Paris: Taiwanese mangoes have entered the French market for the first time after reaching the main wholesale food market for Paris, hoping to gain a foothold in high-end hospitality and retail channels. Shipped to France by air as part of a six-metric-ton shipment of fruit that also included dragon fruit and lychees, the mangoes arrived at March© International de Rungis, where Taiwan's representative to France, Hao Pei-chih, appeared Friday to promote the product.

According to Focus Taiwan, Hao stated that the launch was a significant milestone for Taiwan's fruit exports, as the EU has some of the world's most stringent agricultural import requirements. This achievement comes after years of negotiations over plant quarantine norms and compliance with European Union standards.

Bruno Chartier, head of French fruit importer Sun 7 Fruits, described the Taiwanese mangoes as a premium product that will command higher prices than other mangoes. He mentioned that the company would initially focus on luxury hotels, upscale restaurants, specialty food stores, and concept shops. Chartier highlighted the mangoes' sweetness, rich flesh, and relatively small seed compared to other imported varieties, noting that they are on another level.

Nature House Group, the Taiwanese exporter behind the shipment, expressed that shipping fruit to Europe reflects Taiwan's ability to meet stringent EU import requirements and maintain cold-chain quality over a journey of more than 10,000 kilometers. As the mangoes are new to the French market, greater promotion will be necessary to build consumer awareness.