At the beginning of the new season of Australian chocolate oranges in 2022, FruitDay has once again obtained the exclusive distribution rights of the Chinese mainland since the first mass production of Australian chocolate oranges in 2017. Huang Jing, vice president of FruitDay, was interviewed by Freshplaza to introduce this niche fruit and its market.
She first introduced the origin of chocolate orange. "In 2010, an Italian-Australian Orange farmer was walking in his orchard when he spotted a special branch full of brown oranges. The grower found that in addition to the beautiful color of the orange like chocolate, the taste was also amazing, especially sweet and juicy. Considering it a natural gift, the grower named the new variety after the Italian Dolci (dessert) and carefully cultivated it from the branch. ”
"The picking and sorting season of chocolate orange is from July to August. The processed and packaged fruit is shipped by sea and usually arrives in China between August and September. At present, the shipping time and customs clearance time are basically normal", Huang Jing said.
"In terms of the market, in addition to the online channels of FruitDay, chocolate oranges are mainly sold to boutique supermarkets in first- and second-tier cities. The retail price of the fruits that arrives at the market is 59.9 yuan / 6 pieces, 149 yuan / 15 pieces packed in gift boxes. This price is flat compared to last year. Although the price of chocolate oranges is slightly more expensive than similar citrus fruits, due to the small amount and unique taste, the current supply in the Chinese market is short. The turnover is very fast, and we do not feel the impact of the general environment such as insufficient market power.”
In 2017, FruitDay won the exclusive agency right of Australian chocolate orange in the Chinese market, taking the lead in introducing it to China. "In the past six years, the volume of Australian chocolate orange exports to China has increased year after year, almost doubling every year. Although the production of chocolate oranges itself is not high, 1/3 of the total production is currently exported to China, which has become the largest consumer market for its primary fruits. ”
According to Huang Jing, Chinese consumers have a significant demand for niche chocolate oranges, and only those selected first-class products of moderate size and good quality can be sold to China. In order to let consumers more intuitively feel the unique charm of chocolate orange, they use customized gold foil paper to put on a golden coat for chocolate orange. This packaging ingenuity increases the recognition of the product and preserves the moisture of the chocolate orange so that its fresh taste and juicy characteristics are fully displayed.
"Our analysis of the buying population revealed that Generation Z is the main consumer group of chocolate oranges. Public research data shows that the Generation Z population is gradually becoming the backbone of social development and the main group of consumer markets. The rapid growth of Australian chocolate orange sales in China is closely related to the growth of the spending power of the Generation Z population in China and the trend of exploratory consumption. ”
When talking about the challenges and countermeasures to promote chocolate oranges in the Chinese market, Huang Jing said, "The main challenge is how to stabilize the taste and quality. Affected by global climate change, the quality of many fruits has fluctuated in recent years. Chocolate orange is a niche boutique fruit, and steadily improving its quality and taste is a key factor in sustainable development. In order to solve this problem, we communicate with suppliers every year before the production season, and timely quality feedback is carried out for every arrival and sale, aiming to continuously improve this fruit and ensure that the appearance is unique and the quality and taste are good. ”
Founded in 2009, FruitDay is China's leading new fresh retail enterprise.
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FruitDay
Contact: Sophie
Email: Sophie.zhang@legendasia.cn