Last weekend, the first Dutch Xenia pears arrived in China. It marks a milestone for the club variety, which began the process last spring together with GroentenFruit Huis to meet the strict requirements of the China protocol. The export protocol for pears to China demands strict adherence to phytosanitary rules to ensure the fruit is of the highest quality and free from quarantine organisms. Several orchards belonging to Xenia growers were selected for this purpose.
© Xenia Europe B.V.
"It all happened quite quickly," explains Raymond van Ojen. "When we received approval to export to long-distance destinations, we decided to take part in Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong, with the ultimate goal of entering the Chinese market. During the fair, we were introduced to the company Shenzhen One Fruit Agricultural. Immediately after the fair, during the harvest, we sent a trial shipment by air freight, which we tested in several supermarkets, including Ole, Rainbow, and Aeon."
"That trial went very well, and as a result, we started a strategic partnership to introduce the Xenia pear to the Chinese market, with Shenzhen One Fruit Agricultural becoming our exclusive importer in China," Raymond says. "After that, the first containers were also shipped by sea, and they arrived at the port of Yantian last weekend."
© Xenia Europe B.V.
"Dutch pear exports to China are not new, but we see great opportunities for Xenia. The long shelf life of this pear is an ideal match for sea freight, which takes five to six weeks. At the Hong Kong fair, we also noticed that Chinese visitors were charmed by the unique texture of the Xenia pear. The flavour is slightly sweeter than what consumers in China are used to, which fits perfectly with the growing demand for sweeter pears. It is no coincidence that Xenia is marketed in China as Xenia, The Sweetheart Pear."
"One advantage for the Chinese market is that we already have unique branding. Together with our partner, we are now focusing on further expansion into supermarkets, online retail, and wholesale markets. The Chinese market is large, and the economy is growing, so this offers strong potential. Our initial focus will be on the upper end of the market. Together with our partner, we are fully committed to a strong launch, because a good introduction is more important now than pushing as many kilos as possible."
© Xenia Europe B.V.
"We expect to export to China until March. After that, we will stop exporting to long-distance destinations and supply the European market only until the end of June. I do not want to set expectations too high right away, but I definitely believe that China can eventually become our second-largest market destination," Raymond says.
For more information:
Raymond van Ojen
Xenia Europe BV
+31 (0) 418 68 36 15
Tel: +31 (0)6 23 17 71 52
[email protected]
www.xeniapear.com
