California grapes go global with promotions

Big supplies of California grapes will be heading to export markets this fall, and promotions will be there to support sales.

More than 60% of the California grape crop ships after Aug. 31, and promotions will be heavy this fall in important export markets.

Last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that 71% of the value of California grape exports were recorded in the September through December period.

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A multifaceted campaign promoting California grapes is underway in 19 countries representing 94% of all exports last season, said Jeff Cardinale, vice president of communications for the Fresno-based California Table Grape Commission.

Consumers are seeing ads for California grapes at home and on their way to and in stores, plus online where they are seeing ads from retailers participating in promotions, he said.

Commercials will air on TV in Taiwan mid-September through mid-October and in Japan from mid-October through mid-November. In South Korea, TV commercials will run from mid-September through mid-October, Cardinale said.

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Commercials and ads will appear in high-traffic subway stations, near grocery stores, in bus shelters, on outdoor video screens, and on billboards at shopping malls where retailers are known to stock California grapes, he said.

Sample time

Consumers will have the opportunity to taste California grapes via samplings in stores, he said. What’s more, Cardinale said retailers will showcase California grapes via point-of-purchase materials in local languages, and in select countries, customers will gain points on loyalty cards with every California grape purchase. Mobile markets will also cruise through the streets of Manila in the Philippines offering samples and education leaflets about the benefits of eating California grapes, he said.

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