. 18 and at Jiaxing Haiguangxing Premium Fruit Market in the city of Jiaxing south of Shanghai in Zhejiang province on Dec. 22.

Each event featured attendance from many of the traders based at the markets, along with representatives from Chilean cherry exporters and executives from the respective wholesale markets. Onsite in Guangzhou, the Chilean fruit industry was represented by Rodolfo Montecinos Mac Adoo, consul general of Chile in Guangzhou. In Jiaxing, Chile was represented at the event by Juan José Vidal Wood, trade commissioner at the Shanghai office of ProChile. Also joining by video link to celebrate and help launch the Chilean cherry season was ASOEX’s marketing director for Europe and Asia, Charif Christian Carvajal.

Not only do consumers in China increasingly look forward to the arrival of the wintertime Chilean cherry season, traders also appreciate the stable supply, healthy profit margins, consistency, quality and counterseasonal availability of Chilean cherries, which reach peak volumes just in time for the Spring Festival fruit gifting season.

“As everyone knows, this year is a very special year,” said Zheng Nanshen, general manager and executive director of Jiangnonghui market, at the Dec. 18 event. Jiangnonghui is the leading wholesale market in China in terms of Chilean cherry sales volume.

“Amidst unprecedented challenges across all industries, we need to thank all the merchants in our market,” continued Zheng. “Everyone was committed to their duties and stuck to their posts. In Chile, the fruit industry has also taken measures to deliver delicious cherries to China as usual. It is precisely because of the joint efforts and persistence of both sides that we can celebrate the successful arrival of Chilean cherries here today … Together with Chilean cherries, we will guard every moment of health and harvest every moment of happiness!”

“I would like to thank Mr. Wood of the Chilean Consulate in Shanghai and the Chilean Cherry Committee of ASOEX for their cooperation and support of Jiaxing Haiguangxing Premium Fruit Market,” said Ying Jianjun, deputy general manager at Haiguangxing market, at the Dec. 22 event. “I would also like to thank each of the importers, wholesalers and other relevant companies here at the market for their support and trust.

“In the 2019/20 season, despite the grave challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the transaction volume of Chilean cherries at Jiaxing Haiguangxing Premium Fruit Market rose 43% over the previous season to 950 containers, ranking it as the third largest wholesale market in China for sales of Chilean cherries. I hope cherries from Chile continue to be a hot commodity in the 2020/21 season and that ‘cherry red’ stands out brightly among the rainbow of fruits traded here at the market!”

Traders at the below wholesale fruit markets can keep an eye out for ASOEX promotional events at their markets on the dates listed. These celebrations can provide an opportunity to learn more about one of China’s hottest imported fruit products, meet representatives from Chilean industry and government, watch performances, win great prizes and pose for photo ops:

• Shanghai: Huizhan market — Jan. 6
• Zhengzhou: Wanbang market — Jan. 8
• Chengdu: Yurun Sichuan Agricultural Products Transaction Center — Jan. 12
• Chongqing: Double Blessing Market — Jan. 13
• Guiyang: Guiyang Agricultural Products Logistics Park — Jan. 15
• Changsha: Red Star Fruit Market — Jan. 18
• Guangzhou: Jiangnonghui market — Feb. 5

As in past seasons, the wholesale market promotion events will take place alongside online and offline consumer-facing promotions and advertisements from the Chilean Cherry Committee of ASOEX. These consumer-facing activities will involve many of China’s leading fruit retail channels and are aimed at boosting cherry consumption across China.

“The theme of this year’s campaign is, Chilean Cherries: Caring for Every Healthy Moment,” says Carvajal of ASOEX. “The concept of this campaign is to promote the consumption of Chilean cherries not only during festivities, but also during different meal occasions over the course of the day, such as breakfast, lunch or an after-dinner treat.”

Stay tuned to Produce Report for upcoming articles with more details about the progression of the Chilean cherry season in China, including information about weekly export volume projections and an in-depth look at the promotional campaign.

Images: ASOEX