On May 23, Xianfeng Fruit [3] held a pop-up event showcasing South African apples and pears [4] at its Gongchenqiao store in Hangzhou, attracting a large number of consumers eager to check in and experience the festivities.

The store was meticulously transformed into an immersive space themed around South African apples and pears, featuring not only fresh South African apples and photo walls but also themed backdrops and adorable fruit toys. Staff were present on site to provide explanations of the characteristics and nutritional benefits of South African apples and pears and invite customers to taste the fruit and participate in a lucky draw. The refreshingly sweet and crisp taste of South African apples proved a big hit among visitors, particularly children. Xianfeng Fruit also invited store members and local social media influencers to join the event. Everyone enjoyed eating and playing together, taking part in family-friendly games such as “toss and catch” and “fishing for apples and pears,” capturing joyful moments and sharing them on social media.

Jacques du Preez, general manager for trade and markets at Hortgro Pome [5], delivered a remote video address discussing the production conditions for the current season. He mentioned that South Africa has just entered winter. Although storms have caused some damage to late-maturing apple varieties in the Western Cape, the majority of the harvest has already been successfully completed.

According to du Preez, the yield of marketable fruit has improved this year, with ideal fruit color development. To date, 11,000 metric tons of apples and pears have been shipped to the Chinese market. “The South African industry hopes to continue deepening its presence in the Chinese market in terms of both export volume and varietal diversity,” du Preez said. “Fuji and Royal Gala remain our core export varieties, while we are also offering a more diverse selection of varieties to meet the diverse needs of Chinese consumers,” he added.

It is understood that Xianfeng Fruit has been consistently importing South African apples since 2019, primarily the Fuji and Royal Gala varieties, with family-oriented women making up the core consumer group. In 2022, after South African fresh pears gained market access to China, they were added to Xianfeng Fruit’s import list, with Forelle as the main variety.

Last year, Xianfeng Fruit imported nearly 4,500 metric tons of South African apples and approximately 230 metric tons of pears. This year, the company plans to increase its imports by about 10% compared with last year. Currently, nearly 2,000 Xianfeng Fruit stores nationwide are stocking South African apples, with the availability period lasting from late March through to the end of September.

At the end of his video address, du Preez emphasized the partnership with Xianfeng Fruit: “Xianfeng Fruit has over 2,000 stores nationwide, more than 300 strategic cooperation bases around the world, and 23 cold chain logistics bases across China, totaling 480,000 square meters. We are very pleased to deepen our partnership with Xianfeng this year and bring high-quality fresh fruit to even more Chinese consumers.”

Images: Xianfeng Fruit