Taking the Mouse South

Imagination Farms announces that they are marketing Disney branded fresh produce in Mexico. From their news release:

Imagination Farms is continuing its mission to increase children’s consumption of fresh produce by taking its message and Disney branded fresh produce program to consumers in Mexico. "Mexico is a very attractive market for Disney and for our program. We are excited to be working with one of the strongest brands in the world to further our mission of increasing the consumption of fresh produce,” remarked Matthew Caito, CEO of Imagination Farms. “Mexico was also a natural extension for us due to the fact that many of our current suppliers already do business with Mexican retailers or grow products in Mexico. Our team has been working for nearly a year to build a program that will speak directly to Mexican consumers with branding and marketing programs tailored to Mexican consumers.”
The Disney program in Mexico will feature similar products and packaging as that of the U.S., but with Disney’s global brand standard and Spanish language packaging. Categories to be represented in Mexico include apples, pears, cherries, stone-fruit, mangos, watermelons, vegetables, berries, bananas, pineapples, papayas, and tomatoes. The company is working with its Mexican growers and shippers to ensure that Disney products will meet and exceed Mexico’s Calidad Suprema good agricultural program (GAP) requirements.
As in the United States, the Disney program in Mexico will include both commodity and value added items, and will continue to provide focus on marketing strategies that engage and educate parents and children through the use of kid-friendly packaging and merchandising.
The Disney fresh produce program in Mexico debuted with the introduction of Disney Garden apples and pears from Chelan Fresh and L&M Companies in January and February. The company also featured several categories and growers at its booth at the ANTAD trade show in Guadalajara in early March. Fruit Patch Sales of Dinuba, CA expects to introduce the next batch of Disney products in Mexico with the launch of Disney stone fruit, including peaches, plums, nectarines, and apricots in May. Progreso Produce of Boerne, TX, will begin marketing Disney watermelons and mangoes later this spring in Mexico. Additional Mexican-based growers of pineapples, bananas, strawberries, watermelons and mangoes will be announced by the company in the coming weeks and months.