Dutch growers launch Dutch Valley brand promoting colourful bell peppers in China

In 2015 Dutch bell peppers received access to the Chinese market, with first shipments being sent in July last year. In total, a cooperation of 6 Dutch growers and exporters have been given an export allowance, including Best of Four, Door, The Greenery, Harvest House, Van Nature and ZON.

The export programme is coordinated by Dutch fruit and vegetable organisation FVO, which was also responsible for the coordinating market access. The Netherlands is one of the first countries to supply peppers to China. China itself is the largest pepper producer in the world.

The peppers are exported under the newly founded 'Dutch Valley' brand, and promoted as 'Natural Beauties', or Zhichun Zhimei in Chinese.

Following the signing of a trade protocol and the completion of a successful trial involving 25 pallets in July 2016, the first commercial shipments of the new pepper campaign are due to arrive in the coming days.

Special promotional events to launch the new premium brand, Dutch VAlley, have been staged in supermarkets in Shanghai and Guangzhou. The brand and products will be rolled out by four Dutch distributors, with whom FVO China is working to develop the Chinese market. These include Levarht, The Greenery and Harvest House.

It is rumoured that the peppers will be available in branches of Aeon, Olé and ParknShop, as well as CR Vanguard’s supermarket BLT, Metro Cash & Carry, Hong Kong-based Citysuper and Walmart’s hypermarket chain Sam’s Club.