The prominent Alibaba Group supermarket chain, Freshippo, will now offer direct-purchase options for Chilean fruit, according to ProChile, an agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Freshippo executives visited four Chilean regions to learn about available exportable supplies of fresh and frozen fruit. The visit was organized by ProChile, with support from Chilealimentos, the National Agriculture Society (SNA), Ciruelas Chile, and Frutas de Chile.

ProChile explained that the Freshippo delegation’s visit was planned during Chile Week China 2023, after ProChile's general director, Ignacio Fernández, met with the company at its Shanghai offices. There, they agreed to boost the presence of Chilean products in Freshippo stores.

In 2024, Freshippo's executives visited Chile to assess the available food supply and ensure it met their traceability and quality standards. The goal was to establish a direct purchasing model linking Chilean agricultural production with Freshippo's demand.

As a result, two Chilean companies, Copefrut and Garcés Fruit, were selected as supply bases. ProChile reported that these companies would export directly to Freshippo, bypassing intermediaries.

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Fernandez commented that Freshippo's visit to Chile was a significant milestone. AAfter months of public-private collaboration, senior Freshippo executives visited key regions in Chile to explore food purchasing opportunities.

Fernandez expressed excitement about the diversification potential this collaboration and direct purchasing model offers, not just for Chile's fresh and frozen fruits, but also for products like meat, wine, and seafood, including salmon, which could gain greater access to the Chinese market through this new channel. Fernandez emphasized this as a way to strengthen commercial ties with this important market.

Fernandez also highlighted the opportunities for Chile's frozen fruit exports to China, where Chile has been authorized to export 17 categories of this product for nearly a year and a half. During their visit, Freshippo executives toured five frozen fruit production facilities.

Freshippo representatives commented that they were impressed by the high quality and efficiency of Chilean agricultural products, witnessing excellence in production as well as meticulous selection and packaging. 

This experience, they said, reinforced their confidence in establishing solid, lasting commercial relations with Chilean producers and initiating conversations to close deals and prioritize purchasing Chilean products recommended by ProChile.

Freshippo is characterized as a new, high-end grocery retail chain targeting young, affluent consumers in China. It is currently the fifth largest retailer in the Chinese market, with over 400 supermarkets across 30 cities.