Wherever you are in the world, the image of the flamenco dancer is one that is inextricably linked with Spain and, more often than not, with the Spanish region most associated with flamenco’s roots, Andalusia. For this very reason, when the Andalusian interprofessional fresh produce organisation Hortyfruta came to choose an image to incorporate into its first ever brand, it was to flamenco that they turned.
Lola Andalusian Fresh Produce, which was officially launched in November last year, is also the first ever inter-association brand for the Spanish region’s fruit and vegetables. The coming Spanish export campaign will mark the first time that the brand has been seen in Spanish and European retail stores.
As Hortyfruta managing director María José Pardo explained, the image of a flamenco dancer was chosen to reflect the best-known characteristics of the region of Andalusia, namely flamenco, happiness and sunshine. “The reason behind this decision is so we can convey to consumers a positive image about our products – this is the objective,” she told Fruitnet.com.
The name Lola was chosen for the brand, Ms Pardo continued, because of its apparently universal appeal: “It is typically Spanish, can be easily pronounced and is recognisable anywhere in the world”. According to Hortyfruta, Lola will help to differentiate and increase awareness of Andalusia’s fruit and vegetables in key European markets such as Germany and the UK. It is also hoped that the brand will improve the marketing of the region’s fresh produce and strengthen the identity of the region and its products in the market.
“Our mission is the promotion of all fruit and vegetables from Andalusia, but when we started to talk about our products, consumers couldn’t identify them because the origin was always Spain and not Andalusia. For that reason, we created Lola,” explained Ms Pardo.
Although Hortyfruta was only created in 2008, Ms Pardo said the time is now right for the launch of an Andalusian brand in the market. “We find ourselves at a stage of consolidation for the interprofessional organisation and we believe that now is the time to launch a brand for Andalusia. All of the research we have carried out in our export markets has confirmed this,” says Ms Pardo.
Hortyfruta also hopes to build on the improvements to the image of Andalusian fruit and vegetables in recent years, thanks to the conversion of a great deal of production, particularly peppers, to organic pest control systems.
Ms Pardo recently visited the UK to showcase the brand to buyers at a number of leading grocery retailers, including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, Asda and Marks & Spencer. This will be followed by visits to buyers at Tengelmann and several other retail chains in Germany later this year.
Products that will be covered by the campaign, which has received €600,000 in funding from Hortyfruta’s members, include many of Andalusia’s most important fresh produce exports, such as tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, courgettes, green beans, cucumbers, lettuce, melons and watermelons.
Members of Hortyfruta’s allied associations will be able to use the brand to promote their exports provided they comply with certain specified conditions, including having integrated production certification and meeting environmental standard UNE 155400.
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