Thanks to the new plantations and to the fact that there were no frosts during this campaign, the French company’s apple volumes have doubled compared to the previous season.
Although Candine and Envy have yet to reach Spanish supermarket shelves, the Candine harvest, a variety that is completely produced in French territory, is underway and its promotion will start in Spain coinciding with the trade fair Fruit Attraction. Envy, on the other hand, will reach the markets in November.
Fuji is the apple that is already available in Spain and that is a consumer favourite, as well as a leader in sales for Blue Whale. This variety, produced almost entirely in South-west France, starts off marketing its earliest harvest, Fuji Primeur. With some production data similar to that of last year, it is the apple that starts off a season and which has very positive forecasts.
“Last year our calibres were affected by the frosts that scourged the country. This season, in spite of the heat waves this summer, which may also affect the size, we will have better calibres,” indicates Adrien Touzet, Export Marketing Manager for Blue Whale. Although it is also true that the harvest volumes forecasted have been readjusted after the heat waves experienced in Europe this summer, which mainly affected the colour of the Gala variety. “To reach good colouring levels, there must a difference in day and night temperatures, and this was not the case,” Touzet adds.
As a boost for the start of the campaign, Blue Whale has organised promotions on wholesale markets in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. The slogan being used is: ‘Fuji Primeur: la primera de su clase’ (Fuji Primeur: first in its class). Additionally, there will also be special actions aimed at the fruit sellers.
These actions will be strengthened by the team of brand ambassadors, who will visit fruit shops in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia to closely follow the sector’s requirements, along with the correct product presentation and to hand out to the fruit sellers the special material that Blue Whale has prepared for them.
A prize draw has also been started up amongst consumers, who can win a weekend country break for two people by answering a question on www.promobluewhale.es.
