Sumo Citrus® growers are once again excited about the season and are confident about the brand’s continued success.
The flagship citrus brand of Freshmax Australia, Sumo Citrus®, is available now on Woolworths’ shelves across Australia. Originating in Japan over forty years ago, Sumo Citrus® is a licensed and controlled brand that has been grown in Australia for over 15 years by a group of 20 growers across three major regions: Riverina, Sunraysia and the Riverland. The brand is a hybrid between a mandarin and an orange and is only available for a limited season between July and September each year.
Sumo Citrus® growers are once again excited about the season and are confident about the brand’s continued success. “Sumo Citrus® is now a well-established favourite for citrus lovers. The crop has come on really well this year and we are already seeing significant media attention and continued consumer interest. It’s seedless and sweet, juicy without being messy, making it one of the most delicious citrus fruits you’ll ever eat,” says Gerry Papasidero, Sumo Citrus® Grower – Pacific Fresh.
“Sumo Citrus® has always enjoyed a cult status with consumers due to its distinctive look as well as its super sweet flavour,” says William Snell, GM Sales – Freshmax Australia. “Our strong and continued partnership with Woolworths maintains a solid platform to educate consumers about the brand and its point of difference from other citrus fruit.” Woolworths has been the exclusive National Retail partner for this variety with Freshmax Australia for a number of years. “On top of this, the excitement and engagement we see from end consumers continue to motivate us to make sure we are consistently providing them with a fantastic eating experience” he adds.
“Consumers eat with their eyes first, and the bright and bold Sumo Citrus® with its fun shape is hard to miss on Woolworths’ produce shelves. To reinforce this, we are working with Woolworths this year to develop an even stronger degree of POS and merchandising to further enhance Sumo Citrus® visibility across stores nationwide,” says Rattana Pin, National Account Manager – Freshmax Australia.
“The Sumo Citrus® campaign this year has been designed to increase top-of-mind awareness with consumers,” says Sona Padman, Campaign Manager – Freshmax Australia. “With a focus on integrated media channels and influence within the path-to-purchase, this year’s campaign will focus on incentivised decision-making and offer various promotions through our retail partner. We have also collaborated with Woolworths to showcase Sumo Citrus® at this year’s Ekka show in Brisbane on 18th August, further solidifying our national marketing program. Our broader brand strategy remains to educate and inspire consumers, encouraging them to experiment in consuming Sumo Citrus® in many different ways and as an integral part of their healthy lifestyle choices,” she adds.