Taiwanese mangoes, lychees arrive in U.K.

London, July 1 (CNA) A shipment of Irwin mangoes from Tainan and black-leaf lychees from Taichung arrived in the United Kingdom and cleared customs on Wednesday, marking Taiwan's first official export of the two types of fruit to the U.K. this year.

The shipment, totaling one unit load device (ULD), departed from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, transited through Frankfurt, Germany, and arrived at Manchester Airport. The fruit was subject to continuous cold chain management throughout the journey to preserve its quality and freshness.

The shipment was imported by Cherrain Global Ltd., a wholesale importer based in northwest England, with Taiwan's Sunray International coordinating production, logistics and export procedures.

Kris Tang, CEO of Cherrain, told CNA that every stage of the shipment was closely monitored, from harvesting, sorting and grading to washing, heat treatment, cooling, quarantine inspection and packaging, to ensure British consumers receive the freshest possible Taiwanese fruit.

Tang said the company hopes to establish a sustainable and replicable model for exporting Taiwanese fruit to the U.K., while testing consumer demand across different market segments.

To achieve that goal, Cherrain will leverage its distribution network, including Asian supermarkets, online Asian grocery platforms and local fruit and vegetable wholesalers. The company also plans to promote Taiwanese fruit to restaurants and other food businesses for use in dishes, desserts and beverages.

For the first shipment, which includes mangoes of different grades, the company is targeting the mid to high-end market and hopes to introduce premium Taiwanese fruit to retailers such as Marks & Spencer, Waitrose and Harrods, Tang said.

He said Taiwanese fruit has long had the potential to enter the British and wider European markets, but success depends not only on quality, but also on a stable supply chain and diversified marketing channels.

Tang noted that Taiwan's fruit harvests are often concentrated within a short period of time, resulting in oversupply and falling prices. Expanding overseas sales can help stabilize demand while increasing the value of Taiwanese produce, he said.

Looking ahead, the company plans to introduce different Taiwanese fruit to the U.K. throughout the year according to their peak harvest seasons.

In addition to ensuring consumers receive fruit at its freshest, the initiative seeks to showcase the diversity of Taiwan's agricultural produce, Tang said.

The company also hopes to establish dedicated Taiwan produce sections in physical retail stores to raise consumer awareness and encourage purchases, he added.

Tang expressed hope that the shipment will pave the way for long-term exports to Europe, helping transform Taiwan's abundant fruit harvests into sustained overseas sales.