Australian stonefruit is gaining popularity in China leading up to Chinese New Year celebrations. A targeted campaign through the Hort Innovation Taste Australia initiative, the newest efforts have successfully enticed consumers, the company says.

Australia has a growing reputation for providing great produce for South East Asia, a press release states. Now, its peaches, plums and nectarines are the focus of promotions. It has plans to continue expanding its reach through more intensified promotional efforts throughout the holiday season.

“The success of the Taste Australia initiative can be attributed to the dedication and support from Australian growers, and exporters, retailers and delivery partners in each key market," comments Hort Innovation marketing and international trade general manager Justine Coates.

Demonstrating this, she points to numbers that show a 76% year-on-year hike in exports from 2018 to 2019. Exports, details the release, went from US$5.8m to US$40m in 2019.

Product launches across Thailand, China and Malaysia have increased interest in Australia's produce. One marketing campaign, for instance, showcased fruit in Bangkok by creating a wall of stone fruit in grocery stores, decorated with red lanterns. Tesco, the supermarket where Taste Australia displayed its fruit, commented that many customers were seeking Australian stonefruit.

"We do sampling to let our customers try it, and they love it. These promotions have proven really successful," says Lapa Leelarpeerapan of Tesco.

Hort Innovation also created pushed promotional efforts forward in China by having local celebrity chef Brian Tan cook samples of the fruit in City Super groceries. Manager of City Super says in the release that "Australian stonefruit has received a massive welcome" from elite shoppers.

In Malaysia, retailer AEON similarly sings the praises of the Australian produce, saying that its flavors are what attract customers.