WENATCHEE, WA - With Valentine’s Day less than a month away, now is the time for retailers to start thinking all things pink and sweet. Stemilt has provided a perfect way to boost apple and pear category sales leading up to the day, with Pink Lady^® apples and Rushing Rivers^® d’Anjou pears sure to draw the attention of lovestruck shoppers.

“This year’s Pink Lady apple supply offers retailers plenty of opportunity when it comes to bulk and bag promotions,” said Marketing Director Brianna Shales. “We have a range of sizes and pack types that are available both conventionally and organically, that can make a large assortment of consumers happy.”

Known for its bright pink appearance and juicy texture, the Pink Lady is a regular feature in the top 10 apples list and is sure to spark shoppers’ interests when included in multi-variety ads, according to a press release.

“If retailers want to boost the category as a whole, multi-variety ads featuring varieties like Pink Lady, Gala, Fuji, and Red Delicious will perform well,” explained Shales. “This time of the year and into the spring months is a great opportunity to bring attention to the category, as many people are working to clean up eating habits and looking for healthy, yet tasty snack options. Our World Famous Pink Lady apples will do just that and leave consumers feeling delighted with their eating experience.”

Even though bags are still on the rise, retailers should still carry bulk sizes of the Pink Lady apples, Shales noted in the press release, with the use of Stemilt’s Farm + Famous paper tote bag.

“Our Farm + Famous paper tote bag showed up at the right moment, as many consumers turned to bagged apples during the pandemic,” Shales said. “While we can never abandon bulk, we adapted to the consumer need by offering an item that eliminates contact, while still providing high quality, large size Pink Lady apples.”

Stemilt also offers the Pink Lady 5-lb Apple Lover pack, which increases shopper purchases and allows shoppers to stock up on the sweet variety between grocery trips, as well as the 3-lb Lil Snappers program, which is the perfect option for consumers who prefer snack-sized Pink Lady apples.

“Stemilt is dedicated to delight consumers with their World Famous fruits, and Pink Lady is no different,” said Shales. “We are a long-time leader in the variety with decades of experience growing this sweet-tart apple. From horticulture to packing, the right steps are taken to ensure World Famous flavor is achieved.”

Stemilt’s Rushing Rivers d’Anjou pears are another sure-fire way to drive shoppers to the produce section this season, a press release noted, with the company’s early involvement in the pear ripening process setting it apart.

“Our teams have put a lot of emphasis into our d’Anjou pears and it is apparent,” explained Shales. “It starts by growing pears in the best locales in the world, followed by excellent horticulture practices and packing and storage methods. Not only does this allow us to delight consumers every time, it leaves with them a juicy, sweet eating experience that has them coming back for more. Stemilt is a long-time leader in the category, and our RipeRite^™ ready-to-eat pear program is dedicated to delivering consumers dessert-quality pears just a day or two after purchase. It is one of the many action steps we take to delight our d’Anjou pear consumers, and now is the best time to promote this winter pear variety.”

Retailers can take advantage of this variety by placing the delicious fruit in strategic displays with informational signage and showcasing both bags and bulk in ads and in-store specials, as well as focusing on online listings.

“D’Anjou pears will become the main pear variety in the upcoming months, and retailers should have bulk d’Anjou ads lined up in-store and online. Promoting on both platforms is equally important, especially as online grocery continues to be a go-to shopping avenue for many consumers,” noted Shales. “We’ve found that bags are a great option for merchandising pears online, as consumers understand the volume and quality they are getting through the product image and listing. We have both Lil Snappers^® 3-lb bags and 5-lb bags to help retailers easily merchandise pears in online formats.”

Whether they like them big or small, in bags or in bulk, shoppers are sure to fall in love with these sweet treats this season. So, buyers, what’s the holdup? And don’t forget to keep clicking on AndNowUKnow as we bring you the latest news in the fresh produce industry.

Stemilt