Chiquita wholesale event Western International

A Chiquita wholesale event held at Western International market, attended by Miss Chiquita

Produce giant Chiquita has hailed the success of its first-ever UK consumer campaign that has resulted in increased demand for premium bananas.

Branding 300 taxis with Chiquita logos across London, as well as breakfast events at UK wholesale markets formed part of the latest campaign, which was designed to raise consumer awareness of Class Extra bananas.

The company said it is seeing an “exciting period” of investment following its acquisition by Brazilian juice company Cutrale.

“We are very pleased with the way the campaign went and the affect it’s had on brand awareness and sales,” said Chiquita director, John Cockle. “This demonstrates our strategy to further strengthen the Chiquita brand and is underpinned by our commitment to supply the best quality in the industry.”

Cockle said the company has also recently invested in its shipping operations, with two new vessels to strengthen logistics options, as well as an ongoing investment programme at Chiquita farms to support future growth.

“These investments, linked with our marketing campaigns, will further empower the Chiquita brand in the UK as part of the company’s long term global strategy,” Cockle added.

“We have seen increased demand for Chiquita Premium bananas, not just through the campaign but also the support we’ve offered our customers.

‘’This is an exciting time in our company’s evolution. Since our new private ownership in January this year we have had significant investment, enabling us to grow by delivering the best possible service to our customers.”

The promotion was the first time the UK has participated in the company’s ‘Just Smile’ campaign, which is running in a number of countries around the world.