TROPICAL FRUIT FOR THE U.S. MARKET: MARKETING PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

F. Caplan
It's certainly no secret that I've been excited about the marketing of tropical fruits, especially in the United States, for the last 28 years. In the beginning — a lone voice in the wilderness … but I'm no longer alone, here … or for that matter … any place in the world. The fax machine has linked us together.

With the rapid spread of the fax, the world tropical fruit market has started, literally, to explode. Big countries and small countries are now on a level playing field. Big farmers and small farmers can now easily compete.

All we have to do is harness our knowledge, learn the rules. Every country is different … and the growth of tropical fruits will bring unlimited opportunities for profitable business for those commercially involved … as I am … or expanded opportunities for those of you in the research and development field.

The uproar concerning the safety of fresh fruit in the United States this past few months continues unabated. First came the organizations protesting the use of alar on apples, broadcast on one of our country's most popular tv shows. Then, came the discovery of two cyanide-laced grapes on a boat-load of fruit from Chile. Yet despite this … or maybe because of it … Frieda's Finest has just had the best three months in the history of our business. How is this possible? We've come to several conclusions. 1) The very wide variety of items we handle … and their exotic and unusual nature … have given our retail customers lots of alternatives to make up for the lagging sales of their usual high volume apples and grapes. 2) Perhaps it's because both retailers and consumers have a high regard for what the Frieda label stands for … quality, good shelf life, taste and the 100% guarantee of satisfaction that the Frieda program is known for. 3) We have a very aggressive, very imaginative and very persistent telemarketing sales team … which always helps.

All this national and international focus on fresh fruit … and how it can affect your health … actually heightened the public's interest in fresh fruits. Hardly a newspaper, a daily broadcast, a tv news program or a weekly or monthly magazine comes out without referring to the decisions shoppers must make when choosing fresh fruits. Attention to farmers, their problems and choices … spotlight on information providers — like university research centers .. media questions directed to institutional buyers — those who choose what foods will be eaten by children in the nation's schools … all are big, big news

Caplan, F. (1990). TROPICAL FRUIT FOR THE U.S. MARKET: MARKETING PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS. Acta Hortic. 269, 21-28
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.1990.269.2
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1990.269.2

Acta Horticulturae