From Aug. 26 to 28, Frutas de Chile [3] participated in the 2026 China International Fruit Expo. Ivan Marambio, president of Frutas de Chile, was invited to attend the opening ceremony and officially inaugurate the event. On the first day of the exhibition, Alberto A. Cañas, trade commissioner of Chile in Shanghai, visited the Frutas de Chile booth and joined the team in opening the exhibition space.

On Aug. 27, Frutas de Chile and its Chilean Cherry Committee hosted the 2026 Workshop, sharing the latest production outlook and marketing plans for the new season with industry partners.

“Chile is not only the largest fresh fruit exporter in the Southern Hemisphere and the fourth largest in the world, but also the world’s leading exporter of cherries and plums to China,” said Marambio, highlighting Chile’s significant role in the global fruit market. “Every day, more than 82 million people around the world enjoy Chilean fruit.”

Building on these remarks, Claudia Soler, executive director of the Chilean Cherry Committee, presented an overview of Chilean cherry production and exports on behalf of the association. Chile maintains a dominant 97% share of Southern Hemisphere cherry exports, while its export destinations are becoming increasingly diversified. In 2025, exports to China and Hong Kong accounted for 87% of total export volume, the lowest share in the past eight years. Meanwhile, exports to other countries and regions grew significantly by 27%, reaching 74,535 metric tons.

Starting in 2026, Santina is expected to become the leading export variety, while supplies of Lapins and Regina are projected to remain stable. Chile’s cherry exports for the 2026/27 season are forecast to reach 132.9 million cartons (5 kg equivalent), with an updated forecast expected to be released in mid-October.

Charif Christian Carvajal, marketing director for Asia and Europe at Frutas de Chile, unveiled the marketing plan for the 2026/27 season. He emphasized that Chilean cherries have become a mature category in China and that driving further demand growth will require increasing purchase frequency among consumers in tier 1–3 cities while attracting first-time buyers in tier 2–3 cities. The campaign aims to strengthen consumer recognition of the “Frutas de Chile” origin label and reinforce the premium image of Chilean cherries as a nutritious everyday snack. It will also promote the Chilean Cherry Best Practices Guidelines, with members of the Chilean Cherry Committee prioritized as preferred suppliers.

Carvajal introduced the new-season slogan, “Chilean Cherries, Enjoy Your Nutrition Moment,” highlighting Chilean cherries’ favorable growing conditions, vitamin C and anthocyanin content, and low glycemic index [4]. He also announced the upcoming season’s flagship winter promotional campaign, the Chilean Cherry Ice and Snow Festival [5]. This year, the event will be brought forward to mid-November, bringing together more than 20 retailers and online platforms [6] to focus on sales promotions. The campaign will span 35 cities across China, with confirmed events in Hangzhou, Chengdu and Zhengzhou. Additional cities will be announced in the coming weeks.

Addressing the increasingly prominent issues of food safety and public perception, Michaela Wang, general manager of FleishmanHillard Shanghai, emphasized the need for concerted efforts across all levels of the media to strengthen consumer confidence in cherry safety. In December 2025, Frutas de Chile partnered with CCTV Documentary Channel to produce the cherry-themed documentary Sweet Miracle (甜蜜奇迹). Chinese state media has also continued to reinforce consumer confidence in cherry safety by tracing the origins of Chilean cherries and explaining in detail how the fruit maintains freshness throughout the supply chain.

Qu Chunbo, associate professor from Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, provided a detailed analysis of the nutritional value of cherries. Extensive scientific literature research and nutritional composition testing of Chilean cherries have confirmed that the fruit contains anthocyanins, is a good source of vitamin C, and falls within the low-GI fruit category. By collaborating with professional science communication platforms and nutrition experts, the industry aims to provide consumers with scientifically grounded information about the nutritional benefits of cherries.

Images: Frutas de Chile