Europe's fruit - with Bonsai into the German market

For two and a half years, Bonsai Sales has been supporting companies from other countries in bringing their products to the German market. We organise campaigns in the trade and listings in test markets. Today an unusual example: Mandora, a new variety of oranges and tangerines. Its Bonsai campaign in supermarkets (REWE and EDEKA in Bremen and the surrounding area) was so successful that the fruit was sold out the next day.  

Normally, the clients of Bonsai Sales are either start-ups from Germany like POMOM or Zonama that want to make the leap into retail, or companies from abroad that want to transfer their market successes from other countries to the German market. "We give start-up help when brands want to reposition themselves in German retail," explains Alexandros Kiriakidis, Client Partner at Bonsai Sales. For the past two years, we have been supporting not only companies but also agricultural cooperatives from several European countries that want to introduce their fruit and vegetables to consumers in Germany.   

Positioning fruit from Europe better because it is more sustainable than imports from Asia or South America is the aim of the two campaigns Get a Fruit and Refresh Your Life, which are funded by the European Union. "Within the framework of the two EU initiatives, we support the marketing of different types of fruit in Germany, depending on the season - currently products from Greece, Cyprus, Romania and Bulgaria," says Alexandros Kiriakidis: "For example, we bring the products to test markets. On the one hand, this is how we introduce consumers to fruit from the EU as a sustainable and tasty alternative to other imports. On the other hand, we can use the results and findings from the test listings to convince other retailers to include the products in their assortment."  

In our experience, a deep understanding of the traders' / wholesalers' point of view is crucial for the success of products. The detailed and in-depth feedback enables a realistic assessment of the prospects for success - even individual product aspects can be analysed in detail from the retailer's point of view. 

- How do they rate the product overall?

- Which competitors can be identified?

- What can we learn in terms of:

  #Packaging

  #Realistic selling price

  #Advertising

  #Placement

 In 18 years of close cooperation with the trade, we have built up a broad network. Whether supermarkets, drugstores, petrol stations or pharmacies - we have the contacts. And we can use them to support your market launch.  

In the case of Mandora - a new variety of oranges and mandarins - test listings and promotions aroused so much curiosity that customers in the supermarket asked about the new variety because friends had told them about it. That's how the Mandora story finally found its way onto the radio. One day after the report on Bremen 4, the exciting new variety was completely sold out.   

In addition to promotions for retail customers, Bonsai Sales also organises B2B events where we connect producers with retailers - most recently a tasting with TV and chef Roberto Enßlen as part of the Fruit Logistica trade fair in Berlin. This event was reported on by, among others, Finanznachrichten, Food-Monitor, fairewirtschaft.de, fruchtportal.de and fruchthandel.de as well as Hotellerie-Nachrichten and Weltjournal.    

Sales & Food ServiceElke LoewTradeBonsai Sales, Retail, Market entry strategy, Market launch, Test markets, Promotions, Get a fruit, Refresh your Life