Marketing snapshot - Hortlink 2016, spring

This Hort Innovation Citrus Fund marketing snapshot has been taken from Hort Innovation’s Hortlink 2016, spring edition.

This year’s marketing for the citrus industry has had three key focus areas:

• The Now In Season program

• Participation in international trade shows/Australia Fresh support

• Domestic activity around fruit juice.

Now In Season

Now In Season is a multi-industry, multi-country initiative that promotes premium quality Australian fruit via in-store retail activities in key export markets including China, The Philippines and more. This year there has been a focus on collateral development, public relations, retail promotions and e-commerce.

In The Philippines, Now In Season branding appeared in major retailers, with sampling opportunities and sales incentives. There was also a strong social media campaign for Australian oranges to excite consumers and industry stakeholders. Powerful social media influencers including local celebrities, bloggers and foodies were sent a bag of delicious and safe Australian oranges to encourage participation in the #goaussieorangesnow campaign. These influencers used their social channels to share their experience with and love of Aussie oranges.

Trade shows and Australia Fresh

Australia Fresh is the multi-industry export-market-development program for fruits, nuts and vegetables. The program’s activities, which include exhibiting at international trade shows, represent a key strategy for boosting the export and consumption of Australian citrus overseas.

So far, via Australia Fresh, Australian citrus has been represented at the Asia Fruit Logistica trade show in Hong Kong in September, and at the China World Fruit & Vegetable Trade Fair in Beijing at the end of October.

In November, Australia Fresh will also have a presence for the first time at the Middle East’s largest fresh produce expo, World of Perishables, in Dubai. Early in 2017 it will also have a pavilion at the Gulfood expo in Dubai – the largest food expo in the world.

Fruit Juice Australia partnership

Off the success of last year’s partnership, the fruit juice campaign this year will continue combating the negative perception around sugar content in natural fruit juice. Through PR activity using key media influencers, it will position fruit juice as a powerhouse.