Trademarked trio of apple varieties with bright pink to deep red flesh is set to continue its disruptive commercial strategy as harvesting gets under way in the Northern Hemisphere
Kissabel, a trademarked trio of apple varieties with coloured flesh that ranges from bright pink to deep red, is all set to continue its “disruptive” commercial strategy as it bids to excite new, young customers across Europe and North America.
Harvesting is now well under way in the Northern Hemisphere, and once again the brand’s early October participation in Fruit Attraction in Madrid aims to communicate that message widely within the trade.
According to the various suppliers that sell the fruit under a licensing partnership called Ifored, the prospects for generating even greater interest from consumers this season are very good indeed.
Sales began in mid-September and are expected to continue in some markets until February.
This season features US supplier NBT, UK-based Worldwide Fruit, French companies Blue Whale and Mesfruits, and the Swiss operator Fenaco, as well as a quintet of Italian partners who belong to the NovaMela Consortium – La Trentina, Melinda, Rivoira, Vip, and Vog – as well as German Red Apple Germany.
“We are very confident about the upcoming season,” comments Emmanuel de Lapparent, manager of the Kissabel programme. “Thanks to the excellent work of our programme partners, we anticipate a good harvest in terms of both volume and quality.”
He adds: “Supported by the many planned activities and in-store promotions, I am sure that Kissabel will continue to establish itself as a highly innovative and unique range of apples.”
Excitement and opportunity
In the US, NBT enters its third sales season in early October with the Jaune and Rouge varieties. It reports a production volume in line with expectations, and a “particularly promising” harvest in terms of overall quality that should guarantee market availability until the end of October.
In France, meanwhile, Blue Whale and Mesfruits plan to expand the brand’s market presence with a slightly larger forecast crop of varieties Orange and Rouge, and a sales window that now extends into November.
In the UK, meanwhile, sales are due to continue well into next year.
“We are very excited about the upcoming campaign,” comments Hannah McIlfatrick, commercial director at Worldwide Fruit. “We expect excellent quantities across all three varieties, Orange, Rouge and Jaune.
“Furthermore, the appearance of the apples at this stage is truly excellent. The campaign began in September and will continue until February.”
The outlook is also stable for Fenaco in Switzerland, where availability of Orange and Rouge is expected until December.
In Italy, NovaMela Consortium members begin to sell Rouge from the end of October.
“The season about to begin has all the makings of a good one,” says Melinda marketing director Andrea Fedrizzi. “The Rouge campaign will enter full swing in a few weeks, but the forecasts are promising and the apples are showing very high quality.”
Red Apple Germany, which also focuses on Rouge, will start its season just before Halloween and reports “excellent prospects” in terms of quantity and quality.
Brand building work continues
Marketing continues to be a major part of Kissabel’s commercial strategy, and the consortium is determined in particular to build brand awareness.
“It is essential that retailers effectively communicate the distinctive feature of Kissabel, namely its coloured flesh, through visual materials at points of sale, targeted packaging, displays and dedicated tastings,” says Brianna Shales, marketing director at Stemilt Growers and spokesperson for NBT. “The aim is to build a solid base of loyal consumers and strengthen brand recognition.”
In France, the marketing strategy supports expansion into local and international markets, with Mesfruits primarily focused on the European market, while Blue Whale concentrates on the domestic market and Asia.
“The objective is twofold,” comments Christelle Bertin, marketing and communications director at Blue Whale. “On the one hand, we want to work on our brand reputation in France, and on the other, we want to stimulate demand in Asia, where interest in innovative brands such as Kissabel is growing.”
In the UK, a bold marketing campaign that combines digital and out-of-home advertising will highlight the uniqueness and unexpected colours inside each apple.
“Kissabel is a disruptive product that is attracting new consumers,” says McIlfatrick. “We want to increase penetration and offer this apple to an ever-wider audience for a longer period of time. The goal is to grow the entire category.”
In Italy, the campaign continues to focus on increasing product awareness through a mix of social media activities, integrated communication, tastings for selected customers and trade fair participation.
In Germany, a successful Halloween promotion returns alongside a recipe-centred Baking Red event for consumers.
“This promotion, advertised on the packaging, is a perfect opportunity to showcase this product’s unique aesthetics and character in an engaging and entertaining way,” explains Jens Anderson, marketing manager at Red Apple Germany.
And in Switzerland, Fenaco continues to focus on retail and gastronomy, using product quality to build customer loyalty.
“We constantly monitor market trends to strengthen relationships with our partners,” comments the group’s marketing manager Marie Pignat.
