The market development campaigns for stone fruit and pome fruit focus on stimulating demand, increasing awareness, and growing consumption of South African produce, while supporting industry development across domestic and international markets.
Internationally, the campaigns aim to position South Africa as a Southern Hemisphere supplier, while in the local market, the focus is on driving category consumption, improving in-store visibility of stone fruit, and consumer education.
A multi-channel marketing strategy is used to engage across online and offline platforms. This approach is intended to deliver consistent messaging and connect with consumers and trade partners across different channels.
© Hortgro
On 30 January 2026, Hortgro's Sylvester Moatshe and Wilechia van der Westhuizen visited the Johannesburg informal market as part of the Local Informal Market Campaign.
The purpose of the visit was to document the promotion of plums and other stone fruit within informal trading spaces. The initiative seeks to understand how locally produced fruit is promoted, accessed, and consumed in urban communities, where informal markets play a role in daily food supply. The initiative also includes a trader education component, providing guidance to informal traders on business practices.
The visit was led by Ruth Behr, a Promofresh representative, who guided the team through the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market and arranged meetings with RSA Market agents and industry stakeholders, including representatives from Magalies Citrus.
Her input provided context on how stone fruit moves through formal market systems before reaching informal traders. From the formal market floor, the group continued to the Johannesburg CBD's informal trading areas.
In informal market spaces, plums were sold openly at accessible price points, drawing interest from traders and consumers.
Ruth also provides advice to traders on handling and ripening plums, as well as basic marketing practices.
Engagement with buyers and sellers illustrated the role of fresh fruit in everyday diets and highlighted the interaction between formal and informal markets within the supply chain.
© HortgroFor more information:
Hortgro
Tel: +27 (0) 21 870 2900
Email: [email protected]
www.hortgro.co.za
