Belgium is set to launch a national campaign to rekindle public interest in pears, as consumption of the fruit has fallen sharply in recent years.
BelOrta, a major Belgian cooperative, said it regrets the fruit's declining popularity and hopes to restore its status as a national treasure through a new initiative starting in November. The campaign aims to modernise the pear's image and culinary relevance.
Belgium has long played a central role in pear cultivation, with the province of Hainaut recognised in the 18th century as the birthplace of the modern "buttery" pear.
According to data from CPS GfK Belgium for VLAM, the Flemish Centre for the Promotion of Agro-Food and Fisheries Products, pear consumption has fallen by 40% since 2016.
In 2024, Belgian households bought 1.74 kilograms of pears per person, down from 2.92 kilograms eight years earlier. The average purchase frequency also dropped from nine times per year in 2019 to 6.9 in 2024.
Younger consumers appear to be turning away from the fruit, with only 14% of those under 35 eating pears weekly, compared with 39% of people over 55.
Despite the decline, the "Conference" pear remains dominant, representing around 80% of total pear sales in Belgium.
Studies show that most Belgians eat pears as snacks rather than in hot dishes, with only 18% of respondents using them in cooked meals.
BelOrta said Belgian consumers still value local produce but believe the fruit needs "a new narrative and a contemporary culinary interpretation."
To that end, the cooperative is launching "Le Plat national de la poire" (The National Dish of Pears), inviting consumers, chefs and food enthusiasts to creatively reimagine the fruit's place in Belgian cuisine.
The campaign will officially begin on 9 November with a festive event in Peer, a Limburg town whose name fittingly echoes the fruit. A social media drive will accompany the launch, encouraging people to share pear-based recipes online.
Restaurants across Belgium are also being invited to feature pear dishes on their menus as part of the initiative.
