“Best-of-the-world Pear” is going to be presented officially in Vietnam
Pear have green fruit skin, eye-catching, creamy white flesh, brittle… that contains a large amount of Pectin, this type of soluble fiber promotes and encourages digestive health, lower cholesterol and maintain balanced blood sugar levels. This is also an easily digestible substance, reduces the burden on the digestive system and is a source of slow release energy.
It also has a very special name, “Conference Pear” and its story saved Pear industry of The UK from collapse, let’s do a small research about them!
“… The birth of railway and steam-powered shipment had encouraged the importation of apples and pears from the US and Canada to soar. With a large amount of fruits being imported in bulk, in order to control this item, in 1887, Foreign Fruit Exchange was established at Covent Garden Market. But because of this, growers in the UK, especially pear growers, were at risk of competing with imported fruits. At that time, the only competitive product was pear, but no one had found out the best kind of pear to put into production on a large scale.
Finally, a group of leading gardeners in the UK – the Royal Horticultural Association listed a list of popular pears and strove to run a series of conference as well as a promotion campaign to figure out the best, most special pear that would compete against apples and pears from the US and Canada.
At first, they programed National Apple Congress in London in 1883, Pear Conference in 1885 and lastly was Apple and Pear Conference in 1888 at Chiswick District of west London. At this moment, president of the conference, Thomas Frances Rivers – The owner of a famous pear nursery in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire – Rivers Incubator – introduced a kind of pear that he planted at his nursery. This was exactly pear breeding that won the top prize and the name “Conference Pear” was born …
Today, the “Conference pear” Truval brand name are grown in Sint-Truiden valley in eastern Belgium. The products are supplied by Belgian Fruit Valley (BFV), one of the largest fruit production cooperative in Europe, which produces more than 50% of Belgium’s annual crop production and also is the biggest distributor of “Conference pear”.
“Conference pear” products have been sold widely and well-known in: Europe, Africa, Canada, Brazil, China, India, Singapore, Malaysia, …
Distribution systems of Truval Conference pear
In Vietnam, Mr. Marc Evrard, BFV’s Commercial Director, said that they have planned a reasonable process to raise awareness of Belgium pear in Vietnam through modern retail segment. He was excited when BFV was given an opportunity from U&I Agricultural Joint Stock Company, called Unifarm that would sell BFV’s fruits under the Truval brand.
It was expected that the project would not begin until the winter of 2018, but a trip to Vietnam of Geert Bourgeois at an opening ceremony held in Hanoi on May 14, 2018 created a great opportunity for Belgium pear to access Vietnam market. With the present of Mr. Bourgeois and representatives from leading Belgian cooperatives. This was a great chance for Belgian Fruit Valley (BFV) and BelOrta to introduce their fruits to importers, retailers and local media in Vietnam… The meeting also was attended by Mr. Hoang Trung, Director of Vietnam Plant Protection Department (PPD).
With commitments, experiences and goals as well as market development programs in countries around the world, Belgian pear exporters proceeded sending fruit samples to Vietnam in 2017 and preparing for a campaign to step in Vietnam market from 2018.
(Source: Belgian Fruit Valley)
