China emerging major market for US-grown cranberries

CHINA is positioned to be a major market for cranberries, with US cranberry imports in the country in 2013 rising by 86 percent and imports for 2014 climbing further to reach 104 percent. During the 2013 crop year (September 2013–August 2014), the Cranberry Marketing Committee (CMC) recorded an increase of more than 3 million pounds of cranberries exported to China. The finding came on the heels of the CMC’s report on the multibillion dollar positive economic impact of the cranberry industry in the United States.

China is an emerging major for US-grown cranberries, according to CMC executive director Scott J. Soares. The market in China will continue to expand as consumers there become more aware of the fruit’s health benefits, versatility, and many culinary applications. US-grown cranberries are increasingly used across the culinary spectrum from savoury to sweet and in different forms such as fresh, frozen, juice, dried, sauce, and powder.

The awareness campaign for America’s Original Superfruit^TM plays a key role in encouraging growth in cranberry exports to China and abroad. Leading media professionals and power bloggers from Women’s Health, China Food, Sina Fashion, Sina Eladies, Trends Cosmopolitan, Shanghai Times, Hunan TV, and Pan Pan Cat were recently invited to Massachusetts to get a hands-on, 360-degree snapshot of US-grown cranberries.