CHILE – To celebrate the arrival of Chile’s largest cumulative citrus export crop to date—including lemons, navels, and mandarins—the Chilean Citrus Committee has launched a lineup of social media promotions set to run from now through the end of October. The program will involve three months of Facebook promotions, from July through September, and an ongoing Instagram promotion that will extend through October.
Karen Brux, Managing Director for the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA), noted, in a press release, that there are different peak times for Chile’s various citrus categories, so each month’s promotions will focus on a different fruit—beginning with lemons, front and center, through July.
The association began its “A Day in the Life of a Lemon” promotion on the Fruit from Chile Facebook page starting July 6th. Each week, participants will be invited to share recipes, photos, or usage ideas connected to a different eating occasion—beginning with breakfast, then lunch, dinner, and dessert. The Citrus Committee will have weekly drawings for a $100 gift card, along with a cooking utensil or appliance connected to the week’s theme.
In August, the association will switch its focus to navel oranges, and in September, it will target Chile’s largest and fastest-growing citrus category, mandarins. At the same time, the association’s ongoing Instragram promotion will encourage consumers to share their favorite lemon, navel orange, or easy peeler photo, with weekly gift card drawings through the month of October.
The 2017 Chilean citrus season kicked off with the first Clementine shipments in Week 15, and continued with lemons and navels. The season’s first shipment of mandarins set sail from the port of Valparaiso in Week 25, and this year, mandarin export volume is projected to total around 67 thousand tons, up 26 percent from 2016. This growth is largely due to an increase in the cultivated acreage of mandarins and the ensuing entry into production of new orchards.
The Chilean Citrus Committee also noted, in its press release, that the organization is partnering with numerous national and regional retail chains throughout the U.S. and Canada to promote lemons, navels, and easy peelers—with promotional support available through October.
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