At Fruit Logistica in Berlin last week, the Union des Groupements de Producteurs de Guadeloupe et Martinique (UGPBAN) unveiled its new orange logo, which is designed to increase the visibility of bananas from these islands and win new market share.

This latest move follows the concerted efforts that have already been made since Hurricane Dean devastated the two islands’ banana plantations in August 2007 and builds on the already excellent image of these bananas in French consumers’ eyes.

According to the group’s Sylvie Latour, 71 per cent of French consumers prefer this origin. She also said that the French link with the islands and the bananas’ highly recognised taste were “a solid base on which to go far”.

The new signature of the group, Banane de Guadeloupe & Martinique, is now far easier and quicker to say, she added, and would appear on stickers on all the group’s bananas. “We must position ourselves as a brand and an origin,” she said.

“We must produce bananas differently from the rest of the world,” continued managing director Philippe Ruelle, “on a social level, a safety level and an environmental level.”

The group added that it would begin sourcing bananas from new origins, including Cameroon and the Dominican Republic. A grand communication campaign is also planned for 2009/10, including animations at point-of-sale, posters, internet games and competitions, a newsletter and a new website.

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