New Zealand organic apple grower, Bostock New Zealand, has teamed up with fresh cherry exporter Pure Pac, to supply the growing demand for New Zealand cherries in the Vietnam market.
The collaboration has come after Bostock New Zealand established an offshore company, Bostock Asia, in Vietnam at the end of 2020, as part of the ongoing company strategy to invest staff and resources in key export apple markets.
Bostock New Zealand International Market Manager Jane Maclean, manages the Vietnam operation and confirms the Ho Chi Minh office has been successful, delivering strong results and increased market share in just one year.
Ms Huong Nguyen, Bostock New Zealand Market Representative in Vietnam
“Having our in-market representative, Huong Nguyen, on the ground for the 2021 season has proven invaluable to Bostock. The covid pandemic has continued to impact on our ability to travel in and out of New Zealand and so Huong has been able to keep Bostock close to our existing customers as well as knock on doors to secure new business.”
“Despite the many and varied challenges, we were rewarded to see Bostock apple volumes to Vietnam increase 185% this season from 2020,” says Ms Maclean.
Pure Pac has one of the largest cherry packhouses in New Zealand and solid expansion plans for new plantings.
Ms Guilleux, Pure Pac Commercial Manager says four years after building a state-of-the-art packhouse with the latest cherry sorting equipment, Pure Pac was looking at how to best grow relationships and business with customers across the world and Vietnam was identified as a particular focus market.
“When I heard that Bostock had set up a market representative office in Ho Chi Minh, it was clear our two companies shared the same export strategies. However, unlike apples, the cherry season is action packed but short lived – having our own representative was not viable. The hope was that we could find a way to partner with Bostock in Vietnam, and so I cold-called Jane.”
This resulted in Bostock New Zealand agreeing to contract Bostock Asia to Pure Pac for the 2021/2022 NZ Cherry season to provide in-market representative services in the Vietnam market.
Bostock In Market Representative, Ms Huong Nguyen, is excited at the opportunity to manage Pure Pac cherry sales into the Vietnam market this season.
“Vietnam’s premium cherry market is growing, and this demand is being seen across our customers in both modern retail and traditional channels."
Ms Guilleux says Pure Pac’s cherry crop is looking very good after a warm spring.
“The fruit set is high with and even spread across the trees. A hot, dry summer is forecast so we expect high sugar levels and a slightly earlier harvest which is an exciting lead in to supplying fresh air-freighted fruit for Vietnam’s holiday period.”
For more information:
Catherine Wedd
Bostock
[email protected]
Tel: +64 212886770