The fresh produce business is changing rapidly – not only in Asia but also worldwide – and the coronavirus outbreak has further accelerated the changes. On 28 September, Jan Doldersum, Chain and Retail Manager at Rijk Zwaan, will participate in a panel discussion with two other experts. They will talk about the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the fresh produce business, as well as the longer-term impacts and opportunities.
Consumers are making new and different choices, leading to a shift in consumer buying behaviour. They are exploring alternative sales channels when shopping for groceries, such as online and home-delivery services. Furthermore, consumers are increasingly opting for food-safe and high-quality produce that has been grown locally. This is creating new opportunities for protected high-tech cultivation, which enables fresh and healthy crops – such as lettuces, for example – to be produced more efficiently and closer to local sales markets than ever.
This trend has also become increasingly evident in Asia in recent years. Whereas the main focus in the region has traditionally been on low-tech production systems, there is now a clear shift towards high-tech cultivation in more and more Asian countries. This is a perfect fit with the rising consumer demand for healthy and high-quality produce.
Are you keen to know more about Rijk Zwaan’s research findings regarding the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the Asian fresh produce business? And would you like to meet the Rijk Zwaan team (in a ‘virtual’ setting)? If so, go to https://www.asiafruitcongress.com/ to register for this free online congress. The team is looking forward to seeing you soon!
For more information:
Rijk Zwaan
info@rijkzwaan.com
www.rijkzwaan.com