WENATCHEE, WA – Beloved by consumers, Stemilt's Honeycrisp is off for the finish line as it continues its race to be top apple. In its March 2018 Fruit Tracker Fast Facts video analysis, Stemilt reveals why this apple is performing so well, as well as the company’s overall U.S. apple category performance.

“Honeycrisp keeps showing its strength in the apple category and is acting very much like the hare from the popular fable,” said Brianna Shales, Communications Manager. “It’s outpacing its fellow top 5 apples, especially Red Delicious, which saw a double-digit dip in volume share in March.”

Highlights from the video include:

• Honeycrisp apple saw volume share increase 31.5 percent in March 2018 when compared to last year
• Apple’s retail price dipped because of the increase in volume, but dollars earned from Honeycrisp sales grew 14.4 percent
• Organic apple shares jumped from almost 1 percent year-over-year to 9 percent of apple category volume
• Average retail price for organic apples in March 2018 was $2.20 per pound—a drop of 6 cents year-over-year but still a 30 percent lift above conventional apple pricing
• Average price of all apples was $1.67 per proind, up 5 cents from March 2017
• Apples accounted for 5.9 percent of total produce sales in March 2018, which was down half a percent in March 2017

With the summer season fast approaching, Stemilt noted that retailers should plan to use apple ads to boost their sales. 3 and 5 lb bags account for 76 percent of bagged apple volume in March 2018, according to Stemilt.

“Washington State’s organic apple season will carry into the early summer months so this growth is a positive for retailers,” continued Shales. “Promoting organics a few more times before the season is up can boost the category. Stemilt recommends organic Fuji and Granny Smith for promotions in the coming months. Though apple volume and dollars are trending down year-over-year, apples are still delivering more than $3,000 per store per week on average across the U.S. Focusing on multi-variety apple promotions is a great way to ensure success for this key produce category. The spring is the final sprint for many apple varieties, but there are still opportunities for retailers to run once-a-month bulk apple ads in the summer. Supplement bulk ads with specials on bagged items like Lil Snappers® kid-size fruits, and you’ll continue to drive dollars from this staple category during the summer season.”

For more info on Stemilt’s apple category, watch the video above!

Stemilt Growers