Marketing Asian Fruits and Vegetables in Europe

Marketing opportunities have been created by the increasing interest in healthy foods among the European consumers. The European market for Asian fresh fruit and vegetables is likely geographically spread and an entry requires consumer education. Overcoming consumer skepticism, deepened by sporadic reports about the pesticide residue levels in some of imported Asian produce, call for stringent food safety procedures and the traceability protocol assuring fast and accurate produce tracking if necessary. Retailers and their interpretation of credence attributes (e.g., carbon footprint) may also create a barrier separating the Asian fresh produce exporters from consumers. Investment in consumer education, assurance of safety, taste, functional properties, and the ease of preparation combined with price will determine the share of Asian fruits and vegetables in the longer term.