Pip of a year already for ENZA at trade fair

ENZA's European arm, Enza Continent, has been named best marketer in the German fresh produce industry for its marketing and promotion of jazz apples in 2010.
Based in Belgium, Enza Continent is the European arm of Enza's global operations handling marketing, fruit imports and overseeing Enza's European plantings of jazz apples and kiwifruit.
Enza received the German Fruit Industry (GFI) Buddy Bear in front of 500 German and international representatives of the fresh produce industry during Fruit Logistica, the world's premier fresh produce expo.
The award recognised the industry's best marketing of a product in the German market, which buys 60 per cent, or (600,000) cartons, of Enza's global jazz crop each year, said Enza Continent managing director Tony Fissette.
Each year the GFI award is presented to the company that has shown outstanding attention to customer relationships in its marketing partnerships with produce wholesalers.
"This is fantastic recognition within our most important jazz market. Jazz is a premium apple and our marketing reflects that.
"The jazz apple summer tour through Germany boosted consumer awareness of jazz and strengthened our partnerships with our retail and wholesale customers."
The jazz variety, owned by Enza, is also grown in France, Italy and the US.
The variety has been established in Europe's leading retail outlets as one of the premium apples for consumers and leads Enza's global marketing expansion at Fruit Logistica in Berlin last week.
Ambassador Peter Rider unveiled Enza's stand at Fruit Logistica last week in the lead-up to the New Zealand apple-selling season getting under way in Europe.
Participation in the show is key to promoting New Zealand fruit in European markets.
"Fruit Logistica is the hub of the international produce trade and is a key part of our global marketing programme each year to promote Enza's varieties,"said Enza general manager Snow Hardy.
"Our stand this year has doubled in size to cope with the level of interest that we have seen at this show in previous years.
"It's a major marketing platform for our apple varieties in particular, in an exciting year for their export growth,"
"We operate at the premium end of global markets and the design of the stand reflects and promotes our New Zealand heritage where our apple varieties have been developed and are grown."
Enza's larger stand enjoyed a new location in the International Hall at the expo where the team met with customers from around the globe.
Fruit Logistica was expected to attract more than 55,000 visitors from 125 countries during its three-day run.
Enza's stand also featured the new envy apple.
New Zealand-grown envy will go on sale for the first time in European supermarkets this year. This large, red, sweet apple is already a hit in Asia and North America.
A characteristic of envy is that the flesh remains fresh and white longer than other apples after it is cut, opening up a range of uses particularly in restaurants.
Enza also promoted its range of new kiwifruit, including the exclusive Enzared variety, which is expanding the global kiwifruit category and providing new opportunities for growers, retailers and consumers.
In 2011 ENZA's exports are expected to increase to 1.2 million cartons, or 21.6 million kg, of jazz apples to Europe and the UK as part of a record New Zealand export crop of 2 million cartons, or 36 million kg..
This follows a positive Northern Hemisphere selling season for Enza apple varieties grown in the USA and Europe and Mr Hardy is expecting a good crop out of New Zealand this year.
Enza is a global apple industry leader, New Zealand's largest pipfruit exporter and is recognised as one of the world's premium fresh produce brands supplying 22 of the world's top 25 retailers.
The company is part of the Turners & Growers global group of horticulture companies, which was part of the high profile-presence in Berlin focusing on expanding the Group's global exports of fresh produce.