WENATCHEE, Wash. – The day dedicated to candy hearts, Cupid’s Arrow and thornless roses may be a few months away, but that isn’t stopping Stemilt Growers, a family-owned tree fruit grower, packer, and shipper, from getting ahead of the curve with one of shoppers’ most beloved apples. Brianna Shales, communications manager at Stemilt suggests that retailers should be planning big Pink Lady® apple promotions now just in time for the most romantic day of the year.
“February, but specifically Valentine’s Day, is the best time for Pink Lady® apple promotions,” states Shales. “During this time of the year, we see a surge of sales, as the variety is the perfect fit for the holiday; the coloring, branding and flavor profile all fit the theme, making it the peak promotion time for this apple.”
Shales suggests that retailers need to start planning now for Pink Lady® apple of the month, and Valentine’s Day promotions. According to national retail scan data from Nielsen, February marks a spike in Pink Lady® apple volumes at retail across the U.S., with 6.3 percent of the total apple category sales coming from Pink Lady® in February 2016. This is an increase from 4.1 percent in January 2016 and helped carry momentum into March 2016, with category contribution of 4.6 percent.
“The Pink Lady is a popular variety with high sugars and high acids, and February is an ideal time to start pushing this apple at retail,” states Shales. “The apple’s beautiful pink coloring pairs very well with the theme of Valentine’s Day which makes it easy for retailers to use our packaging and branding style to create a festive Valentine’s Day display.”
Stemilt’s in-house design team created a Pink Lady® branded 5lb. pouch bag to help retailers promote this apple during holiday peaks, or as an everyday grab-and-go item. The company can also offer retailers Pink Lady® pop-up display bins, and encourages retailers to feature Pink Lady® as the apple of the month in February. Smaller sizing in this year’s crop, and a great flavor profile for kids, makes Lil Snappers® Pink Lady® apples another ideal package to carry in February. Stemilt is also the leader in organic Pink Lady® apples, which it sells under both the Artisan Organics™ brand and Artisan Organics™ Lil Snappers® 3lb. pouch bags.
“We offer a variety of Pink Lady® packaging and merchandising options to help partner retailers tie this apple into the Valentine’s Day theme. From organic to Apple Lover bags, and of course, our industry leading Lil Snappers® program, there are so many ways to tap into Pink Lady® apples this February,” said Shales.
Stemilt has been growing Pink Lady apples for nearly three decades, perfecting the growing, storing and packing process. “Our teams have dedicated a lot of time to ensuring these Pink Lady® apples are the best they can be,” states Shales. “We grow them in specific warmer sites in order to build color and flavor of this last-to-harvest apple. Our leadership in growing Pink Lady® results in apples with exceptional color, crunch, and of course a balance of acids and sugars.”
Aside from snacking on this apple fresh, Pink Lady® is a great culinary fruit. It doesn’t brown quickly after slicing, making it a great choice for green salads. It also maintains its shape when baked, and pairs well with wine, chocolate and cheese making it a suitable fit for romantic appetizers and side dishes on Valentine’s Day.
“The Pink Lady® apple is an essential part of the apple category most of the year, but February marks the time of year to really ramp up promotions. The momentum built by this apple in its feature month will help carry your apple category into the spring and summer months. Be sure to take advantage of opportunities on bulk, Lil Snappers® kid-size fruits, and of course Artisan Organics™ Pink Lady® apples throughout February,” states Shales.
Retailers can contact Stemilt Sales representatives now to begin planning their Pink Lady® promotions.
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About Stemilt
Stemilt Growers is a leading tree fruit growing, packing and shipping company based in Wenatchee, Washington. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt is the leading shipper of sweet cherries and one of the largest supplier of organic tree fruits in the nation. Stemilt has also demonstrated a commitment to sustainable agriculture and social responsibility since 1989, when founder Tom Mathison launched the company’s Responsible Choice program. For more information about Stemilt, visitwww.stemilt.com and follow Stemilt on Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube.
Source: Stemilt Growers