Chiquita bananas Greece

This year, Chiquita Hellas, the Athens-based subsidiary of fresh produce giant Chiquita Brands International, is participating in the group’s major promotional campaign in Europe for bananas.

Advertisements will be appearing on television, in print and through outdoor channels, focusing on the unique taste of Chiquita bananas, according to Nikos Stefanidis.

“2011 is a very important year for Chiquita Hellas,” he tells Eurofruit. “The campaign started in Greece in week 15, and we have implemented an effective media mix including TV, print, outdoor and also in-store point of sale material.”

Despite the severe economic situation, Chiquita senior management has taken the decision to invest in marketing in order to stay ahead of the competition, and, according to Stefanidis, the results speak for themselves.

“Consumers are responding positively to the campaign,” he says. “Since the start, we have experienced a 16 per cent rise in volumes compared with the same period last year.”