At Asia Fruit Logistica, the focus is on varietal innovation and the success of RedPop^® in the Far East and South East Asia. Prospects for Thailand and India are excellent.

BOLZANO, 8 September 2023 – Asian markets are becoming more and more promising for VOG, thanks in particular to its wide, innovative assortment of varieties and brands, which makes the South Tyrolean Consortium the ideal partner for supplying the best apple for customers’ needs in every month of the year. Underlining the area’s importance, the Consortium is exhibiting at Asia Fruit Logistica, now running in Hong Kong until 8 September.

In recent years, VOG has achieved outstanding results in Asia, which is now an important export destination with excellent growth prospects. Varietal innovation has played a fundamental role in this success. Thanks to careful planning of the varieties in production and the work of its 4,600 members, today, the Consortium can supply the right apple for all the international market’s demands every month of the year.

Therefore, as well as on the stand itself, the topic of varietal innovation was also the centre of the presentation by VOG Marketing Manager Hannes Tauber at the Asia Fruit Congress, the cycle of talks given by fruit and vegetable industry experts during the show. The only Italian speaker at the event, Mr Tauber, illustrated the Consortium’s vision and the apple trade regarding this issue.

“Varietal planning is a tricky business, requiring all our expertise and our ability to combine our growers’ knowledge, the insights provided by research and the demands of customers and consumers,” Mr Tauber explained. “Of course, we also have to plot the strategies for the individual brands, to offer varieties attuned to the consumer’s tastes and products that enrich the in-store experience with appeal and colours.”

RedPop^® conquers the Asian markets

One example of an innovation that has received an enthusiastic response from the markets due to both apple’s characteristics and the brand image is RedPop^®. Launched by the Consortium as an apple-shaped snack, RedPop^® has met with enthusiasm in the Far East and South East Asian markets, as this edition of Asia Fruit Logistica confirmed.

“There’s a great deal of interest in RedPop^®, which suits these destinations’ preference for sweet, crispy, aromatic apples and also ships very well,” VOG Sales Manager Klaus Hölzl commented, “but our assortment also includes other varieties with a great deal of promise for the Asian markets, including Giga^®, envy™, Crimson Snow^® and Joya^®”.

“Our feedback from the show indicates that RedPop^® has exactly what it takes to win a major slice of the premium segment on the Asian markets,” Hannes Tauber added. “Its snack positioning, its youthful brand identity and the fact that this apple can be supplied in every month of the year are the key factors in its success.”

VOG and the Asian markets

Asia Fruit Logistica was also an opportunity for assessing VOG’s position in the continent’s markets. The Consortium has built up a solid presence in the Middle East in recent years. It has exported to countries including India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Taiwan, with the aim of also reaching China and Indonesia. Thailand, in particular, has achieved good volumes for brands like Marlene^® and RedPop^® in the last two years, and it is acquiring more and more interest for the Consortium.

The spotlight is also on India, where apples of South Tyrolean origin have gained a solid reputation. As well as for Red Delicious, there is also growing demand in the country for Royal Gala, Granny Smith, and a number of contract apples.

“Europe is still our main market, but our objectives for next season include maintaining a strong position and achieving growth on the Asian markets,” Mr Hölzl explained. “With our wide assortment of varieties and brands and year-round availability of a large selection, we can supply the right products even on these markets, where preferences are traditionally very different from in Europe.”