Fresh oranges grown using the Japanese egg production method show no variation
Original title: The secret behind the hot sales of Nongfu Spring 17.5° Oranges: growing fresh oranges using the Japanese egg production method
The secret behind the hot sales of Nongfu Spring 17.5° Oranges
Three years ago, I posed a question to the on-site experts reviewing the geographical indication product qualification for winter strawberries: "Is there a way to ensure that every winter strawberry has the same sweetness and acidity, and the same size?" The expert waved the handheld sugar content meter in his hand and said, "Manual handheld testing can do it, but this method cannot be industrialized on a large scale - the efficiency is too low, and the output is too low." Recently, Nongfu Spring 17.5° Oranges answered this question at a Shanghai Lujiazui press conference held together with Juhuasuan and Yiguo Fresh. By selecting golden production areas for cultivation, following the way of nature for harvesting, and using cutting-edge equipment to assist in selection, they can ensure that every orange produced has the same sweetness and acidity, the same size, and the same freshness.
Two years on the market with relentless hot sales, stemming from 8 years to create one orange
Last year was the first year that Nongfu Spring 17.5° Oranges went on the market, and within one week more than 100,000 units were presold on e-commerce platforms; on November 13 this year, presales launched again on Juhuasuan and Yiguo Fresh, and in just 15 minutes 2,500 boxes were sold. By midnight at 24:00 on the evening of the 13th, a total of 14,671 boxes had been sold. What is the secret behind the continuously record-breaking hot sales?
According to reports, as early as more than 10 years ago, Nongfu Spring was determined to create a national brand of oranges and began searching within China for high-quality orange production areas. It was not until 2007 that it decided to begin cultivation in the famous navel orange growing region of Gannan and established a modern production and processing base.
Because this place has warm sunshine, just the right amount of rain, a magical temperature difference between day and night, and the world's rare rare-earth soil, it is one of the best navel orange growing regions in the world and is very suitable for cultivating Newhall navel oranges that meet the quality requirements of 17.5° Oranges.
In 2011, the orange trees bore fruit, but in pursuit of higher quality, Nongfu Spring decided to continue quietly researching in these hills and fields and not yet bring the product to market. It was not until 2014, after passing various reviews, that Nongfu Spring became confident that the quality of 17.5° Oranges was outstanding and only then launched them. To date, Nongfu Spring's orchards in Gannan already have a 12,000-mu orange planting base and more than 400,000 carefully cultivated 17.5° Orange trees.
Eight years to create one orange stems from exacting demands on the sugar-acid ratio
The Japanese market's pursuit of egg quality ranks first in the world, and the cultivation of improved white-feathered chickens has reached its peak here. The eggs eaten by ordinary Japanese citizens are all uniform in size, uniform in eggshell color and whiteness, and uniform in the size of the egg white and yolk. If even one egg in a box is different, it cannot be sold. Therefore, during production, once a white-feathered chicken does not meet the requirements for laying eggs, it is immediately culled.
The cultivation and production of Nongfu Spring 17.5° Oranges also follow such a process, making sure that every 17.5° Orange has the same sweetness and acidity, the same size, and the same weight. That is why there was such a long cultivation period lasting 8 years.
The USDA grading standards of the United States Department of Agriculture define the sugar-acid ratio range for Class A orange juice as between 12.5 and 20.5. This range fully takes into account the importance of the sour taste in oranges. Every orange selected by Nongfu Spring conforms to this golden sugar-acid ratio, with an average value of about 17.5 - sweet and delicious, pleasantly tart, with a fine flavor that makes people smile, and that is why it is named 17.5° Orange. To ensure that every orange can meet the 17.5 sugar-acid ratio requirement, in addition to exacting demands on the production area and long-term quiet cultivation, cutting-edge production lines are also needed to assist in selection. For example, infrared detectors that pierce the peel and keep the orange peel intact while controlling the measurement error of sugar content to within ±1°; scanning imaging equipment that can perform all-around scans with no blind spots to ensure the orange peel has no scars; and high-precision digital sensors that intelligently grade according to fruit weight. At the same time, in order to ensure that 17.5° Oranges are naturally ripe, Nongfu Spring chooses to harvest in November rather than in October, the peak season for orange sales.
According to the 2014 screening ratio, out of every 10 first-grade Gannan oranges, only about 2 are selected as 17.5° Oranges. A 17.5° Orange must have plump flesh and a fruit diameter of 6.5 cm, and must meet numerous standards including the sugar-acid ratio and internal controls for peel scars.
A relevant person in charge of Nongfu Spring 17.5° Oranges said, "Every orange that enters the factory receives high-tech treatment at the Nongfu Spring factory. Only after going through thorough cleaning, disinfection, screening and packaging procedures on the world's advanced fresh fruit screening, cleaning and packaging production lines can they possibly become 17.5° Oranges." (Wu Wenquan)