One South African fruit taking Europe by storm

South Africa’s SummerStar Ruby grapefruit is making waves in Europe, due to a new campaign aimed at rebranding the fruit, attracting new consumers and boosting demand.

Nicci Stewart, the SummerStar Ruby campaign manager, told Daily Investor that this initiative was launched to reinvent the grapefruit’s image and drive new growth.

“We’ve rebranded South Africa’s Star Ruby Grapefruits to SummerStar Ruby Grapefruits,” Stewart said. “We’re positioning it as a healthy and affordable summer fruit, capitalising on the warm European months when consumers are looking for fresh and easy foods.”

The “Summer” name also distinguishes South African Star Rubies from our European counterparts, which are available during their Winter months.

“We’re debunking the myth that grapefruits are bitter and old-fashioned and promoting it as a refreshing and versatile addition to cocktails, salads and beach picnics. “SummerStar Star Rubies are sweet and tangy, and our key positioning is to ‘Taste Summer’.”

“We want to drive consumers to taste this particular Star Ruby, found only in South Africa, and discover for themselves that it’s not the bitter fruit that they imagined.”

South Africa’s grapefruit growers are contributing to the campaign through a voluntary special levy administered through the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA).

To raise awareness, the SummerStar campaign has launched a website featuring content designed for retailers. It also features recipe ideas and information about the health benefits, targeting consumers.

“We have launched SummerStar Ruby Grapefruit social media profiles on TikTok and Instagram. We are also partnering with influencers and content creators in Europe who are sharing creative ways to consume grapefruits and focusing on the health and wellness benefits.”

“We are also running an ‘always on’ content campaign that continually educates consumers about the health benefits, debunks certain myths, and shares recipes and ways to use the product.”

They also have a LinkedIn page dedicated to sharing informative content with the citrus industry. Finally, they will launch a public relations campaign to share news, thought leadership and other content with trade, hospitality and consumer media.

Taking on Europe

According to Stewart, Europe was chosen as the target market due to its long-standing trade relations with South Africa and its consistent demand for citrus fruit.

“We’re not introducing a brand-new product to an unfamiliar market. Many European consumers already know and appreciate SummerStar Ruby Grapefruits for their vibrant colour, sweetness, and quality.”

“Our focus is on winning over consumers who only associate grapefruit with bitterness, or with something eaten when they’re feeling sick or visiting their grandparents.”

Europe also offers a reliable network of buyers and well-established supply chains, making it a natural launchpad for market expansion and brand building, she explained.

The fact that SummerStar Rubies are grown and exported during South Africa’s winter – Europe’s summer season – also gives them the perfect seasonal advantage.

This year, in particular, the campaign has an advantage. In Turkey’s southern agricultural districts, sharp frosts have disrupted citrus production. Some areas have experienced losses up to 80%

Because of these weather conditions, SummerStar is essentially entering an empty market.

This campaign kicked off in Germany, which Stewart explained was for very specific strategic reasons. Not only is the country open to new categories, but it also has a strong appetite for health-forward, sustainably produced foods.

“Germans value sustainability, quality, and ethical production, but they also expect affordability. SummerStar Rubies tick all of these boxes.”

“They are produced in world-class growing conditions in South Africa, meet strict EU import standards, and thanks to advanced cold-chain technology, they arrive fresh and flavourful.”

Since Germans are travelling during the Summer, the campaign is also targeting media across Europe.

“We’re sharing interesting story angles with hospitality media to educate restaurants and hotels about the benefits of grapefruit, so they are more likely to incorporate grapefruit into their food and drink menus.”

Target market

Stewart said the campaign is targeting anyone who thinks that grapefruit is bitter and only eaten in winter to boost immunity.

“We want to show all consumers that if they taste Summer Star Rubies, they’ll have a completely different perception of this often misunderstood fruit and realise that it’s sweet, tangy, versatile and an ideal summer snack and ingredient.”

However, they are specifically targeting Gen Z and Millennials. They want to change their common misconceptions, but they also want to strategically target them for their sphere of influence and commonalities.

Although there are distinct differences between these two generations, they have enough commonalities to allow the campaign to use the same messaging.

Gen Z is mainly responsible for setting trends, which Millennials tend to follow. However, Millennials are actually in a much stronger position of influence.

Since many of them are parents, targeting them gives SummerStar access to an even younger audience. Millennials are also up-and-coming decision-makers in the business world and can potentially impact buying decisions.

“So this has the double benefit of influencing our supply chain, retail and hospitality industries.”

Gen Z and Millennials are looking for healthy, sustainable, and “Instagram-worthy” products. SummerStar meets all of these requirements, making it very appealing to younger consumers.

These grapefruits also have a longer shelf life and can be used in many different ways, so they are hardly ever wasted.

“They also have numerous health benefits. They help fight diseases, are good for your skin and have been known to aid in weight loss.”

“Finally, the beautiful red adds a vibrant colour to any dish, drink or platter, which is sure to appeal to Gen Zs and Millennials who love to share beautiful images on their social media.”

The campaign is also targeting chefs and mixologists, showing them how SummerStar Rubies can be added to their summer menus. It offers a unique and refreshing flavour, while appealing to health-conscious customers, Stewart said.

Future plans

“While it’s still very early in the campaign, the consumer data is looking good, and we’ve had a good response so far,” Stewart said. “We’re building up a good following on our social media platforms, and our engagement is looking positive.”

She added that the feedback from the media and trade has also been promising. Those in the supply chain have also expressed excitement about the campaign.

“Next year, we will expand to other European markets and continue the momentum in the following years.”

When they expand into different markets, Stewart assured that they will consider local nuances and adjust the campaign slightly for each country.

In this regard, factors such as consumer interests and tastes, holidays and significant days, and relationships with local retail partners will influence the marketing strategy.

“But our overall positioning of ‘Taste Summer’ will remain the same, and we will capitalise on the warm European months to position this historically winter fruit as a perfect summer snack and ingredient.”

“Europe is also only the starting point. In time, we will look to other markets, such as Japan, India and other Asian countries.”