The year has started, and the Chilean fruit industry is already in full swing, with fruit exports focused on cherries, table grapes, and stone fruit shipments. Weather conditions were generally favorable during the winter and spring, resulting in high-quality fruit.

In this context, Freshfruitportal.com spoke with the president of Frutas de Chile, Iván Marambio, about the industry's outlook for 2025, in which he noted that the first challenge “is to move forward with the season.”

He explained that the current season presents logistical challenges, “given that there will be significant volumes of fruit, such as cherries and table grapes.”

Grapes, he said, are projected to have a similar volume to last year, but there is an added factor to consider: competition from other producing countries like Peru. "And since the United States is the main market, it creates an important challenge for us to increase consumption,” he added.

At the industry level, Marambio stressed the importance of developing promotional efforts “so that our product moves efficiently and quickly in the destination markets, mainly in the United States and China.”

He emphasized that Frutas de Chile’s strategy is rooted in promotion. “We changed to promote a single brand abroad. We want to remain in the trader’s and consumer’s conscience all year round, which is why we created this single brand that represents all Chilean fruits.”

The Frutas de Chile brand was launched last season. “In the end, we measured the impact and were already appearing in the brand rankings with international awareness. We hope to make a new evaluation this season.”

He highlighted that the brand’s impact in the countries where Chilean fruit is promoted “is very significant, and we are very happy with the results.”

In Marambio’s view, Chile produces a premium product, and the industry must work to safeguard its quality. “The product quality we send to the world is the most important thing. If we can send good quality, our fruit will sell well and be loved by consumers worldwide,” he said.

“Our biggest challenge is to maintain quality and keep improving,” he added.

When asked about marketing strategies, Marambio noted that following the successful launch of the cherry mascots in China, they are planning to expand the mascot family with new characters that will be unveiled throughout the year. “We’ve worked with agencies to develop innovative and creative ideas to enhance the theme of Frutas de Chile promotions,” he said.

Projection of the Chilean Fruit Industry

Discussing Frutas de Chile’s priorities for the year, Marambio mentioned that a few months ago, the organization published its first Sustainability Report on the Chilean fruit industry. “In 2025, we are going to make a new measurement to see how we are progressing based on the first report, so that by 2026, we will have a second Sustainability Report.”

He also emphasized their focus on market access and defense policies. “We are working in Asia, where there are still fruits pending entry, such as kiwis in Vietnam, plums in South Korea, and citrus in Indonesia.”

Additionally, he added, “We have set Africa as our target. It is a continent that the world has forgotten. We want to be pioneers in opening the African market to fruits and start with Morocco.”

Regarding market defense, he mentioned ongoing efforts with India and South Korea to modernize existing agreements. “Because we already have access, we want better access conditions,” he explained.

Marambio concluded by highlighting the relevance of addressing phytosanitary challenges for the industry. “Given the growth of the Chilean fruit industry, we are constantly working with the SAG (Agricultural and Livestock Service) to make progress. The institution needs more resources and greater powers, so we are working with the authorities to obtain additional funding.”