"Our lemon is now available on the Japanese market”

After the internationalization process that started four years ago with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Australia, the Rocca Imperiale Consortium of Associated Lemon Producers is now sending its product to Japan.

Over 40 tonnes of Limoré lemons left Malpensa airport (Milan, Italy) on Wednesday 27th March. They arrived at Narita international airport (Japan) on 28th March 2024.

According to Pietro Buongiorno, President of the Consortium, "distribution will soon begin in some of the most important supermarket chains and restaurants in the cities of Tokyo and Yokohama, which have agreed to our project."

The samples of lemons that were shipped 20 days ago," he continues, "have proved to be a success, thanks to the various sensory and shelf-life tests carried out by the local operators on the arrival of the fruit. The Japanese technicians and agronomists also noted a long shelf life, but above all a remarkable juice and a unique aromatic profile."

4-fruit box

The Limoré brand is already present not only in various Italian supermarkets, but also in European supermarkets, especially in the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium.

Single-layer pallet. Premium line

"We have been planning to export to Japan for a few months," says Pietro Buongiorno (pictured above). "We are focusing on an ancient variety of our traditional Rocca Imperiale lemon, a seedless fruit with an edible peel, a juice content of over 40%, a limonene content of 75% and an intense aroma. All characteristics that come directly from the production area. Our greatest satisfaction has been the appreciation of Japanese buyers who, for the first time, have been able to taste our lemons and appreciate their intense and distinctive aromas. In December 2024, a Japanese delegation will visit Rocca Imperiale to study our lemon and the pedoclimatic characteristics of the growing area. The aim is to increase the loyalty of the operators in order to increase the volume of exports and allow us to plan supplies for next season from the beginning of the harvest."