The popularity of the pear variety Xenia is constantly increasing, which can be seen, among other things, in the growing acreage as well as the higher demand internationally. On request, Janina Bembenek and Raymond van Ojen shared their experiences with us about the development of Xenia on the German-speaking as well as the global market. Bembenek is Head of Marketing at Obst vom Bodensee Vertriebsgesellschaft, responsible for the Xenia® brand on the German market at the German Fruit Variety Consortium ("Deutsches Obst-Sorten Konsortium", DOSK). Van Ojen is Sales Manager of Xenia® Europa B.V., responsible for the international marketing of Xenia. Among other things, he is also part of the pan-European marketing team in the repositioning of the Xenia brand.
Janina Bembenek
High export potential for Africa and Asia
"In Germany, we had a harvest volume of about 3,600 tons. With about 90 percent of the crop marketed as Xenia Class I, we have a premium product that was brought to the storage locations in top quality by the growers," says Bembenek.
"Demand for Xenia in Europe has been steadily increasing. Last season in particular, we successfully expanded our presence in more and more export countries. One milestone was new partnerships in Sweden, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Morocco. This shows the growing appreciation for our quality standards, which we continuously maintain and market under the Xenia brand," says van Ojen. "Our product is characterized by outstanding storability, which makes it extremely attractive for both domestic and international markets. Top quality along the value chain has strengthened our brand image internationally and generated interest for export to Africa and Asia."
Profit from weak Abate crop in Italy
In recent years, Xenia has benefited from weak harvests of the Abate variety in Italy, he said. "In the coming season, this will be even more exciting, as Abate is experiencing a massive slump and Xenia will meet an empty market in the premium segment. In addition to the excellent varietal characteristics, Xenia offers top quality and top caliber to partners in the food retail sector, which will also lead the trend towards pears on the fruit shelf with a strong and innovative marketing concept under the new 'Pear Your Mind' campaign," states Bembenek with conviction.
Xenia is a "sales driver" for the trade, says Bembenek: "The steadily increasing demand and popularity are also evident among consumers in Germany. The task now is to strategically expand the core customer base. Because Xenia meets consumers' three buying arguments, namely taste, regionality and a long shelf life, it is winning over more and more customers both in integrated production and in the organic sector."
The organic season runs from October to April, he said. "The main markets for organic produce are Germany, Austria, France and Sweden. In Germany, we are seeing an increasing demand for regional organic pears, especially Xenia, and have expanded the area under cultivation accordingly. Here at Lake Constance in particular, the conditions for pears are ideal and our growers are enthusiastic about Xenia," Bembenek notes.
Inspiration for new marketing concept from start-ups
The new brand positioning is intended to appeal to younger target groups in addition to the core buyer base. "A strong social media activation and a planned national out-of-home advertising campaign can trigger a Germany-wide discourse to create new demand for the fruit range. In doing so, we use tools that primarily start-ups have perfected to successfully anchor so-called 'love brands' in the FMCG industry and turn target groups with purchasing power into loyal fans through the brand."
The marketing manager also points out that in the apple segment, new club brands enter the market every year, competing for the coveted spots at the PoS. "For pears, we expect a similar development in the coming years. Since Xenia has already established itself as a premium product over the past decade, our goal is to position the brand as irreplaceable, as Pink Lady once was."
Xenia's main customers include retail chains in the Netherlands as well as Germany. "Xenia is a pear that has a lasting appeal to end consumers when it comes to consumption," van Ojen emphasizes. Bembenek adds, "In addition, Xenia has also gained a loyal clientele in the upscale gastronomy sector thanks to its processing properties. Our season runs from October to July, providing a reliable supply of top quality for all trade partners." Other countries where Xenia has had success include France, Austria, Hungary and Scandinavia. Apart from inflation-related costs, the price has not changed in the past.
Growing acreage for Xenia in Germany
"At Lake Constance, Xenia has been successfully cultivated since 2011. In the meantime, we already have about 120 hectares and increasing marketing volumes due to many young plants. Our partners in food retail value our many years of expertise in pear cultivation and especially with Xenia. Our other producer organization in Ingelheim, which is marketed by Obst vom Bodensee, has around five hectares. In Germany, the relevant producer organizations have also joined the Xenia Club and will enter the marketing market in the coming seasons. These include Landgard in the Rhineland, VEOS in the east, which is already actively marketing 25 hectares, and Faby and Elbe-Obst in the north, each with around five hectares. "In the organic sector, Bio Augustin and Bio Münch are also involved."
For more information:
Raymond van Ojen
Xenia Europa B.V.
Kantsingel 16
5349 AJ Oss - Netherlands
+31 (0)6 23 177 152
[email protected]
www.xeniapeer.nl
Janina Bembenek
Obst vom Bodensee Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH
Merkurstrasse 7
D-88046 Friedrichshafen
Phone: +49 (0) 75 41 / 970 28 - 0
[email protected]
https://www.obst-vom-bodensee.de
https://www.dosk.eu