WENATCHEE, Wash. – The sweetest apple around is stepping into the spotlight thanks to Stemilt Growers’ new summertime promotion. The company invites retailers to participate in the Sweet Summer Fuji Fest now through August with its finest and sweetest Fuji apples of the season.
“Our very best Fuji apples, featuring the high-color and high-flavor Aztec strain, are available now,” said Roger Pepperl, Stemilt marketing director. “Fuji fits right into the summer fruit focus at retail because of its incredible juice and sweetness. Center your summertime apple promotions around Fuji and its flavor to keep your apple category strong.”
Stemilt’s Sweet Summer Fuji Fest encourages retail promotions on bulk Fuji, Lil Snappers® 3lb. kid-size pouch bags, or 5lb. Apple Lover pouch bags. Stemilt created a retail toolkit with recipes to and social posts to help retailers tie the Fuji promotion in with their digital marketing efforts. The company is also offering apple-themed pop-up display bins and POS signage that calls out Fuji as “the apple for a sweet tooth.” Stemilt’s team will also work with retailers on display contests or in-house dietitian team on promotions.
“This fest is all about spotlighting the Fuji variety and its great flavor and qualities,” said Pepperl. “Retailers can use our intent brands like Lil Snappers® to encourage healthy kids snacks this summer, or promote bulk and Apple Lover packs to reach the everyday apple shopper. The more creative you get tying this to the summer season, the better results you’ll have.”
Aztec is a high-color strain of Fuji that Stemilt has extensively planted across its central Washington orchards. Its ability to color fully allows Stemilt to harvest it at optimal starch conditions. This allows Stemilt to deliver high-quality Fuji apples consistently all year round. Stemilt markets Aztec under the Fuji PLU (price look-up) code to eliminate consumer confusion at retail.
“We’re opening new CA (controlled atmosphere) rooms frequently for fresh packing runs,” said Pepperl. “The color, sugars, and overall qualities of our late season Fuji apples are superb. This fruit is highly promotable and ready to delight shoppers.”
Apples remain a key category in the produce department during the summer months. A Stemilt Fruit Tracker™ analysis of Nielsen scan data from June through August 2017 found apples to contribute 4.4 percent of total produce sales on average in the U.S. This includes domestic and imported apples, and equates to nearly $2,500 per store per week on average. Fuji was the second top selling apple during the summer season in 2017. It accounted for 16.7 percent of apple category volume and 15.8 percent of category sales.
“While the attention shifts towards other produce items in the summer, the apple category is still important to focus promotions around each month,” said Pepperl. “Our Sweet Summer Fuji Fest allows you to heat up apple sales with a top performing variety and in a fun way that gets shoppers excited to enjoy this sweet fruit.”
For more information on the Sweet Fuji Summer Fest, contact your Stemilt representative.
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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 nation’s largest suppliers of organic tree fruits. 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, visit www.stemilt.com and follow Stemilt on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and You Tube.
Source: Stemilt Growers