China: Multiple selling channels bring success for red-hearted kiwis

"The production seasons for red-hearted and green-hearted kiwi fruits from Sichuan province began in August and September, respectively and will end in December and April next year. Due to the favorable weather conditions all across the country this year, and additional plantings, the gross output of kiwi fruit has increased by approximately 30% in comparison to last year. The current selling price on the market is equal to last year's," says mister Li Haijian from HuaPu Modern Agricultural Joint-Stock Limited Company in Sichuan. 

"Our company has bases in the cities of Mianzhu and Guangyuan (Cangxi county) in Sichuan province. Our open air kiwi fruit plantations cover more than 1.733 hectares, of which 70% is privately owned and the other 30% is jointly managed with a partner. In 2017, the total output of red-hearted kiwi fruits in Cangxi county of Sichuan province was about 120.000 tons and was mainly sold in the domestic market. Exports took up about 10%. At present, our main variety of red-hearted kiwi fruits, of which only a little is exported because of its popularity in China, is now also being sent to Russia, Canada, the EU and other countries and regions. Following the completion of our multi-channel marketing set-up, we will export more and more in the future."

"In terms of selling methods, we have an arrangement with multiple channels. On one side, we are selling the majority of our top quality kwii fruits to domestic large chain stores and supermarkets in first and second tier cities, like Chinese Resources, Tesco, People's Happiness, Green Leaf and Pagoda. On the other side, we started a virtual selling platform in 2016, which as of today, has already offered our cherished red kiwis to T-Mall and Jingdong flagship stores. These have evolved into one of the most popular virtual selling platforms in society. Prior to August, we had sold 10% of our products online."

"Based on our observations, consumers prefer special products. Because the largest share of the market is taken up by all kinds of imported fruits, domestic consumers can choose between a lot of product types and prices. Red-hearted kiwi fruits are a special variety with a small output, a great balance between sweet and sour and thus a wonderful taste. Therefore, a lot of foreigners also like them. The strength of our brand name increases day by day, and so do our profits." 

"Since June 2016 HuaPu has sent 3 samples to the market, which made them the biggest player in the kiwi fruit industry. After promotions emphasizing their regional brand name and the reputation of their enterprise, the company has effectively realized a supply chain which is complex and professional. They have also effectively enlarged the potential of their operations. 

This happened through partnerships with researchers, an integration of water and fertilizer, and intelligent systems which were imported from New Zealand. We are an organic agricultural business, we operate high-end fruit plantations, we carry out research on agricultural technologies, we develop new varieties, we process agricultural products and combine storage and distribution. In summary, we are a modern agricultural technology enterprise. The multi-channel selling strategy is implemented througout the whole country, so we have already established subsidiaries in Shenzhen and Zhuhai. Our plan is to employ both online platforms as offline stores within our selling network." 

Xiang Junliang/chief manager of sales: +86 189 8202 7787

Yin Qiankun/ manager of online channels: +86 135 3826 8733

Company address: huapuagri@huapuagri.com