Rituparna Chatterjee – Mumbai

Yupaa Group of Companies, an Indian-based grower, packer, importer and distributor of fresh fruit products and Belgian Fruit Valley (BFV), Belgium’s largest cooperative for fruit growers, recently launched two of Belgium’s fresh fruit products in the India market, namely, Jolly Red Apples and Conference Pears. This is part of BFV’s initiative to enter new markets like China, India and Africa after having established their presence in the European Union. Jolly Red Apples and Conference Pears, will be available at an introductory price of Rs 160 to Rs 180 per kg and will be sold in retail and institutional sectors through the entire distribution network of Yupaa Group of Companies starting with metro cities and then Tier II and III cities. These fresh fruit products will be sold under the brand name of Truval. “We will bring in significant quantities of these fruits and distribute them across various cities to create awareness and will then gradually build up the volume when a regular demand is created,” stated Parth A Karvat, director, Yupaa Group of Companies.

Speaking on their marketing strategies for these fresh fruit products in the India market, Marc Evrard, business development manager, BFV, stated, “We will be working closely with our B2B and B2C customers. We will organise extensive tasting sessions, create brand awareness through advertising, etc. Based on how the marketing goes, we will accordingly export the required quantities. However, we could export a few hundred containers on a yearly basis.” When asked about their strategies to tackle local competition, Evrard stated, “We will face competition with the onset of the mango season. Hence, the main bulk of exports will be between October to April though Jolly Red Apples and Conference Pears are available 10 months a year. If we can build up the demand gradually, then over the coming years we can expect a growth anywhere between five and 10 per cent.”

Presently, Belgium produces 250,000 tonnes of apples and pears and 85 per cent of this is exported to major European countries, Russia, North and West Africa, the Middle East, North America, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, China, Hong Kong.