Hort Innovation is responsible for investing the table grape marketing levy into a range of activities to drive awareness and consumption. Here is a quick look at what happened during the year...

The 2025/26 program combined a new domestic consumer-facing campaign with an extensive international program across seven export markets. Domestically, the focus was on increasing awareness and understanding of Australian grapes varieties, strengthening connections with growers and creating reusable assets and owned channels. Internationally, trade engagement, retail activities, sampling, public relations and digital activity were used to build retailer commitment, encourage trial and improve sales.

Insights that drove our thinking

Australian table grapes are widely recognised as healthy, delicious and easy to eat. However, purchase intent remains relatively low unless consumers are prompted. This created an opportunity to keep grapes front-of-mind during the season, improve understanding of varieties and versatility, and build a stronger connection between consumers and the people who grow the fruit. 

Exports remain central to the industry. Across participating markets, the program reinforced a consistent learning: when consumers taste Australian grapes, they are more likely to buy them. In-store sampling was the most reliable and repeatable driver of measurable sales uplift, supported by retail-first activation and early trade engagement. 

What did the campaign achieve?

A stronger domestic consumer platform 

The first industry-led domestic consumer campaign established a dedicated Australian Grapes Instagram account and delivered organic, paid and influencer content. The program generated more than 250,000 paid and organic views, reached almost 100,000 accounts through influencer activity, delivered more than 10,000 content interactions and attracted more than 1,200 new Instagram followers. 

Content introduced consumers to different grape varieties, flavour profiles and new eating occasions, moving the category beyond traditional snacking. Recipe development, grower stories and an industry video began building a library of assets that can be reused and expanded across domestic and international programs.

Export activity at scale 

Seven export markets were activated through trade engagement, retail promotions, merchandising, sampling, public relations and digital activity. Across the program, more than 450 stores were activated, more than 1,400 sampling days or sessions were delivered, more than 230 media placements were secured and digital activity achieved approximately 3.1 million impressions. 

Japan: a retail-first breakout 
A conversion-led retail model delivered 51,084 tastings across 144 events, 131 stores and 20 retail chains. Eighty per cent of activations lifted sales on the day, with median uplift of 188 per cent. Day-of retail sales reached ¥13.16 million, up 216 per cent year-on-year, and Australia became Japan’s number one imported grape source in May with a 67.9 per cent share. 

South Korea: strong lift in premium channels 
Retail sampling was delivered across four chains, 75 stores and 230 demonstrations. Reported sales value increases ranged from 145 per cent to 815 per cent across participating chains, approximately 49,067 kilograms were sold across the promotion on a like-for-like basis, and a new retail partnership was secured with Costco Korea. 

Vietnam and Indonesia: retail depth supported by digital influence 
Vietnam activity included four retail partners, 64 sampling sessions and 671 display days, alongside six KOLs whose content reached 265,457 people. Sales increased 64 per cent month-on-month across participating retail networks. In Indonesia, ten KOL posts generated 2.68 million impressions, while activity across 24 campaign stores delivered approximately 14,265 kilograms in sales. 

Thailand and the Philippines: reach, recognition and capability building 
Thailand delivered the program’s broadest retail footprint, with point-of-sale material across 203 stores and 176 sampling days. In the Philippines, the season launch generated 39 media placements, “Gary the Grape” mascot supported shopper recognition, and a new trade education and retail-excellence training pilot was delivered alongside season launch activity. 

New Zealand: measurable shopper conversion 
Retailer-led activity generated AUD $2.04 million in sales across 172,761 Woolworths customers. Average weekly sales increased 88 per cent against the pre-period, units increased 136 per cent and online sales increased 39 per cent. Loyalty data also showed 18.9 per cent of customers were new to the product and 8.4 per cent were reactivated.