|
|
|
| Authors: | P. Charlet, D. Thevenon |
| Keywords: | fruit quality, fruit qualification |
Abstract:
In the context of a decrease in general consumption of fruit, it can be noted that the apricot market share has nevertheless increased thanks to improvements in quality and perhaps due to the fact that it is a fruit that is very simple to eat.
'ORANGERED'® benefits from an excellent reputation of quality within the industry yet it is less well known by consumers, since the premium value gained during the past years, (evaluated as good to very good), was not accompanied by any specific promotional activity.
Today, the technical aspects of the product are considered to be satisfactory, although the production costs are still relatively high compared to those of competitor varieties.
Campaign 99 put a stop to this situation or, at least, revealed the major risk associated with the fact that the variety is becoming more common place:-
a decrease in quality resulting from too much emphasis on achieving high output, a negative factor which was particularly noticeable during the most recent harvest and which is often accompanied by a fruit which does not stay fresh for as long
-
the fact that varieties exist which seem to be 'disguised' as 'ORANGERED'®, i.e. that look very similar to 'ORANGERED'® but which have very different tastes
-
very low prices, equal to those of the majority of other conventional varieties, the absence of collective action, and the well-known consequence of the multiplication of the number of inexperienced operators keen to market such a product
The volumes will rise; even more so since certain orchards have been planted outside of normal regulations and are not regulated or surveyed.
If no corrective action is taken, the damage to the reputation of the 'ORANGERED'® brand name is likely to continue, especially in view of the difficulties linked to selling other little-known, or unknown, varieties and putting effective control measures in place.
The obvious consequences of the heterogeneity of the brands on the market are to make the differences in quality of the products indistinguishable both for the consumer and the buyer, resulting in choices based more and more on prices rather than on the quality of the product in terms of taste, safety and business ethics.
Thus the primary objective of the 'ORANGERED STAR'® approach, as defined by STAR FRUITS®, producers and those who market the fruit, is to defend evaluation in terms of the qualities 'normally' judged as important for this fruit
|
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) |
  
|