Frutas de Chile’s Charif Christian Carvajal awarded 2026 Brand Leader of the Year
Effie Greater China CXO Club held its annual awards ceremony in Beijing on 10 September, where Charif Christian Carvajal, director of marketing for Europe and Asia at Frutas de Chile, was named 2026 Brand Leader of the Year.
It was a significant milestone, with the fresh produce industry recognised alongside major Chinese and global FMCG and tech brands at the marketing industry award ceremony.
Founded in 1968, Effie is a New York-based global organisation dedicated to advancing marketing effectiveness, with programs and participation spanning more than 125 markets. The Effie Greater China CXO Club Brand Leader of the Year accolade celebrates leaders who have made significant contributions to marketing, brand building and their respective industries.
Carvajal was recognised for his work – on behalf of Chilean fresh fruit exporters association Frutas de Chile – in positioning Chile as a trusted, diverse and innovative fruit-growing origin through consumer promotion, reputation management and communication of the nutritional benefits of Chilean fresh fruits.
“This recognition from China’s marketing industry is a true honor, but it ultimately belongs to Frutas de Chile’s grower and exporter members. Their commitment to quality, food safety and reliability underpins our work to strengthen Chile’s reputation in China and worldwide,” said Carvajal.
Carvajal’s work in China has encompassed the promotion of categories including citrus, blueberries, table grapes, stonefruit and cherries. These efforts connect Frutas de Chile’s members with importers, distributors, supermarkets, wholesale markets, digital platforms, media, nutrition specialists, influencers and consumers.
The strategy has combined consumer education on nutrition and healthy lifestyles with digital campaigns, in-store activations, e-commerce, trade engagement and reputation-building initiatives. It has also included communication strategies designed to protect consumer confidence and respond transparently to reputational challenges affecting Chilean fruit.
Among the initiatives developed are a Guinness World Record, fruit delivery experiences using drones, co-branding activities with the Chilean wine industry, influencer and nutrition campaigns, thematic activations such as the “Chilean Cherry Ice & Snow Festival” across 12 Chinese cities, and a first-ever documentary produced in collaboration with China Central Television (CCTV), which traced the journey of Chilean cherries from orchard to table and introduced Chinese consumers to the industry professionals behind the fruit.
During his extensive career spanning international agricultural trade, country-of-origin branding, reputation management and fresh produce promotion, Carvajal has led marketing strategies across Europe and Asia. He is a former chairman of the Southern Hemisphere Association of Fresh Fruit Exporters (SHAFFE) and a member of China’s Xinfadi Agricultural Studies Centre.
