Oppy Identifies Opportunity in South African Plums; Sila Louw, James Milne, and Eric Coty Comment
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - Who doesn’t love a comeback? For Oppy, this comeback is a strategic play to get South African plums into the market—all while bolstering the company’s international presence. After an eight-year hiatus, Oppy is bringing South African plums to the North American marketplace in a move to counteract pressures felt on additional import markets.
“While we have brought grapes and citrus from South Africa for many years, it’s a particularly exciting time to dive deeper into new items with a fresh edge, allowing us to offer exclusive options to our customers,” noted James Milne, Senior Vice President of Categories and Marketing.
A release explained that, as United States authorities tightened import regulations for Chilean plums in early 2021, Oppy’s Sila Louw proposed complementing Oppy’s plum offerings with fruit grown on his home soil.
“We look forward to delighting consumers with a variety of first-class-eating-quality plums, offering a diverse collection of flavors, textures, and colors, and a dependable item for retail shelves,” said Louw, Grower Relations Manager.
The first shipment landed on U.S. shores on the East Coast in late January.
According to the Oppy team, the crop quality and growing conditions are both excellent, with supplies planned through March. Varieties already in the market include Ruby Sun, Ruby Crisp, Fortune, Black Pearl, and Midnight Gold, with African Delight, Angeleno, and Larry Ann soon to follow in the coming months.
Oppy still continues to bring Chilean plums to the North American marketplace as well, even under the strict protocols. This includes imports of cherries, nectarines, peaches, blueberries, and table grapes from the South American country, with apples and kiwifruit arriving soon.
“This is an excellent opportunity to further diversify across growing regions, adding complementary varieties and volumes from Chile,” concluded Eric Coty, Vice President of Oppy’s South American Operations.
As Oppy continues to flesh out its product portfolio, AndNowUKnow will be here to report.
