The Chilean fruit industry is participating in the International Green Week Fair, which is held from January 15 to the 26 in Berlin, Germany, to promote and deepen the penetration and consumption of Chilean blueberries in the European market, especially in Germany.
"This is the first time that we, as an industry, participate in this event. This time, we are promoting our fresh blueberries. Since the fair is primarily directed to the final consumer, it is a very good platform to let them know about this fruit's availability, its quality and safety characteristics, how it contributes to health, and the different ways it can be used in culinary preparations, something that was specially prepared by renowned international chefs for the Chilean Blueberry Committee," said Charif Christian Carvajal, ASOEX Marketing Director for Asia and Europe.
The commercial director of ProChile in Berlin, Bettina Stengel said: "The consumption of blueberries in Germany has steadily increased over the past 5 years. It is a market with enormous growth potential. There is a very big tendency to consume healthy products and it involves all age groups. The Chilean production nicely complements the German season, giving consumers the option of obtaining blueberries throughout most months of the year. Participating in the International Green Week Fair is a unique opportunity to present our blueberries directly to consumers. We will continue to actively support the Blueberry Committee and ASOEX in the various actions they carry out during the season in this market to intensify the product's demand."
The Blueberry Committee, ProChile and the Fruit Exporters Association of Chile AG (ASOEX) organized Chile’s participation in the fair.
Carvajal added: "Over 410,000 visitors attend this fair, 85,000 of which are trade visitors. Thus, we have arranged a stand to show our blueberry export supply. Among other things, we will have tastings, and we'll deliver materials and recipes. We even have developed a contest aimed at consumers where they can take pictures of themselves consuming the fruit in front of a Moai we have prepared at our stand. Once they upload their pictures to the social networks of Fruit From Chile, they will be rewarded with a set of blueberries from Chile."
The stand was opened by the Ambassador of Chile in Germany, Mariano Fernandez, the commercial director of ProChile in Berlin, Bettina Stengel, and ASOEX's Marketing Director for Asia and Europe, Charif Christian Carvajal.
According to data from ASOEX, Chile exported over 13,000 tons of fresh fruit to the German market during the 2014-2015 season; about 700 tons of which were fresh blueberries.
The event
The International Green Week Fair was established in 1926, and its 81st version is taking place this 2016. It is primarily directed to the final consumer, and it is one of the most important European exhibitions for food, agricultural products and products from the horticultural industry from all the world.
At the same time, the fair is the center of the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA), which includes the participation of more than 70 ministers of agriculture worldwide. International producers and exporters, who come in order to see new trends and market opportunities and marketing, especially in the European market, also participate in the Fair.