A decade of developments in China is only the beginning for Driscoll's: the US soft fruit giant continues to grow its business in China and Asia.
Driscoll's, the world's leading berry brand, celebrated its 10th anniversary in the Chinese market with a special banquet in Kunming, Yunnan, on Saturday 6 May. More than 300 guests attended the event, including Yunnan government agencies, growers, customers and Driscoll's executives.
Since its founding in California in 1872, Driscoll's has been dedicated to researching and selecting superior varieties of natural and delicious strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. Today, the group has 22 production bases on six continents and its quality products are sold in 66 countries and regions.
In 2016, Driscoll's branded fresh blueberries produced in Yunnan were launched on the Chinese market. By the end of 2022, Driscoll's had more than 30,000mu (2,000ha) of berry-growing area in Yunnan, a total annual production volume of 15,000 tonnes and a total annual sales value of RMB1.7 billion ($240 million).
During his welcome address at the banquet, Miles Reiter, President and CEO of Driscoll's, expressed his enthusiasm for the Chinese market and promised to continue investing in it.
Jae Chun, Driscoll's Vice President and General Manager for China, echoed his commitment.
"The development that Driscoll's has experienced over the past decade would not have been possible without the support and cooperation of the Yunnan government, growers and customers," said Chun. "I believe the last decade is just the beginning. With our joint efforts, we will bring more and more fresh, high-quality and healthy berries to Chinese consumers."
According to Reiter, Driscoll's expects to reach a sales volume of 35,000 tonnes in China this year, up 25-30% from last year.
"We expect to have strong market demand (in China) and be able to sustain similar growth for five years. Much of this is obviously dependent on the success of the growers, which depends on market demand. But this is our plan and we believe there is a very significant future beyond the five-year period,' Reiter said.
Small fruit production in Yunnan has created thousands of job opportunities for local farmers, improving their income and the local agricultural economy. Driscoll's is also involved in several public assistance projects in Yunnan, including a volunteer teaching project developed in collaboration with Pagoda, the leading fruit retailer in China, and the China Foundation for Rural Development.
"When a company grows, it has a social responsibility to do good. This is an important aspect of Driscoll's development" Chun said. "We will continue to work hand-in-hand with Yunnan government agencies to develop a modern berry farming business in Yunnan and contribute to the prosperity of local communities and its agribusiness."
Source: Fruitnet
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