Hortyfruta Esther Schweins

Esther Schweins (centre) with (l-r) Proexport's Juan Marín Bravo and Hortyfruta's Francisco Góngora

A new European consumption campaign for Spanish fruits and vegetables, organised by Hortyfruta and Proexport, was given a boost at the recent Fruit Logistica trade fair when its launch attracted a large section of the German media.

Although significant in itself, it was the face of the ‘We Care, You Enjoy’ campaign, well-known German actress Esther Schweins, rather than the content of the initiative that proved the draw for the scrum of paparazzi that descended on Proexport’s stand.

Preparing for her role in the campaign, which is projected to run for the next three years in Germany, Austria and the UK, the actress recently visited Murcia and Almeria in southern Spain to learn more about production methods first-hand.

Speaking at the event, she said: “I have been able to enjoy the taste of European vegetables and the pleasure of pulling up a plant with my own hands and eating it straight away, fresh.”

Schweins told journalists that during her time in Spain, she had also borne witness to the fact that “the fresh produce industry is safe (for consumers), is investing in cutting-edge technology and respects the environment”.

For his part, Proexport president Juan Marín Bravo said: “Proexport in Murcia and Hortyfruta in Andalusia have united with the EU and the Spanish government because we are convinced of the excellence of European vegetables, because we are worried at all levels about obesity in our society and because it is the responsibility of all of us to promote healthy eating to improve our quality of life.

“With the ‘We Care, You Enjoy’ campaign and the fantastic collaboration of Esther Schweins, we will aim to help people appreciate how consumption of vegetables delivers health benefits.”