Chilean Grapes China Offline Campaign Features Novel Tea Shop Cooperation

Two things that consumers in China are crazy for are fresh fruit and tea. In fact, exports of Chilean fruit to Asia surpassed those to the United States during the 2020/21 marketing season, led by consumption in China, Asia’s largest market for Chilean fruit. And, as the ancestral home of the tea plant and a major participant in the global bubble tea craze, tea shops are absolutely everywhere one looks in China.

It is therefore only natural that lucky customers at select Shanghai locations of the upscale Zhu Chun tea chain can currently enjoy a special Grapes from Chile cross-promotional beverage named “Starry Sky” (星空) that features Chilean table grapes as a key ingredient.

Zhu Chun is known for innovative beverages served from shops occupying prime real estate and decorated with a modern aesthetic. The chain has dozens of branches in 12 Chinese cities. The Starry Sky beverage was launched on May 4 and will be available through June 3 at four Zhu Chun locations in Shanghai, including the chain’s flagship store in the well-known upscale Xintiandi shopping development.

The promotion includes Grapes from Chile branded point-of-sale materials such as posters and counter displays. The beverage is also being promoted on Zhu Chun’s social media channels with educational content about the nutritional properties of Chilean grapes.

The cross-promotion is part of a broader 2020/21 offline promotional campaign run in China by the Chilean Table Grape Committee of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX). The campaign features in-store tastings and Grapes from Chile branded POS displays at Auchan, Hema, Walmart, Yonghui, Sam’s Club and RT-Mart supermarkets and hypermarkets during April, May and June. These activities will cover 20 cities and include more than 990 individual sessions. Furthermore, the Chilean Table Grape Committee has worked with leading fruit shop chain Pagoda for POS promotions and a retail livestreaming event.

The Chilean Table Grape Committee has also developed the following merchandising tips, which retailers can use to increase their table grape sales and ensure a good customer experience:

• Bagged grapes should be stacked no more than three layers high.
• Grapes are often an impulse purchase so ensure that the display is highly visible.
• Rotate the display on a frequent basis.
• Research has shown that promoting at least 2–3 varieties leads to increased sales.
• Use color contrast to maximum effect, displaying varieties of all three colors: green, red and black.
• Cross merchandise with everything from yogurt to salads to cheese and wine.
• Use signage to let shoppers know the unique characteristics of the varieties on display.

ASOEX is a global leader in running generic promotional campaigns for various types of Chilean fruits, and Chilean table grape campaigns have been held in China now for several seasons. This year’s offline promotions for Chilean table grapes in China have been complemented by a beauty-focused online campaign, featuring cooperation with e-commerce channels and social media activities.

By volume, table grapes were Chile’s largest fruit export during the 2020/21 marketing year, with a total of 490,726 tons exported. In China, Chilean table grapes have proven popular with both the fruit industry and consumers owing to their high quality, competitive price (due in part to having no tariff under the China–Chile free trade agreement) and a diverse offering of varieties that includes both traditional favorites and newer cultivars with specific desirable characteristics.

Among the 111,487 tons of Chilean table grapes exported to China in the 2019/20 season were more than 36 different varieties. With so many choices, it is sure that every consumer will be able to find the perfect variety of Chilean table grapes to suit their personal tastes.

Images: ASOEX