WENATCHEE, WA - Our next big retail holiday is right around the corner, believe it or not, and Stemilt is channeling the luck of the Irish to kick off a new St. Patrick’s Day promotion for its vibrant and high-quality crop of larger-sized Granny Smith apples. The company will be placing a decorative leprechaun sticker on its “Apple Lover’s” 5lb. pouch bags, helping retailers promote the much-beloved green apple while driving up the average purchase size through the 5lb. grab-and-go bag.

According to Stemilt’s Fruit Tracker program and analysis of Nielsen Fresh Facts retail scan data, Granny Smith has consistently been the number 4 selling apple variety in the U.S. since the new crop started in September 2016, with an average of 11 percent of apple category sales.  

This year’s conditions brought along larger-sized Granny Smith apples than in years prior, which Stemilt noted will be great for March’s bulk promotion opportunities. So, what is the recipe for translating that into a larger ring with consumers?  Stemilt’s Marketing Director Roger Pepperl pointed to a St. Patrick’s Day bulk ad on size 72 and larger Granny Smith apples. 

“Sizing up is one of the easiest ways to drive sales in the category, as people tend to purchase the same number of apples when buying bulk, but will be purchasing more weight because of the larger fruit size,” explained Pepperl, according to a press release. “Bulk accounts for more than 64 percent of all apple sales, and must be a focus as we head into the springtime.”

Another tip Pepperl recommended was to use larger-sized Granny Smith apples in 5lb. or 6lb. bag options to provide consumers with a grab-and-go bag at a better value than they would receive with a bulk purchase. “Large bags are great for in-and-out promotions and driving tonnage up. It’s a perfect way to capture impulse sales through large displays at the front of the store,” Pepperl said.

This St. Patrick’s Day campaign seeks to vault off the success of Stemilt’s candy cane-themed bag during the holiday season. This seasonal promotion will see a festive St. Patrick’s Day sticker on 5lb. Apple Lovers pouch bags of Granny Smith apples for a limited time. 

“The sticker helps retailers promote Granny Smith apples around the St. Patrick’s Day theme, and it also conveys to the consumer that the apples inside each bag are freshly packed. This makes a high-quality product stand out in store displays,” added Pepperl.

To learn more information about the company’s St. Patrick’s Day promotion opportunities and its Granny Smith program, retailers can contact their Stemilt representatives.

Stemilt Growers