Ferrara – The successful European Flavors project, aimed at promoting the taste and quality of European fruit and vegetables, kicks off in Canada for its second three-year activity cycle which is scheduled to end in 2013.
The project, with an overall value of 3.6 million euros, of which 50% is funded by the European Union, 20% by the Italian government and the remaining 30% by the Italian member companies of CSO (in particular Apoconerpo, Apofruit, Afe, Granfrutta Zani, Lagnasco Gruppo, Opoveneto, Pempa Corer, Cico, Made in Blu, Oranfrizer, Conserve Italia and Orogel), will make its debut at the Canadian PMA show.
The Canadian edition of the PMA (Produce Marketing Association) trade show is one of the world’s major events in the fruit and vegetable industry and offers trade professionals a regular opportunity to keep abreast of the latest products and meet the most representative companies in the sector.
The CPMA (Canadian Produce Marketing Association) is a not-for-profit association that currently represents 730 members across all segments of the fruit and vegetable industry, who are responsible for 90% of sales in the Canadian fresh fruit and vegetable market.
The European Flavors project is therefore bringing European fresh fruit to Canada, in particular pears, kiwifruit, oranges and plums, with a view to promoting their consumption and raising awareness of production methods that use integrated crop management to protect health and the environment.
As part of the European Flavors project (www.europeanflavors.eu), a programme of high-profile communication and promotional activities will be carried out in mass retail outlets throughout Canada.
Italycurrently exports an average of around 10,000 tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables each year to Canada, where there is continuous demand over the last 5 years for flagship products such as pears, oranges, kiwifruit, apples and grapes.
Canadian consumers will be able to appreciate the extraordinary sensory characteristics and taste of Italian fruit and vegetables by means of tasting sessions and sampling events which will be scheduled in various cities throughout Canada.
“We are planning initiatives,” declared Furio Mazzotti, Managing director of Made in Blu, “that will particularly draw attention to products of certified origin. These are exclusive initiatives targeted at Canadian consumers who will therefore be able to appreciate and become more familiar with European flavours.”
“The Canadian market,” declared Diego de Luca of Alegra, “is extremely interesting in that it offers us the chance to fully promote our offering of fruit in all segments, from the smallest to the largest sizes, always with great emphasis on quality.”
Product qualification is also the central theme of an activity launched by Oranfrizer in Canada to boost sales of the Sicilian blood orange, focusing on both fresh fruit and freshly squeezed juice.
“We are carrying out an important programme to raise the profile of the blood orange throughout the world,” declared Salvo Laudani of Oranfrizer, “in an endeavour to make the values of this extraordinary product perceptible, both from a sensory and taste viewpoint and from a nutritional viewpoint.
“The Sicilian blood orange,” concluded Laudani, “is a specialty product with a strong regional identity, which is an important value for an ethnic market such as that of Canada.”
For further information: www.europeanflavors.eu
Source: European Flavors
