Consumer

Handling graphics for our consumers

Last year we released the handling graphics, with the coolchain and retail handlers in mind . This year we have developed additional graphics specifically for the consumer, to encourage and assist you to handle summerfruit correctly.

To ensure that consumers get the best from their summerfruit we would like to see you purchase regularly and keep the fruit at room temperature. Room temperature will ensure better flavour and there is one less opportunity of turning good fruit tasteless and mealy. Fruit will become mealy in as little as 48 hours if stored at the wrong temperatures, irrespective of whether it is in the fridge, a coolstore or in a truck.

Unfortunately most consumers store summerfruit in the fridge which usually run at around 8°C. This, of course, is the perfect temperature to kill off your apricots, peaches, nectarines and some plums. On the other hand, we want you to store cherries in the fridge. So we have created these graphics to help you the consumer to get it right.
 
We have also created a QR code which will take you directly to the online version of Know Your New Zealand Summerfruit. In case you have not got the hang of QR codes yet, they are equivalent to a barcode for consumers rather than the traditional line barcode which are used in retail. QR codes are starting to appear in many places. If you have a smartphone try downloading one of the many QR reader apps and check out our link.

Once again we are making the graphics freely available to the industry to use on their packaging or promotions so you should start to see these appearing this season.

Know Your New Zealand Summerfruit

We have been overwhelmed with the response to the release of Know Your New Zealand Summerfruit. Obviously a vacuum for such information existed. We recently sent 250 copies of the booklet to New Zealand food writers and have had significant feedback.

The book generated immediate interest, with a continual stream of positive emails, letters and requests for more booklets. A patisserie school, food writers and magazine editors have all contacted us looking for more information. We have also had strong support from marketers and supermarkets, with many putting in large orders for copies of the book for distribution to their staff.