PAIA

The Peruvian Asparagus Importers’ Association (PAIA) in the US has developed a fresh look for its 2009/10 Category Management Plan Outline for fresh Peruvian asparagus, according to a press statement.

“We have shaped our Category Management Plan Outline as a tool that will be essential for all involved in the trade of fresh asparagus,” explained Priscilla Lleras, PAIA Coordinator.

“The plan comprises statistics identifying market growth, trends, industry facts and key demographics for 2009, as well as, suggested methods to optimize sales within the category.”

“The outline will equip retailers and industry with the type of information that is necessary to sell more fresh Peruvian asparagus,” added John-Campbell Barmmer, director of marketing at Chestnut Hill Farms and East Coast co-chairman of PAIA.

“This is our goal to inform and to promote the trade, as well as offer retailers proposed marketing strategies. Moreover, as an industry, we are continuing in our efforts of developing value added programs that provide the consumer with options that promote convenience, savings and easy to prepare alternatives for fresh Peruvian asparagus.”

Asparagus is a growing trade in the US and Peru is the largest fresh supplier. Imports from the South American nation rose by 12.6 per cent in 2008 compared with the year-earlier period, according to data from the US Department of Commerce, US Census Bureau and Foreign Trade Statistics.

The US imported more than 308,256,000lbs of fresh-market asparagus in 2008, of which Peru represented 174,382,78lbs, or 56 per cent.