News

31 Jan 2018

A two-month promotional campaign has helped increase awareness of Australian cherries in Vietnam and celebrate the fruit’s re-entry to the market after a two-year absence.

The ‘Taste Australia' cherry promotional campaign—undertaken jointly by Austrade, Hort Innovation, Victorian State Government and NSW State Government—involved a series of events and promotional activities held across major retail chains in Vietnam from December 2017 to February 2018.

Australian cherries returned to Vietnam after market access conditions were agreed to in August 2017, ending a two-year suspension.

Yvonne Chan, Austrade’s Ho Chi Minh City-based Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner for Vietnam, said prior to the suspension in 2015, Vietnam had been an important market for Australia’s cherry suppliers.

‘Cherries are a favourite fruit of Vietnamese consumers. So it’s exciting to see the return of Australian cherries to tap into this high demand,’ said Chan.

The Taste Australia promotional campaign commenced with industry seminars and launch events, as well as a series of in-store promotional activities in major retail chains in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh cities on 12 and 14 December respectively.

The seminars and launch events attracted over 220 industry delegates representing importers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, stakeholders and local media from both cities.

Tastings were also offered to Vietnamese consumers in 90 retail stores across Vietnam, every weekend from 15 December 2017 until 4 February 2018.

Australian cherries are produced in six states, with New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania the three largest producers.

Currently up to 18,584 tonnes of Australian cherries are produced every year with 30 per cent exported.

Exports of cherries have steadily increased each year from 2011–12 to 2015–16, rising from $16 million to $76 million.

Learn more about the market opportunities in Vietnam or contact Austrade Ho Chi Minh City.