Although the origins of Morocco and Spain predominate on the shelves of wholesalers and French supermarkets, the Kölla company also offers its customers watermelon from Italy: "It is a small production established about thirty kilometers to the east of Naples. It is a watermelon that is very interesting for the French market because it has a high sugar content (12° Brix reached at the beginning of the season at the end of June), a beautiful coloring, and a relatively firm flesh", explains Stéphane Belley, sales manager for the French market at Kölla, a Mediterranean products marketer.
Unlike the small seedless watermelons sold individually, these Naples watermelons, which weigh between 9 and 15 kilos, are sold already sliced into quarters or portions in stores: "These two markets are different and also address different customers. The benefit of offering a product in slices is to allow the consumer to check the coloring, which is very good for sales. We often do in-store events to introduce it to the consumer. In addition to its renowned taste and visual qualities, the Italian origin, which is well known on the French market, works in our favor in marketing the product. Our customers in supermarkets appreciate this particular watermelon very much because it meets the expectations of the market and has a good shelf life".
Watermelon is one of the most climate-dependent products in the fruit and vegetable range, and recently demand has been rather high: "It is a product that is consumed at the end of the week and is rather festive. The perfect weather conditions of the last few weeks are very beneficial for sales".
Kölla watermelons can be found on the French market under the brands Emilie and Otello.
For more information:
Stéphane Belley
Kölla
stephane.belley@koella.com
https://koella.com/fr/