Some of Europe’s top apple producers came to Malaysia to launch their “Natural Goodness” campaign

KUALA LUMPUR,MALAYSIA - Media OutReach -30 May 2019 - European apple growers have launcheda three-year promotional campaign in Malaysia to highlight the benefits ofEuropean apples to quality-conscious consumers.

Ata launch event held in Kuala Lumpur recently, Her Excellency Maria CastilloFernandez, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Malaysia, and HisExcellency Cristiano Maggipinto, the Ambassador of Italy to Malaysia, joined a partyof senior apple growers from the Italian Alps who outlined their plans to anaudience of Malaysian fruit importers, wholesalers and the media.

Thethree-year European Apples "Natural Goodness from the Italian Alps" promotionalcampaign will include a series of tasting/sampling events at high-profileMalaysian malls, media outreach activities, as well as influencer and socialmedia engagement initiatives.

Italianapple growers of Trentino South Tyrol will start supplying the Malaysian marketwith the finest naturally grown apples from autumn of 2019.

Theseapples will range from classic varieties like Royal Gala, Granny Smith and Fujito Golden Delicious and Red Delicious, as well as exciting new club varietiesincluding Ambrosia™, Evelina^®, Kanzi^®, Modi^®,Pink Lady^® and Yello^®. These apples will be available atleading retailers nationwide and pricing will reflect the premium quality ofthe product.

Grown high in the Italian Alps where they are nourished by crystal clearglacier springs and bask in abundant sunlight, all of these apple varieties arealso available as certified organic.

Her Excellency Maria Castillo Fernandez, stressing that the EU co-fundedcampaign is designed to generate awareness of the merits of Europeanagricultural production presented here by Italian apples, said,"Malaysia is a very important market for the European Union. It is our secondlargest market in South East Asia, while the European Union is Malaysia thirdlargest trading partner. Malaysia has a growing middle class and increasingdomestic consumption. In my time here I have seen myself how Malaysianconsumers are growing more interested in healthy high-quality foods and have anincreasing appetite for discovering new products. As such I think this is theperfect time to inform them of the unique qualities of European and Italianapples."

His Excellency Ambassador Cristiano Maggipinto added, "Italian applesare amongst the best produced not only in Europe, but in the world more generally,and as such I am delighted that this campaign is being supported by theEuropean Union. Italian products generally have a strong visibility inMalaysia, but people are not so aware of our historic agricultural heritage. Ilook forward to seeing more natural Italian and European products in Malaysian storesin the next few years and I am sure Malaysian consumers will also appreciate freshchoices."

Italian Alps apple producers representing VOG (Marlene) and Val Venostacompanies said, "The Italian Alps is unquestionably one of the most idealapple-growing regions in the world and as such we are delighted to be workingwith a range of Malaysian fruit importers and wholesalers to make thesedelicious products available to discerning Malaysian consumers. Italian applesare produced to very stringent standards and are delicious eaten on their ownor used as an ingredient in a wide variety of recipes. We are very happy withthe response we have had in Malaysia from both importers and the general publicand we look forward to being back on Malaysian shelves later this year when ourapples are in season again."

www.europeanapplesfromalps.com

ABOUT APPLES FROM ITALIAN ALPS

Our apples strength comes from our superior quality fruit, grown everyyear thanks to a great combination of a unique environment and productionexpertise. For centuries, 20,000 local fruit farmers have been carefully cultivating28,000 hectares of apple orchards, using skills acquired through manygenerations of orchard-tending. Our apples grow on the rocky, mineral-rich soilof the Italian Alps, where they breathe the pure air of our forests and absorbthe crystalline waters flowing straight from the Alpine glaciers. For 2,000hours every year, they bask in the brilliant Alpine sunshine. This is why ourapples are easily recognized as the best by more than 100 million consumers inover 30 countries around the world.