WENATCHEE, Wash. – Promising blooms and strong cell division action means Stemilt’s Washington apricot crop will bring big fruit this year. Apricots shipments have just started and will continue through July with peak volume starting July 4th onwards. Stemilt senior sales manager, Brian Evans, anticipates quality and size will increase during this year’s apricot season.
“We’ll have good volume and sizes of Artisan Organics™ apricots this year which means now is the perfect time to prepare for upcoming promotion windows,” says Evans. “We’re seeing signs of strong cell division post bloom which shows improved quality and size from the previous crop.”
Great flavors are made when cool nights and long, hot days give apricots the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. The Douglas family grows all Stemilt’s apricots, peaches and nectarines 100% organically in Pasco, WA in the Columbia Basin. The natural rain shadow in this area makes an optimal location for growing stone fruit.
“With larger size fruit on the way, catch weight bags are going to be your best friend for promoting apricots,” says Evans. “July 4 will be a good time to first bring attention to apricots leading into another key promotion window in the second and third weeks of July. We encourage retailers to carry organic apricots to fill organic space and offer a value opportunity that shoppers will look for during produce inflation.”
Apricots continue to be a popular fruit choice for children who enjoy sweet mellow flavors. According to The Packer’s Fresh Trends 2023, younger consumers are more likely to purchase fresh apricots. The report shows 19% of families with 2 kids are most likely to buy them. 14% of Consumers aged 30-39 said they purchased apricots, compared with 6% for those consumers aged 60 and older.
“We can help bring new shoppers to the organic category with apricots by picking fruit that’s going to delight with quality flavors and sizes,” says Evans. “Promoting organics with a seasonal fruit like apricots is a great way to see growth in the category and we’re excited to help retailers see success this summer with Artisan Organics™ branded fruit.”
About Stemilt
Stemilt is a family-owned grower, packer, and shipper of tree fruit. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt is a leader in sweet cherries and organic tree fruits, and a key supplier of apples and pears.