Left: All guests signed the board Right: Oscar kiwifruit
The recent Asia Fruit Logistica conference in Hong Kong was the setting for an anniversary celebration of sorts for Oscar Kiwifruit. The French brand, which has been exporting kiwis to Asia for 20 years, was honored by a crowd of over 80 which included clients, business partners and foreign dignitaries (including the Chilean Ambassador to China).
John Piper
The celebration honoring the brand's 20th year doing business in Asia was especially sweet, noted Managing Director of Food Asia Marketing, John Piper, because early success was hard-won. As Oscar's representative in the Asia-Pacific region for the last two decades, Piper knows what the 20 year milestone means.
“Oscar's beginning in Asia was modest,” he said. “It took some time to convince importers, who had no idea that there was such a thing as French kiwifruit, that they should try it.” But after the first few containers hit Asian markets, consumers there were impressed and business picked up as importers realized French fruit could compete with imports from California and New Zealand.
Though Oscar's first forays in Asia were limited to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, they now boast a strong presence in the region with over 13 million euros in Asian export sales last season and nearly 60 percent of the region's kiwi market share. That success came as a result of a positive outlook in the face of adversity that is a core part of the company's history.
François Lafitte
“Kiwis have always drawn interest in Europe, but they were considered an exotic fruit,” said Oscar's President, François Lafitte. He, along with Guy Poylecot, started the company in 1980, but encountered trouble from a European market that didn't take to the fruit. “Consumers considered it too exotic, so this led to strongly decreased prices which, in turn, created a crisis for French kiwi growers.” Rather than scale back, however, Lafitte decided to expand into Asia in 1992. That, along with much hard work, eventually led to Oscar celebrating 20 years of business in Asia.
Jean-Baptiste Pinel
But, in keeping with the company's vision, they continue to expand. From building relationships with Chilean growers in order to provide fruit year-round to opening up additional markets, they continue to forge ahead, noted Oscar's Jean-Baptiste Pinel.
“Today, we're present in more than 35 countries because we've been actively participating with the authorities to obtain the phytosanitary agreement to export in various countries,” he said. “We pushed hard for Taiwan in 1992, we pushed hard for North America in 2000 and we're working to introduce French kiwis into China. And it has also been clear to us that studying the development of new varieties is another key to success.”
French entertainment
Everything about the event, all the way down to the dessert that was served after dinner, was meant to honor the spirit that has allowed Oscar to endure for so long in Asia. After the main courses were cleared away and a dance performance was put on, plates of dessert were served which were topped with an ingredient that exemplified the company's value of striving ahead: Nergi babykiwi – the latest variety of the company.
For more information, please visit: www.oscar.eu
Photos from all tables:
