Chile is launching its first-ever kiwifruit campaign in North America this season that will include retail and social media promotions from June through September, following substantial growth in the country's harvesting parameters over recent years.

So far the South American country has shipped nearly 11,000 metric tons (MT) of kiwifruit to the market.

The Chilean Fresh Fruit Association’s (CFFA) merchandisers are currently finalizing retail promotional programs, both in-store and online, says Karen Brux, the organization's managing director.

She adds that all retail promotions will have one common objective - demonstrating how kiwifruit can contribute to a retailer’s bottom line.

“Kiwifruit is an amazing fruit. From its fresh, tangy-sweet taste to its incredible nutrition and health benefits, it really has everything. Our promotions will generate increased kiwifruit sales and shine light on the potential of kiwifruit to become a bigger player in the produce department," she says.

In addition to retail programs, the CFFA says it's also undertaking an extensive social media program, sharing nutrition info, usage ideas, new recipes, recipe videos and season updates with their 350,000 Facebook fans.

Social media promotions will run throughout the season, with both consumer and trade e-newsletters keeping the focus on the category. Media dietitians will further extend consumer reach with TV segments in major markets.

For the Chilean Kiwifruit industry, the most exciting aspect of 2019's crop is its dry matter, which has reached historically high levels this year, says the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association.

Dry matter is essentially everything in the fruit, minus the water. It is an important factor in delivering quality fruit with consistent ripeness all along the supply chain, from the orchards straight through to retail.

Carlos Cruzat, chairman of the Chilean Kiwifruit Committee, explains: “There is a direct link between dry matter and sweetness of fruit. With the high dry matter we’re seeing throughout the industry, we feel confident that consumers are going to have a great experience with Chilean kiwifruit, resulting in repeat purchases and kiwifruit category growth for retailers.”

Beyond flavor, this season's attractive fruit sizing is another appeal - Chilean kiwifruit are larger than they were last year, with the majority of volume falling between Size 30 and 33.

A dry, hot summer and increasingly stricter harvesting parameters by Chilean Kiwifruit Committee members have yielded high-quality, more uniform fruit with strong storage potential, says the association.

Chile started shipping small volumes of green kiwifruit to North America in Week 12, with weekly shipments steadily increasing and set to continue into September.

Its kiwifruit is available now through October.