The secret of good comedy…? Timing, of course. As it turnsout, the secret to growing sales of fresh mangoes and papayas isnot too dissimilar. As we report in this month’s issue,European mango and papaya importers and marketers are becomingincreasingly aware of the need to provide consumers with aready-to-eat product – ripe at the point of sale and timed toperfection. The convenience of fresh-cut may be a good way to addvalue, but ripeness is no longer an optional extra.

As the European economy begins to take a nosedive and inflationrears its ugly head once again, the growing importance of gettingproduct quality exactly right and of safeguarding repeat purchaseswill not be lost on those looking to sell fresh fruit andvegetables. For those companies which have invested heavily inbranding – such as Total Produce, which will officiallylaunch its new brand TOP later this month – the stakes areeven higher. But, as our interview with Total Produce chiefexecutive Rory Byrne (News Focus, p16-17 of Eurofruit Magazine, August edition) suggests, the economicslowdown may not be all bad news. For the strongest, most expansivecompanies, a downturn can provide valuable opportunities to makeacquisitions and steal a march on the competition. In times ofeconomic difficulty, people tend to go with what they know andtrust, and for the fresh produce trade’s leading brands, thatcould also prove to be an advantage. Here, success could againdepend on the timing – the right acquisition at the righttime, or the right product in a particular market at the opportunemoment.

Last month, we spoke to James Harvey of Fresh Del Monte UK aboutthe challenge his company faces in convincing retailers to stockits branded fruit instead of opting for private label supplies. Inthe last 20 years, there has been a clear move away from supplierbrands at a consumer level, with the likes of Tesco Finest,Edeka’s Rio Grande and a growing number of French privatelabels dominating their markets. As a result, supplier brands havebeen confined largely to the supply chain, with the exception ofthose that have huge amounts of trade support or which have a verydistinct profile. While received wisdom suggests these brands aremore or less finished at consumer level, the recent launch ofKirikou (see Brand Dossier, p23 of Eurofruit Magazine, August edition) would suggest otherwise. With astrong profile and a clear, emotive message via its links withUnicef, this is a brand which has apparently timed its appearancejust right.

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