Earlier this month Australian bananas featured at the Sydney Royal Easter Show as part of a consumer facing marketing activation designed to strengthen demand and reinforce bananas as a trusted, everyday choice for Australian households.
Delivered by Hort Innovation in partnership with Direct to Consumer (D2C), and Australian banana growers, the activation prioritised face-to-face engagement with consumers - bringing product, provenance and people together in a high traffic environment.
Activations like the Sydney Royal Easter Show play an important role in building familiarity and confidence in Australian bananas - key drivers of long-term demand in an increasingly competitive food environment.
Located in the popular Woolworths Dome, the stand provided a prominent platform to showcase Australian grown bananas while connecting directly with families at scale. Set against a bold yellow backdrop, the message was clear: Australian bananas are the go-to choice for a natural energy source.
Connecting with consumers at scale
The Sydney Royal Easter Show attracts over 800,000 attendees each year, offering a rare opportunity to engage with consumers in a setting where food choice, familiarity and trust intersect. Thousands of visitors stopped by the banana stand across the event, where they sampled approximately 72,500 samples of fresh Australian bananas, made smoothies, engaged with growers and met the ever-popular banana mascot, Benny the banana.
Maeve Lowe, a fourth-generation Banana grower from Tully, Queensland has worked with the team on the Banana stand for the past two years. Maeve said;
“Having grower participation at events such as the Easter Show strengthens the country to the city relationship. It was valuable to show the young kids where their food comes from and the time and care that it takes to produce a delicious product.”
“Talking to farmers gives families a new perspective when they go to do their weekly grocery shop and helps them to understand what it really takes for food to travel from paddock to plate”.
Missed the Show? You can recreate your own banana moment at home - with plenty of delicious, nutritious and easy recipes for everyday eating to be found on the Australian Bananas website.