More than 1.800 attendees and industry players attended the sixth edition of the Global Cherry Summit, organized by the Chilean Fruit Cherries Committee, Frutas de Chile, and the Yentzen Group. Iván Marambio, president of Frutas de Chile, highlighted the sector's need for coordination and strategic vision. "Today, more than ever, we must anticipate new consumer habits and global market dynamics. Cherry continues to be a profitable business, but it's also an increasingly demanding one, where quality must be at the heart of everything we do."
Claudia Soler, executive director of the Frutas de Chile's Cherry Committee, presented a balance of the season. Shipments grew by 51% over the previous season and totalled 626,014 tons, mainly to China, which translated into 125.2 million boxes. The season began with logistical challenges due to the increase in production, but the main challenge was the drop in prices in the Chinese market.
The Committee's strategy focused on the Chinese market, allocating 74% of promotional resources to second and third-tier cities, expanding coverage through local actors. A marketing campaign was deployed with new sales channels and formats to adapt to the market. "The season was affected by a series of factors, including the increase and concentration of volume, the Chinese economy, the quality of the fruit, and negative news," Soler stated.
The committee is working on quality standards that incorporate improvements in size, firmness, colour, flavor, and packaging to ensure minimum firmness and sizes in line with demand. The Global Cherry Summit 2025 featured panelists such as Antonio Walker, Claudio Vial, Andrés Fuenzalida, and representatives from companies such as Joy Wing Mau and Rabobank Asia. Market trends, commercial innovation, logistics, and sustainability were analyzed at the summit.
Source: frutasdechile.cl