With apple season in full swing, Pink Lady® presented its socially responsible commitments to consumers at the Paris International Agricultural Show from 24 February to 4 March at Porte de Versailles. The show was based on Community this year. The brand created a 135 sq. m. discovery space in the Crops and Plant Hall dedicated to the history of the Pink Lady® apple and the people who strive on a daily basis to grow this exceptional fruit.
The stand, set up around a monumental central tree, enabled visitors to improve their understanding of the apple industry’s values through 5 themes that presented the strategic directions at the heart of the socially responsible IMAGINE scheme: the treatment of orchards by growers; the origins of Pink Lady® apples and the areas they are grown in; the importance of biodiversity and bee protection; overall consideration of environmental, societal and social challenges through the best sustainable initiatives in the apple sector; and the brand’s anti-waste policy – a vast number of strong commitments directly linked to pressing issues in society. The emphasis was on experience in each theme, with learning panels, fun activities, delicious tastings and above all, the opportunity to meet the growers who were manning the stand.
A host of enjoyable activities welcomed consumers to the stand, but it was the Pink Lady® growers who made the event a real success. Over 15 growers and 10 members of the APLE team worked in shifts over 10 days to assist consumers and reply to all their questions. It was a wonderful opportunity for the team to demonstrate their knowledge, explain their methods and reassure participants in a social context marked by increasing concerns about food. They were able to meet the public and show them all the actions undertaken for the responsible production of the exceptional apple and its unique model. It clearly demonstrated to them that links between agriculture and society are far from broken.
60,000 people replied to the discovery questionnaire, which is 10% more than last year. The stand was constantly buzzing, with a peak on the final Saturday when over 6,000 apples were given to consumers who had been enchanted by the magical stand and the taste and history of Pink Lady®. The visitors, who were mainly families with children, cheerfully threw themselves into the spirit of the experience.
“This opportunity to share ideas and communicate strengthened our convictions: Pink Lady® is a sector based on strong values and acts as a source of progress that responds to the current expectations of consumers in economic, environmental and social terms. Forming a close relationship with the public and raising awareness are both vital in highlighting the work done by our stakeholders, and the Agricultural Show is a fantastic showcase for that.”