New Zealand avocados are being marketed in Japan by a company well known for its premium brands.

Primor export manager Ted Thomas says a relationship has been formed with Fresh Systems, which is working with selected retailers to introduce them to ripe New Zealand avocados.

New Zealand AVANZA avocados are marketed by the premium brand company Fresh Systems in Japan.

The company has also developed a special ‘premium branding' concept, known as the Ippin brand. 'Originally developed as a special brand for the highest quality bananas ripened and marketed by Fresh Systems, the Ippin brand has been extended to encompass a growing range of top quality produce – including our New Zealand avocados,” says Ted.

Characteristics of a product selected to carry the Ippin brand include a range of criteria, such as the requirement to ripen the product and an appealing regional speciality. For example, the seasonality of New Zealand supply.

Primor and Southern Produce, its partner in the newly-formed export company AVOCO, is marketing fruit in Japan under the AVANZA brand – and the volume target for this season is 150,000 trays.

Ted says the decision to work with Fresh Systems works on a number of levels for New Zealand.

'It brings together a long-term plan that AVANZA has been working on with our business partners Mission Produce Ltd, a Californian-based Avocado Marketing Company. Recognising New Zealand as a supplier during a particular window, September through January, AVANZA is joining with Mission to become part of a 12-month sourcing strategy that allows FS to offer their customers the highest quality fruit available.

'It is exciting to be involved with business partners who have significant distribution capability in the market place. They share our focus and have the infrastructure capability to supply high quality, ripe fruit to customers – a key strategy in continuing to grow the avocado category in this important market,” says Ted.

'We are very satisfied and energised by the progress we are seeing. FS will market around 90 per cent of the volume AVANZA exports to Japan, with the balance handled by a smaller importer in Kawasaki, who deals primarily with niche customers such as Oisix Japan, an on-line retailer, as well as small regional supermarket chains.”

Ted says the Japanese market demand is largely based around the smaller 30 count-size fruit but New Zealand is not able to supply the market with solely 30 count fruit. 'So we ship a mix of 24 and 30 fruit. Typically, the Japanese consumer will shop daily and seek a piece of fruit that is not too large. The smaller fruit also presents a more competitive price point for the consumer at retail.”

As the Japanese market continues to grow, Ted expects Japanese consumers will become more familiar with larger 24 count fruit, 'as suppliers [not just New Zealand], will not be able to meet demand for only size 30 fruit”.

'There are a number of initiatives in place to communicate key New Zealand messages to consumers through information available at point of purchase. The focus is on providing usage ideas, communicating the health benefits and taste attributes of our AVANZA avocados,” says Ted.