Expanding awareness

While Chilean cherries have already established strong awareness in China's first-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai, the focus is now increasingly shifting to regional markets. Claudia Soler, executive director of the Chilean Cherry Committee, emphasized the untapped potential in second — and third-tier cities, where the fruit is less well known but holds significant growth opportunities.

"We have a very high awareness in the main cities, but still, we need to work more in developing regional China," Soler said. "Tier-two and tier-three cities offer huge growth potential, and our marketing strategies are evolving to target these areas."

In major cities, Chilean cherries are transitioning from being a premium gift item to an everyday snack, in line with shifting consumer behaviors. "We're trying to get the consumers to understand the benefits of cherries," Soler added. "Cherries fit very well with the growing healthy eating trends. It's a nutritious product that's great for daily consumption."

One of the new initiatives from Frutas de Chile is the Chilean Cherry Ice & Snow Festival, launched in Changchun, Jilin province. The festival is part of a nationwide promotion linking winter sports with Chilean cherries, tapping into China's growing passion for winter activities like skiing.

"The idea is to connect our cherries with winter sports to create a fun and exciting experience for consumers," said Soler. "Our target audience — people who enjoy skiing and winter resorts — is very similar to the consumers who buy our cherries. It's a creative way to engage them and position cherries as a premium product during the winter months."

"Consumers are looking for new experiences, and cherries offer a premium, healthy indulgence that fits into their lifestyle," Soler added.

Attracting consumers

Frutas de Chile is also addressing logistical challenges to improve the speed and efficiency of cherry exports to China. Ten years ago, most shipments went to ports in Hong Kong or Guangzhou, but now, direct routes have expanded to Shanghai and Tianjin, reducing delivery times from 30 days to just 22 days.

"Cherries are a perishable product. The faster we can get them to consumers, the better their condition and quality will be," Soler said. The move to more direct shipping routes is one of several efforts to optimize the supply chain and ensure the freshest product reaches consumers in China.

Despite the competition, Marambio believes in the value of collaboration within the cherry growers in China. "It's not a competition for us," he said. "We want consumers to buy cherries year-round. As long as the product is high-quality, it benefits everyone. Our goal is to keep elevating the cherry category as a whole."