Entering the Polish citrus fruit market? Timing is everything
Published on 23/09/2016
Picture the scene. You are a producer of sumptuous, flavourful citrus fruits and you want to get your products into the stores and onto the plates of Poland’s millions of consumers. You have got the products, got your distributors lined up and are ready to go. What could go wrong? If your timing is off, the answer, unfortunately, is everything.
Polish citrus fruit imports rely on the weather
Demand for citrus fruits in Poland during the summer months is low. Products such as mandarins and clementines, traditionally give way to domestically produced seasonal fruits, such as strawberries and cherries, while they are available.
Timing and weather is everything on the Polish market. Once the summer months wind down, and weather patterns get colder and more autumnal, Polish consumers tend to begin to crave tangy citrus offerings. This switch generally happens around the start of October.
According to FreshPlaza.com, Poland’s population is very much in tune with the changes of the seasons. Consumers prefer domestic fruits when produced in season. So rather than importing peaches, nectarines and other such fruits from overseas, Poles will stick with domestically grown offerings.
Fruits produced across Poland during the pleasantly temperate summer months include the aforementioned strawberries and cherries, alongside peaches, nectarines, apples and pears. Freshly squeezed orange juice keeps its popularity during warmer periods, which opens up a slightly more niche export opportunity in the juicing sector.
Why do Poles prefer their food locally sourced with an emphasis on freshness? The Polish food sector is being shaped by an increasing demand for organic produce with 64% of adults stating they are actively trying to reduce their intake of sugary snacks.
Healthy alternatives are thus rising greatly in popularity as more and more Poles prefer to eat organically.
Poland imports millions of dollars’ worth of fruits and vegetables each year. In 2014, for example, Polish imports of citrus fruits and associated products totalled $11.9 million.
Get inside info on the Polish citrus sector at WorldFood Warsaw
Further market information, related to citrus fruits, and the fruit and vegetable sector as a whole, is available at Poland’s leading food industry trade show
WorldFood Warsaw. Sector experts, alongside thousands of attendees, gather each year to offer the latest market insights, products and innovations to an international audience.