Mark Murai
President, California Strawberry Commission
California Strawberry Grower
California Strawberry Commission President Mark Murai is a third-generation Orange County farmer. While studying agricultural business management at Cal Poly, Pomona, Murai began growing strawberries at his family’s farms in 1985. Murai served on the commission’s board of directors for 17 years and led the organization as its chairman of the board from 2002 to 2004.
The California Strawberry Commission has conducted promotions in Japan since 1994.
The California Strawberry Commission has conducted promotions in Japan since the organization’s foundation in 1994. As a result of these efforts, California has been able to steadily increase in export value and volume to Japan, now controlling 95% of the country’s market for imported fresh strawberries. While the overall export value of California strawberries to Japan have increased 125% since 1991, the export volume of fresh California strawberries has increased 175% in 2009 as compared to September 2008 YTD. This year’s most recent jump in export volume to Japan has been the successful outcome of the California Strawberry Commission’s strong strategic focus of MAP funding on trade development and retail promotions for fresh California strawberries.
Japanese trade has also benefited from the CSC’s efforts in the country, with major Japanese retail grocery chains reporting company-wide sales lifts of between 210% and 410% in 2009 as a result of the CSC’s in-store promotions, sampling and demonstrations, and a 2009 technical trade seminar that focused on category development and the health benefits of strawberries.
By cooperating with Japanese trade on these promotional programs, the CSC has developed retail practices in the country, strengthened trade relationships, and secured a strong market for the ever increasing supply of high-quality fresh California strawberries.
