Following a breakthrough debut year, South African grapefruit growers are turning up the heat in Europe, expanding into new territories and scaling up digital and retail efforts to cement the fruit as a modern summer staple.
The SummerStar Ruby Grapefruit campaign, officially launched for the 2026 season, is moving beyond its German origins into France and the Netherlands.
Backed by a voluntary coalition of growers within the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA), the initiative aims to urgently reposition grapefruit from bitter and old-fashioned to a sweet, tangy, and versatile choice for young consumers.
Expanding SA grapefruit exports
The expansion comes as export volumes are expected to rise by a further 16% in 2026, providing the supply needed to support growing demand. This year, the growers are expanding in Germany while also setting their sights on France and the Netherlands. The team will ramp up last year’s efforts and introduce new ways to grow awareness and demand.
“We’re moving from awareness to action. This year is about converting interest into consistent purchase behaviour,” said Nicci Stewart, SummerStar Ruby marketing lead.
Digital activity will also scale, with even more engaging content on our owned channels and an increased investment in high-performing content creators across food, health and lifestyle.
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A user-generated recipe competition has also been launched on social media to encourage consumers to experiment with grapefruit in multiple ways over the summer.
Retail partnerships will play a central role, with in-store promotions across all three markets designed to establish SummerStar Ruby as a recognisable consumer brand. QR-coded stickers have been pasted on individual fruits linking shoppers to a language-specific landing page containing recipes and product information. All promotional activity will be tracked to measure sales impact and optimise future campaigns.
Building on a breakthrough season
The 2026 campaign builds on a 2025 season that targeted Germany and focused on digital brand-building, growing awareness through influencer marketing and public relations, and building strong partnerships within the supply chain. The initiative was supported by a strong export season where South Africa packed 15.3 million cartons of grapefruit, a 7% increase on the previous year, supported by favourable growing conditions and stable pricing.
“Last year was about fundamentally changing how consumers see grapefruit through clear, consistent messaging. We positioned SummerStar Ruby as sweet, tangy and incredibly versatile. It’s not just a breakfast fruit, but something consumers can enjoy throughout the day, from post-workout snacks to salads and cocktails.”
Early indicators suggest the strategy is gaining significant traction, with positive sentiment across media and social platforms. This is backed by the massive reach of last year’s campaign, where influencer content alone received over 9 million views and tens of thousands of engagements and likes.
While it remains early to quantify the full commercial impact of the campaign, growers believe the category is at an inflection point. Participating growers contribute voluntarily to a collaborative marketing fund to drive long-term category growth.
“We’re seeing meaningful shifts in perception, alongside growing engagement across the value chain,” said Barry Landman, chairman of the Grapefruit Variety Focus Group.
“From the outset, the growers aligned around a single goal: urgently change how grapefruit is perceived, particularly among younger consumers. What started as a bold repositioning effort is now evolving into a scalable growth platform for grapefruit in Europe.
“I’m pleased with the direction and believe that the foundations are in place for SummerStar Ruby to become a staple of the European summer,” Landman concluded.
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