The South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) at the Jiangnonghui Fruit Wholesale market celebrated the launch of its inaugural China table grapes promotional campaign. The event furthermore symbolically marked the official beginning of the 2021 South African table grape season in China, which brings to the market here premium quality, highly demanded varieties grown by South Africa’s export-oriented master horticulturalists. Traders and consumers in China will benefit from SATI’s “China Specification,” exclusively developed to ensure the best possible South African table grapes are provided to this highly discerning market.
SATI partnered with Chinese fresh fruit importer and distributor Goodfarmer to stage the celebration, which took place both on a main stage and with ancillary activities throughout the market. Freshly imported shipments of South African Crimson Seedless, Sweet Globe, Sweet Sapphire and Sweet Joy table grapes from importers Rui Ocean Co. Ltd. and Berda Fruit Co. Ltd. were featured as part of the celebration.
A highlight of the event was the Lion Awakening Ceremony, which represented the ties between South African table grapes and the Chinese fruit industry through the imagery of the lion, which is both an important cultural icon in China and symbolizes South Africa’s world-renowned wildlife resources.
“SATI is proud and excited to launch its first ever South African Table Grapes Market Development campaign in China,” said Willem Bestbier, Chief Executive Officer of SATI. “This campaign brings together specially selected growers and exporters from our beautiful and diverse country, South Africa, and renowned importers, wholesale markets, the trade and retail in China. The aim is to showcase South African table grapes that are truly worthy of the campaign slogan ‘Beautiful Country, Beautiful Fruit’.”
“South Africa is a beautiful country with a unique geography and climate well-suited to cultivating premium quality fruits, of which its fresh, sweet, juicy and crisp table grapes are among the best,” said Eric Zheng, General Manager of Shanghai Goodfarmer Apple Co., Ltd. “We at Goodfarmer are committed to providing consumers with healthy, delicious fruit and vegetable products through our network of distribution centers and wholesale market sales centers covering 26 provincial capitals across China. We look forward to working with SATI and our other partners to give more consumers in China access to fresh, delicious and healthy South African grapes.
“The objective is continuous improvement towards a quality, safe and healthy product exhibiting excellent eating quality – juicy, sweet and crunchy table grapes for Chinese consumers to enjoy,” said Bestbier. “This will be achieved in a long term and mutually beneficial partnership and our commitment to the Chinese market. We wish everybody a successful campaign, enjoy our table grapes and we warmly invite you to engage with us on this exciting journey.”
For more information:
Clayton Swart
SATI
Tel: +27 (0) 21 863 0366
www.satgi.co.za/china-campaign