WENATCHEE, Wash. – Stemilt released its latest Fruit Tracker™ Fast Facts video today. The quick video provides the company’s analysis of Nielsen retail scan data from October 2016, and shows both apple volume and dollars up considerably over the same timeframe in 2015.
“October was a great month for apples,” said Brianna Shales, Stemilt’s communications manager. “Retailers sold 4.5% more pounds of apples on average than the year prior, and for more money, with a 5% increase in dollars of apples sold.”
SweeTango® was the clear #1 club apple variety in the month of October, selling 10 more pounds on average than in 2015 and an impressive 25.8% increase in dollars. The top five apple varieties were: Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Granny Smith, and Red Delicious. This was mostly unchanged from September 2016, with the exception of Granny Smith moving ahead of Red Delicious after the famously green variety was harvested. Not surprisingly, Honeycrisp had the highest average retail among all apples at a whopping $2.40 per pound.
“SweeTango® movement was very strong this season. The flavor profile of SweeTango® is unlike any other and it continues to win more shoppers over each year, as well as becoming an apple that consumers are seeking out every fall,” said Shales.
The apple category was 7.7% of total produce department sales in October 2016, which was more than a tenth of a percent higher than in 2015. Bulk apple sales accounted for 70.5% of the category while bags made up the remaining 29.5%. The average retail price for apples was $1.57 per pound.
With winter quickly approaching, Stemilt is recommending that retailers continue the momentum on apple promotions by setting multi-variety ads every month and building large displays around key club varieties. Piñata®, Stemilt’s signature apple variety, is one in particular that performs well in the winter and spring.
“The New Year is the ideal time to promote Piñata® apples in stores, and the fantastic quality of this year’s crop of Piñata apples will help retailers sell this star apple quickly. Piñata® was featured in over 7,000 supermarkets in the U.S. alone last season and has a consumer following unlike any other club apple available,” said Shales.
Stemilt utilizes high-graphic tropical themed cartons and signage to promote the unique flavor of Piñata® apples to consumers. Piñata® is a cross between Golden Delicious and two heirloom varieties from Europe, Cox’s Orange Pippin and the Duchess of Oldenburg, which combine to give it a classic apple flavor with a tropical twist. It’s a high-sugar and high-acid apple that consumers primarily enjoy fresh, but also praise it for its culinary attributes.
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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