STORY: The Dried Fruit Alliance launches eatmoredriedfruit campaign
The Dried Fruit Alliance has launched #eatmoredriedfruit campaign to encourage category growth
As part of the move, market leading dried fruit businesses will team up to communicate the benefits of eating dried fruit as part of an everyday diet, in order to drive category growth
The Dried Fruit Alliance, consisting of Whitworths, Californian Raisin Marketing Board, the California Prune Board, Pagysa, Aegean Exporters Association, Raisins South Africa, Victorian State Government, Dried Fruits Australia and Suriaexport Raisin Exporting Group, aims to re-educate consumers about the health benefits and versatility of incorporating dried fruit in everyday diets.
With a combined retail market value of £305m, the Dried Fruit Alliance has encouraged its stakeholders to reinvest into the #eatmoredriedfruit campaign, the Dried Fruit Alliance’s second marketing campaign due to launch in January 2021.
The 2019 campaign aimed to debunk myths around dried fruit such as dental health and sugar, targeting trade and consumer press. The campaign reached 10m people with positive messaging about the importance of dried fruit as part of a balanced and healthy diet.
The 2021 campaign aims to raise awareness of the health benefits of dried fruit to increase consumption of dried fruit over the next five years. The campaign will be fronted by TV personality Denise Van Outen, and supported by a raft of lifestyle, parenting, fitness and foodie influencers to help create positive discussion and sentiment around the key health benefits of dried fruit and demonstrate its versatility as an ingredient in sweet and savoury dishes with their own favourite recipes and serves.
Dried Fruit sales have seen significant growth in 2020 due to a resurgence of home baking and scratch cooking, both for cheap entertainment and to feed households stuck at home during lockdown. Dried fruits sales for the 12 weeks ending 29th Nov were 22% higher than last year, during the peak sales period when everyone does their Christmas baking.
Phil Gowland, DFA Executive Committee Member and Commercial Director at Whitworths said, “We’ve joined forces with a selection of dried fruit brands and businesses to actively encourage category growth. In a year when dried fruit sales have risen for the first time in two years, it’s a great time to continue this upturn and talk about the health benefits of dried fruit that many are not aware of.
National surveys show that 92% of children aged 11-18 years and 73% of adults are not getting their 5-a-day and only 60% of adults are meeting their recommended daily intake of fibre (30g). The #eatmoredriedfruit campaign is educating consumers that dried fruit has a place in healthy lifestyles being an excellent source of fibre, and a great source of iron and copper which are key in maintaining a healthy immune system.”
For more information visit whitworths.co.uk
