Taiwanese Irwin Mangoes Debut in French Market, Praised for Premium Quality

Taiwanese Irwin mangoes have entered the French market for the first time, with the first batch having completed customs clearance. French importer Sun 7 Fruits said that the quality of Taiwanese mangoes is "truly top-notch" and that they will vigorously promote them in the market, prioritizing channels such as luxury hotels and high-end restaurants in their market strategy.

Pei-Chen Hao, Representative to France, visited the Marché international de Rungis in the Paris suburbs today to meet with French fruit importer Sun 7 Fruits. Under the guidance of its head, Bruno Chartier, she learned about the import status of the first batch of mangoes and the potential of the French market.

The Rungis International Market provides a variety of fresh ingredients to professionals in the entire Île-de-France region and is claimed to be the world's largest fresh produce market.

"We have great confidence in Taiwanese fruits, but entering the EU market truly requires a lot of effort," said Hao.

She pointed out that first, there were negotiations on quarantine conditions, which relied on the long-term efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, and the agricultural counselor at the Taipei Mission in the EU and Belgium to negotiate with the EU, finally gaining recognition.

Secondly, there is the image and positioning of Taiwanese fruits in the European and French markets, as well as subsequent channel connections. With the efforts of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in France, they previously assisted in arranging a visit by Tainan Mayor Wei-Cherng Huang. The Taipei Trade Center in Paris has also actively invited French fruit buyers to visit Taiwan for discussions, promoting bilateral import and export对接, and facilitating the successful import of Taiwanese mangoes into Europe.

Hao stated that Taiwan not only has advanced chips but also unique fruits. The entry of Taiwanese mangoes into the French market represents a move towards comprehensive trade between the two sides and a cross of a high technical standard for Taiwanese fruits.

In an interview with CNA, Chartier highly praised the quality of Taiwanese fruits. He said that Taiwanese Irwin mangoes are extremely sweet, with full flesh and small pits, belonging to a high-end product. Although other imported mangoes are also good, Taiwanese mangoes are on another level.

He said that this is the first batch of Taiwanese mangoes imported into France and that it still needs more promotion to make the market aware of this product. "Taiwan's current advantage lies in its rigorous packaging and fruit handling techniques. The batch we received is truly top-notch."

Taiwanese mangoes far surpass mangoes from other producing areas in quality, and their prices are relatively higher. Therefore, the market strategy focuses on high-end channels.

Chartier gave an example, saying that the first step will be to prioritize contacting luxury hotels, concept stores, high-end restaurants, or premium product retail stores, and perhaps later seek larger channels like supermarkets.

He mentioned that Spain also grows Irwin mangoes, with a season in September and October, but distributors who have already been invited to taste them have highly praised the taste of Taiwanese mangoes.

Chartier also mentioned that Taiwanese lychees are very delicious, with small pits and sweet juice, "there's no doubt about the taste." However, based on experience, French consumers are accustomed to buying bright red lychees. He reflected this opinion to the Taiwanese side, and they will receive some sample lychees when the next batch of mangoes arrives.

He emphasized, "What makes me happy to cooperate with Taiwan is that (Taiwanese people) actively respond and seriously consider (our opinions)," and this is something not every country can do.

Wei-Cherng Huang, European Representative for Taiwanese exporter "Natural House Group," said that the EU's quarantine regulations are quite strict, so being able to send Taiwanese fruits to Europe means that Taiwanese agriculture has gained international market recognition. Additionally, transporting mangoes from Taiwan to France, a journey of over 10,000 kilometers, also represents overcoming the challenges of long-distance cold chain transportation. (Editor: Tian Ruihua) 1150613