Marketing Events for South African Table Grapes Held in Beijing and Shanghai

In early April, as domestically produced table grapes had yet to hit the market in China, fresh grapes from South Africa were the primary offering available to consumers. Recently, supported by South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) and the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Yonghui Superstores and Joy Wing Mau Fruit Technologies Group hosted offline promotional events for South African table grapes in Shanghai and Beijing, respectively.

Molatelo Enos Mamadi, agricultural counselor at the South African Embassy in Beijing, and Phuti Joyce Tsipa, consul general of South Africa in Shanghai, participated in the events in Beijing and Shanghai, respectively. AJ Griesel, CEO of SATI, also conveyed his congratulations to the attendees at the events via video. The purpose of the gatherings was to introduce the South African fruit industry with a particular focus on the grape sector.

Fruit exports play a pivotal role for South Africa’s agriculture sector. Each year, approximately 65% of the country’s fruit production is exported to nearly 100 countries, including China. South Africa ranks as the third-largest producer of table grapes in the Southern Hemisphere, trailing only Chile and Peru, with a grape export legacy spanning 125 years. This year marks the fourth consecutive year of SATI’s concerted efforts to conduct a series of marketing activities in China, with the aim of promoting South African table grapes across various platforms and enhancing market visibility.

South African table grapes are primarily cultivated across five of the country’s regions, encompassing a total area of nearly 20,000 hectares. Owing to the country’s climatic and geographical characteristics, South African table grapes are available from November to May of the following year, seamlessly bridging the supply gap during China’s domestic table grape off-season.

South African table grapes boast a variety of flavors, characterized by a crisp and sweet taste. More than 20 cultivars are exported globally each year. Among them, Crimson Seedless, Sweet Globe and Autumn Crisp stand out as the most popular choices on the Chinese market.

In recent years, the South African table grape sector has identified China as a key overseas market and has been collaborating with importers and retailers in China to jointly promote the country’s products, leading to a steady increase in exports to China. According to SATI statistics, during the 2023/24 season, exports of South African table grapes to China and Hong Kong constituted 1.8% of total exports, equivalent to more than half of the volume shipped to Southeast Asian markets.

This year also marks the inaugural promotional collaboration between SATI and Yonghui Superstores. Since late March, Yonghui Superstores has been conducting marketing activities in its stores across Guangdong, Zhejiang and Shanghai. In the days ahead, additional stores and cities will join the initiative, providing more consumers with the opportunity to taste fresh South African table grapes.

Images: Yonghui Superstores (main image and body images three and seven), Joy Wing Mau (body images one, two, four and six), and SATI (body image five)

This article was based on a Chinese article. Read the original article.