Kee Hua Chee Live!: EURO-ATLANTIC IS MALAYSIA'S BEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL IMPORTER OF FRUITS FROM STRAWBERRIES TO ALL SORTS OF ORDINARY TO EXTRAORDINARY FRUITS! IF YOU SEEK THE BEST FOR YOUR FAMILY AND FOR YOURSELF, CHECK THE LABEL. IF IT SAYS 'EURO-ATLANTIC' THEN THE FRUIT IS AS GOOD AS ITS GET!

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

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Korean straw-berry good

Art you can eat: One of Lee Samanthas creations.

First it was Korean dramas and singers that made waves; now Korean strawberries are catching on too. ZIEMAN talks to food importer, Ebby KC Loo of Euro-Atlantic.

Ebby KC Loo has a deep and abiding interest in all kinds of exotic fruits, but especially Korean strawberries a.k.a. Maehyang strawberries.

Convinced they were special, the founder and managing director of Euro-Atlantic Sdn Bhd, an importer and distributor of specialty fruits, vegetables and marine produce, decided as far back as a decade ago she was going to introduce them to Malaysians.

In 2006, she made the bold decision to ship in 10 tonnes of Korean strawberries, despite the fact the berries were more expensive and practically nobody had heard of them before.

Today, Euro-Atlantic, the biggest importer of exotic fruits in the country, ships in more than 150 tonnes of Korean strawberries a year. And the numbers are rising.

“I first visited a Korean strawberry farm 24 years ago, and I could see the potential of the fruit because it was different in a lot of ways. Compared to other strawberries, Maehyang strawberries are generally of higher quality, but are more difficult to cultivate. They are also greenhouse-grown and healthier with less pesticide used (in its cultivation).

Trust me. It’s very, very good: Loo and popular Korean strawberry her company brings in.

“They have a striking red hue with shiny appearance, have cone-like or oblong shape and are juicier. I especially like the aromatic scent, which is like a fruit-flavoured candy compared to the muskier, earthier smell of other strawberries. The taste is also strong and sweet, without lingering on the tongue.

“They are less moist and crunchier, which suits Malaysian consumers,” says Loo.

Because of these characteristics, the Maehyang strawberries have earned the nickname Noble Strawberries. Though they are more costly, the strawberries are very popular with consumers in its native South Korea.

The Maehyang strawberries, which have atypically long leaves, are regarded as the “Queen of Vitamin C” in Korea because of their appealing soft flesh and sweet taste, and – some Koreans claim – their higher vitamin C content compared to Mandarin oranges and apples.

“Korean strawberries are seeing a steady rise in demand compared to strawberries from other parts of the world. There has been an increase of 20-30% every year,” Loo says.

“A recent shipment of 250 cartons arrived recently and was snapped up within two days, and we had to place another bulk order for the next shipment. That’s how popular it is here,” she reveals.

The juicy and succulent Maehyang strawberry.

This year marks the fruit’s 10th season in the Malaysian market. While the company purchased US$2million worth of Korean strawberries last year, the numbers should be better this year.

In the last six months from November to April alone, the company brought in 200 tonnes.

To push sales further, Euro-Atlantic conducted sampling activities and promotions via a nationwide contest for Korean/Maehyang strawberries from March 2 to April 30th, 2015.

It was the third year they had done this, following the good response from past campaigns. The grand prize winner of this year’s contest got a six-day-four-night trip for two to South Korea, while all three winners received Samsung mobile phones. They were also invited to a food art workshop conducted by food artist Lee Samantha.

“This is one of the fruits that our Malaysian consumers look forward to from November to May. With the sampling activities and promotions we’ve done in the last 10 years at stores and hypermarkets, customers are willing to pay more to purchase these premium strawberries,” Loo says.

According to her, promotions in Penang and Kota Kinabalu have also helped to increase sales, despite a slight increase in price compared to the year before,” she adds.

For the past five years, Euro-Atlantic has consistently exceeded the target that they have set for themselves. Loo believes this is due to the support of the exporter and Korean government, the hard work put in by her team and the reception from loyal customers.

Since Korean strawberries are only available from late November till early May, Euro-Atlantic also sources strawberries from California, New Zealand, Australia and other countries.

“We import from California for the whole year round, especially during the peak season in May and June, Australia from the end July to the end of September, and New Zealand from November to December.

Loo says Euro-Atlantic, which has two decades of experience in the business, is always striving to raise the bar in bringing in fresh produce and is always on the lookout for new and emerging food sources. The company has made heavy investments in state-of-the-art cold rooms and has a fleet of over 40 refrigerated trucks criss-crossing the country.

“Before we import any exotic fruit, we have to consider the determining factor, which is the nature of the fruit, its shelf life and travel time and the characteristics of the fruit. Lemons, for example, have a very long shelf life, and that’s why we are able to import from South Africa, Argentina and Spain, among other countries,” explains Loo.

Food artist Lee Samantha’s Korean Strawberries Food Art Workshop was part of Euro-Atlantic’s activities to promote the strawberries.

She says Euro-Atlantic has always abided by its corporate philosophy – There’s no substitute for freshness.

“Our mission is to retain the juicy freshness, delicious aroma and succulent flavour of every product, so that it arrives on the dining table bursting with natural goodness. We make sure our logistics are excellent so that the goods are delivered fresh to our consumers,” stresses Loo.

Apart from fruits, the company also brings in dried fruits, leafy vegetables, fruit, vegetables, potatoes, mushrooms, fresh herbs, gourmet oil, gourmet pasta and gourmet sauce.

“Even though it’s been a little sluggish in the other businesses, there has, fortunately, been a steady growth in the fruit business. There has also been a change in the eating habits of Malaysians. They are eating healthily now, and that’s a good sign,” says Loo.

What’s next on the horizon for her company?

Loo says she is eyeing exotic but expensive fruits like the Momo peach, a very juicy fruit from Japan, the Zespri Sungold kiwi from New Zealand, the purple figs from Europe, the Australian custard apples and a variety of berries, ranging from pine berries, raspberries and blackberries to gooseberries and blueberries.

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