Tom Carl Tjerandsen
Director,Pomegranate Council
After completing work for an MBA in Marketing, Tom was hired by Ketchum Advertising as an Assistant Account Executive. He eventually moved from there to D'arcy Advertising and then to J. Walter Thompson, where he was a Management Supervisor responsible for all of their consumer product accounts on the West Coast of the U.S. Eventually, he formed a food orientated Agency with a partner and it continues today. In addition to managing the Pomegranate and California Fresh Apricot Councils, he is the Managing Director for North America for the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association. He currently resides in the heart of the California wine country in Sonoma, California.
Japan has become an important export market for California pomegranates.
Japan has become an important export market for California pomegranates. Shoppers have long been familiar with the exceptional health benefits from consuming pomegranates, but it wasn't until recent research confirmed the importance to well-being of the high level of antioxidants contained in pomegranates, that distribution and sales rapidly increased.
Until about 10 years ago, the only exporters of pomegranates to Japan were Iran, Turkey and China. A substantial increase in pomegranate cultivation in California finally permitted exporters to introduce the popular Wonderful pomegranate variety to Japanese consumers. The large size and deep red color were immediately embraced by shoppers and as a result sales have steadily increased to well over 100,000 boxes per year. Initially sales were confined to the Tokyo/Osaka markets, but now California pomegranates can be found throughout Japan during the September-January season.
Research in Israel and the United States continues to find more nutritional benefits from eating pomegranates and as the studies are published, they will be uploaded to the www.pomegranates.org web site. Interested shoppers are encouraged to visit often to remain current on the latest findings. The site also features many innovative recipes and usage suggestions.
