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Deliveries of Chilean fruit to the former Soviet Republics have increased by 50,000 tonnes since 2005. Not surprisingly, the huge Russian market has been largely responsible, accounting for roughly 80% of that growth. A high proportion of fruit is shipped into Eastern Europe via the Netherlands.
“Russia is the world’s biggest importer of fruit and vegetables and we would not be doing our job properly if we were not fully exploring the possibilities in the Russian market for our exporters and growers,” says Christian Carvajal, marketing manager for Europe and Asia at the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX). “It has a very solid premium retail base in Russia and Poland and Ukraine are developing similar retail structures. All three have a large number of affluent and open-minded consumers”.
“They have traditionally received a lot of our fruit through Dutch importers, and that continues to be an important part of our business, but we’re also looking through our promotional activities to facilitate our exporters and growers in creating closer direct links with Eastern European importers, wholesalers and retailers.”
The CFFA and ProChile are also participating at the three countries’ leading trade events, World Food Moscow, Fresh Produce Ukraine and Fresh Market 2012, in Poland. Inward and outward bilateral trade missions are also being hosted by the two organisations to strengthen relationships and heighten awareness of Chile’s export offer and the nuances its exporters will face working with customers in relatively new markets.
The Chilean promotional model of course, has traditionally only moved through to consumer facing promotional initiatives after carefully constructing a solid trade relationship.
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Christian Carvajal