Promoting blackcurrants: a remarkable Polish initiative to be copied
A campaign to promote blackcurrants – this kind of initiative had already been taken by the French association of blackcurrant producers (ANCG) in 2009, and another one has been ongoing in the UK for several years now: www.blackcurrantfoundation.co.uk and www.britishsummerfruits.co.uk. The goal is of course to try and drive demand for blackcurrants by bringing its wonderful taste, various uses and extraordinary health benefits to the better knowledge of consumers.
This time, a Polish campaign has been started in 2015 for a three-year period for a total cost of almost 4 Million € – with a difference to the other initiatives: it is promoting berries in general (blackcurrant, blueberry, raspberry and strawberry), and in five countries (Poland, Austria, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic) at the same time. Driven by Polish organizations of fruit growers (Association of Polish Fruit Growers – ZSRP, Blueberry Growers Association – SPBA, Strawberry Growers Association – SPT, the National Association of Blackcurrant Growers – KSPCP), the campaign is funded for half of its cost by the European Union, 30% have been brought up by the Polish government, and the four grower associations contribute for the remaining 20%.
The campaign is running under the slogan “Extraordinary properties of ordinary fruit”. With a series of informational and promotional activities on two websites (www.power-fruits.eu/en/ and www.owocejagodowe.pl/), it aims at familiarizing consumers with the high quality, richness in minerals and vitamins and the unique taste of berries from the European Union. The development of our domestic markets and the education of consumers are a priority, and every blackcurrant growing country may go for similar initiatives.
And hopefully, this is how we can manage the reconciliation of supply with demand.