âConsumer confidence in cherries is gradually building upâ
The Chinese imported cherry market is gradually recovering and, over time, and through intense promotional activities, consumers are starting to have more confidence in imported fruits. With the Chilean cherry season ending, local cherries start to become available in the market and USA cherries after that. Mr. Gonzalo Matamala, the director of Giddings Fruit Asia & China, shared his insights into the past âcherry incidentâ, and his expectations for the upcoming USA cherry season.
Gonzalo gives his opinion, but from a different angle, âOf course the cherry incident damaged the sector badly this season, and financially, but I would rather see it as an opportunity. Over the years, cherry prices stayed at a very high level. Local consumers consider the cherry a high-end product, which only shares popularity among a certain group of consumers.â Gonzalo said, âthis season, the low cherry prices provided a reason for consumers who do not normally consume cherries very often to try and purchase them. They started getting to know this type of fruit and started to buy larger volumes. I believe lots of them will become loyal âcherry-eatersâ for our next cherry season.â