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A new marketing campaign targeting 18-39-year-olds is set to make Australian bananas the country's favourite snack, reports the Australian Banana Growers' Council (ABGC).

Fresh produce industry body Horticulture Australia will use social media and networking sites YouTube and Facebook to promote Australian bananas to the 'tweeting' generations.

The new strategy looks set to make Australian bananas the nation's number one snack by the end of 2014, ABGC said in a press release.

Horticulture Australia general manager marketing David Chenu said the campaign will be put into place over the coming months.

He explained that the new strategy was inspired by one Australian banana grower's use of social media sites to update consumers on banana supply conditions following the devastation wrought by Cyclone Yasi in February.

Innisfail grower Steve Lizzio posted updates about the status of his bananas' regrowth on YouTube and Facebook, Mr Chenu said. "This has been a vital part of the strategy to keep consumers informed about when the supply of bananas will return to normal."

Mr Chenu is due to speak at the Australian Banana Industry Congress, to be held in Queensland on June 1-4.

The 2011 event will mark the 50th anniversary of the ABGC.