strawberries.2

Scotty Brand is making headway with strawberries

Supermarket fresh produce shelves can be noteworthy for the distinct lack of many – or any – fresh produce brands.

But with the berry category having recently smashed the £1 billion barrier in the UK, according to Kantar Worldpanel data, and with several soft-fruit products enjoying strong growth, the time seems perfect to try to build up some brand loyalty in the category. Scotty Brand strawberries – in season from June to September – are one such product.

Grown and packed in Scotland by Perthshire-based Bruce Farms, the light, fertile soil, long summer days and mild nights provide supportive conditions for growing sweet, juicy berries. Asked about the importance of a berry brand in the market, Michael Jarvis, head of marketing at Scotty Brand, says: “Berries are available to consumers all year round, with fruit being imported from all over the world.

“However Scotty Brand berries are a premium product because they are grown during the traditional season without forcing orstretching out the season. Scotty Berries are grown and delivered at their best and only at their best. It is important to educate consumers when the growing season is, and to herald the start of every new season.”

Soft-fruit giant BerryWorld recently released a new berry brand on strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries in Ocado. And Adam Olins, managing director of BerryWorld, says: “We have recently launched a branded soft-fruit range which showcases our best in class varieties. “The brand was founded on a desire to give consumers the maximum pleasure and enjoyment from eating our berries every time they buy them, whatever the season.

“The brand identity is rich in symbolism; it represents the constantly evolving cycles within nature and is an abstract depiction of a colourful, tasty and juicy berry, brought to life by the sunlight that nourishes it.It is plump and plentiful, just like the berries we harvest.We want to make our consumers smile as they discover the richness and joy within our world of berries.” However, despite this, Olins dismisses the notion of branding as being something that is set to take the fresh produce aisles by storm.

“We do not necessarily see branding as a trend,” he tells FPJ. “But, it is something which is working for us, and expands the breadth of our offer to retail and non-retail customers across the globe.” If it keeps working, other berry businesses might fancy trying a slice of the branding pie themselves.

Kung Fu berries

Fresh produce marketer SanLucar has teamed up with one of TwentiethCentury Fox’s most popular movie characters to promote fruit and vegetable consumption among children.

The Spanish supplier has announced that Kung Fu Panda has become its latest brand ambassador, and will appear on berry and banana packaging during the coming weeks, as the karate-kicking bear’s latest film, Kung Fu Panda 3, is screened across Europe.

The promotion, which also features the character on posters and brochures in German and Austrian retailers, is due to run until 18 April. As part of the campaign, SanLucar will raffle a holiday to Edinburgh. The winners will spend two nights at the Scottish capital during which they can visit Europe’s biggest panda bears at Edinburgh Zoo. The film’s star, actor Jack Black, was given some SanLucar berries to try at the premiere of the film in Berlin.