WENATCHEE, WA – It's prime time for jumbo-sized apricots in Washington state and with its “All Eyes on Apricots” promotion, Stemilt is making sure everyone knows. Stemilt's growers have a great harvest on their hands this season, and they're excited to share this with consumers and retailers over the next two weeks of their promotion.

“Apricots are a heritage item at Stemilt, and the quality of the 2014 crop is one of the finest we’ve seen in years,” said Stemilt Marketing Director Roger Pepperl. “They’re tree-ripened and come from great locales like Tri Cities and growers like the Douglas family, who have farmed fruit for four generations. Warm days produce apricots with balanced sugars and acids while cool nights give them their classic vibrant orange color and beautiful pink-red blush.”

Stemilt hopes that its promotional campaign will drive up hype for its summer apricots, helping retailers to move them off the shelves and into shopper's carts, boosting sales all around.

“Now is the time to make sure all eyes are on apricots in your produce department. It’s the peak season for Stemilt’s premium quality, dessert flavored, and healthy apricots. The next two weeks are key for using apricots to drive sales in order to boost your stone fruit category,” said Pepperl to Stemilt's retail partners.

In addition to being delicious, apricots have long been valued for their excellent nutritional profiles. In particular they are a great source of vitamin A, an essential component to maintaining good vision and overall eye health.

“Apricots are an excellent source of vitamin A, with 13% of the daily recommended value in just one apricot. They also contain vitamins C, E, and carotenoids which protect the retina, the part of the eye with the sharpest vision. Our 'All Eyes on Apricots' promotion is a great way to call attention to Stemilt apricots at your stores during their peak season and promote health, a topic that consumers care a lot about,” Pepperl elaborated. 

According to a press release, Stemilt's main apricot varieties are Rival and Perfection. They will be packing most of their jumbo-sized apricots in panta packs, allowing for quick-build displays at the retail level. Stemilt has also created a 11x7 point-of-sale sign for the  “All Eyes on Apricots” promotion, highlighting the nutritional benefits of apricots as well as display contests and demos that retailers can take advantage of.

 Stemilt