New packaging, varieties and volume highlight DNE's South Africa citrus program
New packaging, varieties and volume highlight DNE's South Africa citrus program
"North American retailers can expect to have ad volume of South African clementines in late June, along with a variety of package options," said Tom Cowan, South African citrus manager for DNE World Fruit Sales Inc. in Fort Pierce, FL. "Throughout this summer, retailers can expect new varieties and new packaging to highlight the upcoming South African import season.
The core volume of this clementine deal will run from June 27 through Aug. 15 with the late varieties running through the end of September. DNE expects to have an increase of 20 percent over last season's clementine volume.
"The quality of the South African fruit this year is excellent, Mr. Cowan said April 26, indicating that the Brix level on clementines was already above 10. Fruit size on South African clementines and navels is larger this year, with clementines in the five-pound box peaking in the 24-28 size, and Navel sizes peaking on 56s and 64s. All the South African clementines imported by DNE this summer will bear the Ocean Spray brand. Mr. Cowan said that a large part of DNEs South African Navels will also bear the Ocean Spray brand.
This year, DNE is offering retailers additional options of a two-pound or three-pound bag, shipped in 30-pound euro-type display boxes. Retailers should be able to offer a smaller consumer pack than the five-pound box that competes with the typical summer offerings of nectarines, peaches, plums, grapes and melons. We know consumers love the taste of clementines, but they may not want to buy a five-pound box in the summer. Our new packaging will attract shoppers looking for a good impulse-purchase item, Mr. Cowan said.
However, the five-pound box (2.3 kilos) remains the primary package for DNEs South African clementine imports. In addition to these two offerings, DNE will offer a 10-kilo (22-pound carton) of extra-large clementines for high-end retailers that sell citrus by the pound. Each piece of fruit in this box will have a PLU sticker to track the price at the checkout counter.
Another new DNE offering to North American retailers this summer will be the Cara Cara red Navel. For the specialty high-end stores, the Cara Cara Navel has excellent eating quality that is seedless, with a reddish-tinted skin and flesh that is colored similar to a red grapefruit. It tastes like an orange but has Brix in the 11-12 range, Mr. Cowan said.
This year there will be a new early clementine variety released called Clemenpons. Later in September there will be some Clemlate and Mandarin varieties. DNE will import a new citrus variety this year, the Kiyomi, which is a cross between Satsuma and an orange variety with a unique and refreshing taste, he said. Another new variety for us is the Winnola, which has a reddish-orange exterior and a taste similar to the Minneola. Well try some small volumes this year.
In a release, Mr. Cowan said that DNE is the largest importer of South African Minneola tangelos, receiving 10-kilo boxes from Aug. 1 to Sept. 15. DNEs South African Midknight seedless oranges are the last South African variety of the season and will run from the end of September through October.
DNE offers retailers a variety of promotional programs, including advertising support and demonstrations, as well as point-of-sale materials. We have a lot to offer to retailers, and the reception over the last couple of years has been phenomenal, Mr. Cowan said. As a citrus category supplier, DNE can meet growing demand as retailers have discovered that summer citrus adds incremental dollars to produce sales in the summer time. Over the last three or four years, the South African citrus program in the United States has grown into a staple category for retailers. Our Australian and South Africa citrus import programs complement rather than compete with one another.
DNE will add to its summer citrus category in 2005 with a fresh summer lemon program out of Mexico to go along with its California, South Africa, Australia and Florida lemons. DNE also markets a large volume of California Valencias during the summer months.
Mr. Cowan noted that the Ocean Spray brand guarantees retailers a well-known national brand with high-quality exterior and internal standards and assures consumers an excellent-eating fruit. The 'Ocean Spray brand sold by DNE assures retailers and consumers that our products are grown, packed and shipped under the highest standards in the industry. Food safety is key to any import program, and DNE employs agronomists and quality-control inspectors to assure that those quality standards are maintained.
Mr. Cowan said that the first shipload of South African fruit is scheduled to depart Cape Town on May 15. DNE will ship the South African citrus to the U.S. market this summer on 12 chartered break-bulk vessels. The first vessel is expected to arrive in Philadelphia on June 7, with subsequent vessels arriving weekly or biweekly through October.
The core volume of this clementine deal will run from June 27 through Aug. 15 with the late varieties running through the end of September. DNE expects to have an increase of 20 percent over last season's clementine volume.
"The quality of the South African fruit this year is excellent, Mr. Cowan said April 26, indicating that the Brix level on clementines was already above 10. Fruit size on South African clementines and navels is larger this year, with clementines in the five-pound box peaking in the 24-28 size, and Navel sizes peaking on 56s and 64s. All the South African clementines imported by DNE this summer will bear the Ocean Spray brand. Mr. Cowan said that a large part of DNEs South African Navels will also bear the Ocean Spray brand.
This year, DNE is offering retailers additional options of a two-pound or three-pound bag, shipped in 30-pound euro-type display boxes. Retailers should be able to offer a smaller consumer pack than the five-pound box that competes with the typical summer offerings of nectarines, peaches, plums, grapes and melons. We know consumers love the taste of clementines, but they may not want to buy a five-pound box in the summer. Our new packaging will attract shoppers looking for a good impulse-purchase item, Mr. Cowan said.
However, the five-pound box (2.3 kilos) remains the primary package for DNEs South African clementine imports. In addition to these two offerings, DNE will offer a 10-kilo (22-pound carton) of extra-large clementines for high-end retailers that sell citrus by the pound. Each piece of fruit in this box will have a PLU sticker to track the price at the checkout counter.
Another new DNE offering to North American retailers this summer will be the Cara Cara red Navel. For the specialty high-end stores, the Cara Cara Navel has excellent eating quality that is seedless, with a reddish-tinted skin and flesh that is colored similar to a red grapefruit. It tastes like an orange but has Brix in the 11-12 range, Mr. Cowan said.
This year there will be a new early clementine variety released called Clemenpons. Later in September there will be some Clemlate and Mandarin varieties. DNE will import a new citrus variety this year, the Kiyomi, which is a cross between Satsuma and an orange variety with a unique and refreshing taste, he said. Another new variety for us is the Winnola, which has a reddish-orange exterior and a taste similar to the Minneola. Well try some small volumes this year.
In a release, Mr. Cowan said that DNE is the largest importer of South African Minneola tangelos, receiving 10-kilo boxes from Aug. 1 to Sept. 15. DNEs South African Midknight seedless oranges are the last South African variety of the season and will run from the end of September through October.
DNE offers retailers a variety of promotional programs, including advertising support and demonstrations, as well as point-of-sale materials. We have a lot to offer to retailers, and the reception over the last couple of years has been phenomenal, Mr. Cowan said. As a citrus category supplier, DNE can meet growing demand as retailers have discovered that summer citrus adds incremental dollars to produce sales in the summer time. Over the last three or four years, the South African citrus program in the United States has grown into a staple category for retailers. Our Australian and South Africa citrus import programs complement rather than compete with one another.
DNE will add to its summer citrus category in 2005 with a fresh summer lemon program out of Mexico to go along with its California, South Africa, Australia and Florida lemons. DNE also markets a large volume of California Valencias during the summer months.
Mr. Cowan noted that the Ocean Spray brand guarantees retailers a well-known national brand with high-quality exterior and internal standards and assures consumers an excellent-eating fruit. The 'Ocean Spray brand sold by DNE assures retailers and consumers that our products are grown, packed and shipped under the highest standards in the industry. Food safety is key to any import program, and DNE employs agronomists and quality-control inspectors to assure that those quality standards are maintained.
Mr. Cowan said that the first shipload of South African fruit is scheduled to depart Cape Town on May 15. DNE will ship the South African citrus to the U.S. market this summer on 12 chartered break-bulk vessels. The first vessel is expected to arrive in Philadelphia on June 7, with subsequent vessels arriving weekly or biweekly through October.
