EU Produce Industry Launches €1.8 Million Promotion Campaign in Four Asian Markets
CSO Italy has launched a three-year campaign to promote European fruit and vegetables in South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. The €1.8 million initiative will focus on products including kiwifruit, pears, apples and processed tomatoes.
Three-year program targets Asian demand
CSO Italy has launched European Nature's Vibe, a three-year project designed to raise demand and recognition for European fruit and vegetables in South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. According to Handmaker, the campaign has a total budget of €1.8 million and will address both fresh produce and processed products.
The program will feature kiwifruit, pears, apples and processed tomato products. Its messaging will explain European production processes, food-safety practices and sustainable farming methods, positioning these attributes as points of differentiation in markets where interest in high-quality imported fruit is increasing.
The campaign represents a coordinated attempt to build awareness across four distinct Asian markets rather than treating the region as a single consumer base. CSO Italy plans to adapt promotional activities to the distribution systems and consumption characteristics of each market. That approach is relevant for exporters because retail structures, food-service channels and buyer requirements vary considerably among the four destinations.
Importers, retailers and food service in focus
European Nature's Vibe will primarily target importers, distributors, retail buyers and food-service professionals. Planned activities include media outreach, digital campaigns, video content, a multilingual website and social-media communications. The project will also participate in international trade exhibitions, including Asia Fruit Logistica.
This combination of business-to-business engagement and consumer-facing communication is intended to support relationships throughout the supply chain. Trade fairs can connect participating suppliers directly with buyers, while digital and media campaigns can improve product familiarity further downstream. For European producers, sustained visibility may help distinguish their offer in categories where origin, quality, safety and production standards influence purchasing decisions.
Origine Group brings established commercial scale
Origine Group is participating as a strategic partner. Handmaker describes the organization as a consortium of nine fruit and vegetable companies, comprising seven Italian businesses and two Chilean businesses. The group records annual revenue of more than €1 billion and already operates in Asian markets through Sweeki, its premium kiwifruit brand.
That existing presence gives the campaign a commercial base beyond promotional activity alone. Origine Group has experience presenting a branded premium product to Asian buyers, while the broader project will cover several produce categories. Alessandro Zampagna, the group's general manager, said demand for high-quality agricultural products continues in the target countries, including South Korea. He added that the long-term promotional program would be used to expand cooperation with Asian distributors.
Longer campaign seeks durable buyer relationships
The three-year timetable indicates that the organizers are seeking more than a short-term sales push. Fresh produce suppliers must maintain buyer confidence across multiple seasons, while processed tomato exporters need stable relationships with distributors and commercial users. Repeated participation in trade events and continuous multilingual promotion can give importers and retailers more opportunities to assess suppliers and products.
The initiative does not disclose sales, shipment or market-share targets for individual countries. Its measurable commitments are therefore concentrated on the €1.8 million budget, the four target markets and the three-year promotional period. Its commercial effect will depend on whether higher awareness translates into listings, distribution agreements and repeat orders for European produce.
