Itaueira Rei melon Brazil

Brazilian melon supplier Itaueira is rolling out a consumer and trade marketing campaign designed to raise the awareness of its Rei-branded Canary Yellow melons in North America.

Given that the variety is not well known among North American consumers, the group plans to organise sampling activities in supermarket chains across the region to help boost sales.

“It is almost impossible for a consumer to taste our melon and decide not to bring one home to share with all the family,” explained Itaueira’s export manager Adriana Prado.

“It is common to see someone tasting a sample for the first time and them asking for another piece, or coming again and again, trying to taste it one more time, and, most of the times asking to show the fruit to someone else.”

The initiative was inspired after Itaueira received an email from a consumer in the US, who claimed she enjoyed the company's Canary Yellow melon variety so much that she recommended the fruit to her friends.

“The Canary Melon is the most delicious melon I think I’ve ever tasted in my entire life,” explained Becki Kiss from Philadelphia.

“My friends have recently started buying these melons as well because they are as amazing as the label on them boasts.”

Itaueira is a family-owned company from Fortaleza, Ceará, and has focused on growing top-quality fruit since 1983 in the Brazilian states of Piauí, Ceará and Bahia.

The company is so proud of its top-quality fruit that it sells the melons with the brand name Rei (which means King in Portuguese) and under the slogan of “I am delicious” on every sticker.

Itaueira will also serve Yellow Canary melons samples from its booth (457) during the PMA Fresh Summit trade show in Atlanta on 15-17 October.

“Fresh Summit attendees will be able to see for themselves why so many people are paying more attention to flavor instead of cosmetic appearance, when they are looking for something to eat,” Ms Prado said.

Itaueira exports melons to the US, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and the UK.

The group operates a local office in Miami, under the name Crown International USA, which takes care of all the company’s commercial trade and logistics for the US and Canada.