SNFL Group, Vanguard International, and Riverking International host grape tasting events in Shanghai and Guangzhou, China
The first tasting event took place at the Guangzhou Jiangnan Market on January 11 in the morning. The event included local dragon dancers, a dynamic opening performance, presentation of the IvoryTM grape variety, container opening, tastings and interviews, as well a limited number of gifts for attendees. Chinese retailers, importers, and wholesalers had their first opportunity to discover the IvoryTM grape varietal that had just arrived from Peru.
The event will now travel to the Shanghai CitySuper store for daily tastings on January 15, 16, and 17 at 2pm each day.
The tasting events will allow consumers to have the first taste of SNFL bred IvoryTM grapes under Vanguard’s Majestic Jaguar brand. This green grape features a uniform berry with a sweet, clean finish. Ivory’sTM taste and crunch make it a customer favorite grape.
“These events are a great way to educate our global customers and consumers around the wonderful tasting profile these grapes offer and to celebrate the limited supply of this season’s IvoryTM crop as the region gets ready to celebrate Chinese New Year,” shared Dirk Winkelmann, Chief Business Development Officer of The Vanguard International Group.
Josep Estiarte, CEO of SNFL explains “China is leading table grape consumption worldwide representing +46% of the global consumption. Grapes are actually under-represented in the fruit basket with only 29% of Chinese consumers purchasing grapes. These events are key to raise awareness about premium, seedless, sweet, and firm varieties such as IvoryTM, a very good choice for Chinese consumers.”
SNFL Group is one of the world’s leading table grape R&D companies. For over 20 years they have been breeding and developing new table grape varieties and licensing their production around the world.
“Every year, there are about 10,000 containers of imported grapes entering the Chinese Market. The demand for traditional varieties has been decreasing, and the new varieties are in much more demand, especially during the past two years. There have been several new seedless varieties successfully launched in the Chinese market. Having advantages of stability, early-season timing, and great taste, IvoryTM has been well recognized by the market, and the last two seasons of trials also have proven that. I sincerely hope that this promotion will speed up the recognition of IvoryTM with our customers,” Vice-General Manager Wang Yijian from Riverking Southern China said.
Remarks by Mr. Ou Hongqing, General Manager of Riverking Southern China, “New grape varieties like IvoryTM are well received by more and more Chinese consumers. IvoryTM is a variety that is very crispy and has very good flavor. It has good storage quality, long shelf life, good visual presentation on the shop floor, and eats exceptionally well. We are very confident about its market potential in China”.
About Vanguard
Founded in 1991, Vanguard International has been marketing and selling fresh fruits and vegetables in Asia and the Middle East for over 30 years, operating offices internationally in Chile, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru, Spain, Taiwan, South Africa, and the United States. Vanguard is a vertically-integrated table grape grower, packer, and shipper.
About SNFL
SNFL Group is one of the world’s leading table grape R&D companies. For over 20 years SNFL has bred and developed new table grape varieties and licensed production around the world. The SNFL multi-disciplinary team is made up of geneticists, molecular biologists, agronomists, and technologists of the highest caliber that are driven to propel the next generation of healthy table grape varieties to better serve the success of growers, retailers, and consumers around the globe.
About Riverking Trade Co. LTD.
Established in 2005, Riverking Trade Co. LTD is the largest wholesale marketer of imported fruit in Shanghai Hui Zhan. With more than 17 years of fruit operations including a wide range of sales channels, and customer resources, Riverking imports fruit from countries including the USA, Chile, Africa, Peru, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, and Vietnam.
