“In the future, our our focus will be increasingly targeted at the domestic market and retail market. The export of Chinese fruits and vegetables has become a stable market, with slower growth. The Chinese domestic market is quickly growing, and the potential is huge. Goodfarmer already established partnerships with prominent supermarkets and retailers, including Resource Vanguard, Walmart China and Pagoda. This we can use to establish and build out our brand name on the domestic market,” explains Sophy, marketing manager at the Shanghai office.
Bananas are key
Currently, Goodfarmer is importing a number of fresh products in China. Bananas, pineapples and dragon fruit are sold under the Goodfarmer brand. Branding is important for the company to showcase its premium selection and stable supply. In addition, the group signed a partnership with Zespri in 2013 and now is the second largest agent of Zespri kiwifruit globally.
“Bananas are by far our number one import product. The banana import business requires upfront investment and so not that many companies have the capacity to import bananas. Bananas require careful selection, transportation and ripening. Goodfarmer has invested in air ripening facilities in large cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Nanjing and a couple of other cities. We are able to supply retailers with ripe, yellow bananas."
'Bananas are a hugely popular fruit in China. They are eaten by the young and the old, and many healthy properties are attributed to this fruit. Bananas generate energy, they're easy to eat and are good for digestion. Some people eat up to three bananas a day. Goodfarmer launched banana imports in 2011. In the years 2014 up to 2016, we were the largest banana importer in China. In the coming years, we are aiming to open a total of fifty ripening facilities in cities across China. Our bananas are sold under the Goodfarmer brand to retailers across China. As such the fruit has become a powerful tool for us to build our brand on the domestic market."
Goodfarmer's Yunnan planting base
Banana ripening rooms
Goodfarmer sources most of its imported bananas from the Philippines and Ecuador. It has recently started rolling out imports from Vietnam and has opened up a banana plantation in Guangxi and Yunnan, in the South and Southwest of China.
For more information:
Sophy
Goodfarmer Investment Holding (Group)
www.goodfarmer.com
sophy@goodfarmer.com