The Kissabel® apple season has officially begun in the northern hemisphere, bringing with it excellent harvest prospects and a series of consumer engagement activities. Sales of the innovative range of apples with coloured flesh – from pink to intense red – began in mid-September thanks to the partners of the IFORED programme in their respective countries, with sales expected to continue in some markets until February.
The season will feature the American company NBT, the British company Worldwide Fruit, the French companies Mesfruits and Blue Whale, and the Swiss company Fenaco. The Italian partners of the NovaMela Consortium (Melinda, VIP, Rivoira, La Trentina and VOG) and the German Red Apple Germany will then take the stage, focusing solely on the Rouge variety.
Thanks to its unique appearance, extraordinary taste and striking identity, Kissabel® is ready to win over a young, curious audience attracted by distinctive, innovative and, of course, delicious products.
“We are very confident about the upcoming season,” comments Emmanuel de Lapparent, manager of the Kissabel® programme. “Thanks to the excellent work of our programme partners, we anticipate a good harvest in terms of both volume and quality. Supported by the many planned activities and in-store promotions, I am sure that Kissabel® will continue to establish itself as a highly innovative and unique range of apples.”
THE HARVEST: A PROMISING START TO THE SEASON
There are positive reports from a number of sources regarding the volume and quality of the harvest.
In the United States, NBT is preparing to enter in early October its third sales season with the Jaune and Rouge varieties: quantities are in line with expectations and the harvest is particularly promising in terms of overall quality, which will guarantee market availability until the end of October.
With production focused on the Orange and Rouge varieties and quantities slightly increasing, French partners Mesfruits and Blue Whale aim to expand the presence of Kissabel®. Mesfruits primarily focuses on the European market, while Blue Whale concentrates on the domestic market and Asia. The planned sales window will extend until November.
There has also been promising feedback from the British partner: “We are very excited about the upcoming campaign,” comments Hannah McIlfatrick, Commercial Director of Worldwide Fruit. “We expect excellent quantities across all three varieties, Orange, Rouge and Jaune. Furthermore, the appearance of the apples at this stage is truly excellent. The campaign began in September and will continue until February.”
The outlook is also stable for Fenaco in Switzerland, where the harvest focuses on the Orange and Rouge varieties, with availability expected to last until December.
In Italy, the NovaMela Consortium will focus on the Rouge variety starting at the end of October: “The season about to begin has all the makings of a good one,” commented Andrea Fedrizzi, Marketing Director at Melinda and spokesperson for NovaMela. “The Rouge campaign will enter full swing in a few weeks, but the forecasts are promising and the apples are showing very high quality.”
Finally, our German partner Red Apple Germany, which also focuses on Rouge, will start the season just before Halloween with excellent prospects in terms of quantity and quality.
TAILORED MARKETING STRATEGIES
In the United States, brand building is in full swing, as Brianna Shales, Marketing Director at Stemilt Growers and NBT spokesperson for the Kissabel project, explained: “It is essential that retailers effectively communicate the distinctive feature of Kissabel®, namely its coloured flesh, through visual materials at points of sale, targeted packaging, displays and dedicated tastings. The aim is to build a solid base of loyal consumers and strengthen brand recognition.”
In France, the marketing strategy supports expansion into local and international markets. “The objective is twofold,” comments Christelle Bertin, Marketing and Communications Director at Blue Whale. “On the one hand, we want to work on our brand reputation in France, and on the other, we want to stimulate demand in Asia, where interest in innovative brands such as Kissabel® is growing.”
In the United Kingdom, the sales season will be accompanied by a bold marketing campaign, combining digital and out-of-home advertising, designed to highlight the uniqueness and unexpected colours inside the apple. “Kissabel® is a disruptive product that is attracting new consumers,” comments Hannah McIlfatrick of Worldwide Fruit. “We want to increase penetration and offer this apple to an ever-wider audience for a longer period of time. The goal is to grow the entire category.”
In Italy, the campaign continues to focus on increasing product awareness through a mix of targeted actions: social media activities, integrated communication, tastings for selected customers and participation in major food & beverage trade fairs, such as the Fiera dell’Artigianato (Craft Fair).
In Germany, following the excellent results of previous seasons, the Halloween-themed campaign returns to stores, enhanced this year by a competition for the best secondary positioning on the market: the prize is a team-building event for the winning store. “Next,” explains Jens Anderson, Marketing Manager at Red Apple Germany, “our flagship event will return: the Baking Red Event, during which consumers can share photos of their recipes featuring Kissabel®. This promotion, advertised on the packaging, is a perfect opportunity to showcase this product’s unique aesthetics and character in an engaging and entertaining way.”
Finally, in Switzerland, Fenaco continues to focus on retail and gastronomy, working on customer loyalty thanks in part to the excellent quality of the harvest. “We constantly monitor market trends to strengthen relationships with our partners,” commented Marie Pignat, Marketing Manager at Fenaco.
The opportunity to discover the extraordinary Kissabel® range first-hand is hosted by Fruit Attraction, the annual international fruit and vegetable trade show scheduled to take place in Madrid from 30 September to 2 October, where the brand will be present with a customised stand (Hall 08 – Stand 8A16).
