WENATCHEE, WA - Skip the chips and salsa this year and grab them apples—Stemilt has a new treat to offer those looking for the perfect Cinco de Mayo snack this year. The sweet flavor of Piñata®, Stemilt’s signature apple variety, with a name just as festive as its taste, is prime to promote around May 5, shared Roger Pepperl, Marketing Director at the company.

“Cinco de Mayo is the prime time for Piñata apple promotions,” Pepperl said. “The holiday is festive, colorful and, here in the United States, all about food and celebration. Piñata apples have the flavor profile and aura to fit into those celebrations.”

For Stemilt, the Piñata apple is a natural tie-in for Cinco de Mayo promotions, due to its bold, tropical-themed packaging, and, of course, the holiday-apt name of the apple. Either in bulk or in branded pouch bags, such as the 5 lb Apple Lover and 3 lb Lil Snappers®, Piñata is great for building large in-store displays in high-traffic areas, especially with its packaging, the company said.

“Every year, we see highly-creative Piñata displays. Some stores have included pineapples with their displays and others bring the piñata party favor into the display. This apple has lots of personality and can really brighten up the produce department in the spring, all while boosting apple sales,” said Pepperl.

According to a press release, the Piñata apple is a cross between three heirloom varieties, including Golden Delicious, Cox’s Orange Pippin, and Duchess of Oldenburg. Stemilt bought the rights to grow and market the fruit in 2004, and today, Piñata is a sought-after club apple variety, with consumers raving about its unique flavor profile and culinary abilities, Pepperl said.

“There are few true culinary apples out there and the Piñata is one of the standouts,” he continued. “The apple can withstand high heats and baking temperatures, making it perfect to bake with or even sauté. It has a wonderful texture and still maintains its flavor even after it has been heated up.”

This year’s Piñata crop will be hitting stride around Cinco de Mayo, Pepperl said, making for ideal availability in a range of sizes and packaging options. Stemilt will make available Lil Snappers 3 lb pouch bags for kids, as well as a branded 5 lb pouch bag. In addition, the company has bulk and bag availability on both Artisan Organics™ and conventionally-grown Piñata apples.

“Piñata came off the tree in a range of sizes, making it a great apple to promote via bulk and bagged displays. The branded packages are great for driving impulse sales, while our flavorful organic apples are there to please the fast-growing crowd of organic shoppers,” said Pepperl.

And luckily for its fans, Cinco de Mayo won’t mark the end of the Piñata season. This variety is available nearly year-round, due to partnerships with premier grower-marketers in both Chile and Argentina. This will allow retailers to continue sales momentum from Cinco de Mayo promotions all throughout the summer season, Roger added.

Stemilt is supporting retailers participating in Cinco de Mayo promotions of its Piñata apples through a social and digital blast that will reach Millennial and Gen Z consumers nationally on popular food-focused sites and social handles. The company also has many assets, including social media content, to support retail promotions both at and beyond the point-of-sale.

Want to learn more about Piñata apples for Cinco de Mayo? Contact your Stemilt sales representative and visit Stemilt's website.

Stemilt Growers