Sweeki brand officially enters China market
“Italy is known in the world not only for sporty Ferrari cars, for Fashion—Gucci, Bulgari, Tod’s—or for football teams, but also for foods,” said Alessio Orlandi, general manger of Origine Group, a marketing consortium of nine major Italian fresh producers. “In the same land where we produce many of the best wines in the world, in the same land where we produce the famous olive oil, we also produce kiwifruit.”
Another speaker at the event, trade commissioner of the Italian Trade Agency in Guangzhou, Paolo Quattrocchi, also highlighted the theme of Italian products’ excellence. “Just as with food, wine, fashion and furniture, Italian kiwis are also one of best products. We are the second biggest kiwi producer in the world and the biggest kiwi producer [and exporter] in Europe.” He also noted that Italy presently exports USD 470 million worth of kiwifruit annually.
Origine Group created the Sweeki Brand in 2015 with its eye on export markets, especially in the Middle East and Asia. To match consumer preferences in these areas, sweeter flavored varietals are being used (the brand name is a portmanteau of “sweet” and “kiwi”). According to Quattrocchi, China is the third largest market for Italian kiwifruit after Europe and the United States. Last weeks launch event is therefore an important step in the brand’s growth and reach according to Sweeki.
More containers of the fruit are already on the way to Guangzhou and Shanghai and Origine Group is planning to start a retail promotional campaign in partnership with mainland supermarkets.
“I know that everyone here is an expert and key player in the Chinese fruit industry,” Orlandi told the assembled audience at the launch event. “I wish that Sweeki, through kiwi promotional activities like this one, and through your activities, will become in a short time a very familiar brand among Chinese consumers.”
www.origine-group.com