Posts Tagged “apple varieties”
P
azazz apples shattered retail sales targets last winter, less than a year ahead of its nationwide 2018 roll out, according to Honeybear Brands. The variety, which debuted a month earlier than usual in December 2016, sold faster, in more markets and more retail stores than at any other time since its initial introduction.
“We’re looking at the sales numbers and receiving feedback from our retail partners as we speak,” Don Roper, Honeybear’s vice president of sales and marketing, said in a press release. “We’re thrilled. Pazazz did exactly what we designed the variety to do: offer a truly exceptional variety to help drive new revenue for retailers as well as provide an opportunity to extend their sales window of premium apple varieties well into the later winter months.”
Roper said it’s too early to put an exact number on final retail sales figures, but this year’s crop production was up nearly 400 percent over last year and is already sold out. Retailer feedback highlighted strong, repeat customer sales and a sharp rise in inquiries from new customers seeking out the variety by name.
“Pazazz has created a strong following among apple lovers,” Roper said in the release. “That’s an incredible development in just a few short years and an absolute win for retailers who are giving their customers another reason to get excited in the fresh produce aisle. It is a real testament to the unique eating experience of this apple and its flavor profile that has significantly raised the bar in the apple category.”
Thanks to increased production from planted acreage and the continued maturation of Pazazz orchards, the 2016-17 Pazazz crop debuted in many regions a month earlier than usual, arriving on store shelves in December 2016 and making an immediate impact on pre-holiday retail sales. In all, Pazazz was sold in more than 50 markets and 1,000 stores in January and February.
“We couldn’t be happier with the results we’ve seen from Pazazz,” Craig Clasen, group vice president of produce purchasing at Hy-Vee, said in the release. “For a new variety, it’s performing incredibly well across our more than 240 stores throughout the Midwest and it offers many of the things we try to bring our customers with every piece of produce that they purchase — excellence in quality, superior taste and freshness.”
From coast-to-coast apple growers are growing new apple varieties to increase sales.
For example there are New York apple growers looking to make a splash with the RubyFrost and SnapDragon varieties.
On the opposite side of the country there are growers and shippers pushing varieties for club stores such as Jazz and Envy.
The Honeycrisp is perhaps the best example of a meteoric rise in an apple variety, plus the initial success of the RubyFrost and Snap Dragon have been impressive.
While some of the new varieties have been seen as rising stars, the traditional favorites of consumers continue playing an important role such as in New York state with the world-famous mcintosh, as well as galas and empires.
While marketers heap praise on new varieties, not everyone is completely sold.
For example, Forrence Orchards Inc., of Peru, N.Y. has seen sales of its more traditional varieties such as McIntosh and Cortland adversely affected by the new varieties. At the same time Forrence Orchards also has invested in the Honeycrisp.
One of the more interesting aspects in all of these changes will be observing to see if consumers are willing to pay substantially higher prices for these new varieties which can easily be 50 percent or more. A generation ago the red delicious, golden delicious, golds and cortlands pretty much made up the choices in the apple section of local produce departments.
Planning Important
It is very costly to launch a new apple variety, including being labor intensive. The bottom line on whether it is worth the effort and cost ultimately depends on whether the consumer likes the product.
Even if the new variety proves popular with consumers, it also takes a lot of help from retailers through good placement in the produce department, promoting the product, and having reasonable pricing.
Stemilt Growers LLC of Wenatchee, WA offers its Piñata variety apple in bulk, organic bulk, 3-pound Lil Snapper conventional and organic kid-sized fruit and a value 5-pound pouch bag using an attractive display-ready carton. These efforts are backed by promotion with social media and in-store demonstrations.
Hess Bros. Fruit Co. of Leola, PA is launching a late season proprietary variety called Sweet Cheeks, expected to should be available at the end of January. The initial offering will only be a couple of truck loads.
Apple sales in February fell 5.4 percent compared to the same month in 2016, according to Stemilt Grower’s latest Fruit Tracker Fast Facts video analysis.
While apple volume is up year-over-year the video shows most regions fell short of performance, excluding the East.
“February is historically a strong month for apple sales,” said Brianna Shales, Stemilt communication manager. “Retailers sold 59 pounds of apples more on average in February, but brought in $190 dollars less weekly than in February 2016. This year’s larger crop and fruit size is ripe with opportunities for promotion, especially on the bulk side.”
Bulk remained the primary purchasing method for apple, accounting for 59.1 percent of sales. Bag sales accounted for the remaining 40.9 percent.
The top five apple varieties in February 2017 were:
- Gala at 28.2 percent of sales;
- Fuji at 13.8 of sales;
- Red delicious at 12.3 percent of sakes;
- Granny smith at 11.% of sales;
- HoneyCrisp at 11.1 of sales.
“Club apples are an important part of the apple category, and there are still opportunities to promote them this spring,” Shales said in the release. “Our signature variety, Piñata, will be available through May and we are seeing some of the best fruit of the year right now coming out of storage, with great color and dessert eating qualities.”
Apples accounted for an average of 6.8 percent of national produce sales in January 2017, which dropped to 6.5 percent in February.
About Stemilt
Stemilt Growers is a leading tree fruit growing, packing and shipping company based in Wenatchee, WA and is owned and operated by the Mathison family. Stemilt Growers is the leading shipper of sweet cherries and one of the nation’s largest suppliers of organic tree fruits. Stemilt has also demonstrated a commitment to sustainable agriculture and social responsibility since 1989, when founder Tom Mathison launched the company’s Responsible Choice program . For more information about Stemilt Growers, visit www.stemilt.com.
Lake City, Minn. – Members of the Next Big Thing Growers’ Cooperative recently released their estimates for the 2016 crop of SweeTango, the sweet, tangy, and remarkably crunchy apple that was developed by the University of Minnesota to feature the best characteristics of the Honeycrisp and Zestar! apple varieties.
The projected crop yield is 450,000 standard 40-lb boxes, which is an 18% increase over last year’s crop of 380,000, and 9% larger than the 2014 harvest of 413,000 boxes.
Preliminary projections estimated a yield of 465,000 boxes for 2016, however severe storms on July 8 in Suttons Bay in northern Michigan produced hail up to 2” in diameter that caused extensive damage to the crop in that region, thereby reducing the overall estimate. Other growing regions across the U.S. and Canada have not been adversely affected by weather to date.
The timing of the harvest varies by growing region, as orchards are spread across differing climates in locations like Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, and Nova Scotia, Canada. Washington will begin harvest first in early August, which means SweeTango will start appearing in the market around Labor Day.
As the SweeTango apple crop has continued to grow over the past decade, so does the length of the season. Once a hyper-seasonal fruit due to limited yields from a relatively small number of young orchards, SweeTango’s season is now expected to extend from early September to late December. This is great news for SweeTango’s enthusiastic and loyal consumer following.
Theron Kibbe, executive director of Next Big Thing Growers’ Cooperative noted, “We are looking forward to a good size SweeTango crop of excellent quality, with sizes that retailers are successful with. We have a robust marketing program in place that will drive shoppers to stores with SweeTango apples on their lists. We also will be partnering with retailers with in-store activities designed to increase trial and introduce new shoppers to SweeTango’s tangy-sweet flavor and exceptional crunch.”
NEXT BIG THING
Headquartered in Lake City, Minn., Next Big Thing, A Growers’ Cooperative is a 45-member cooperative of family growers, spread over five time zones from Nova Scotia to Washington State, that grows and markets managed varieties of apples, beginning with SweeTango. You can find more information on SweeTango at http://www.sweetango.com or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/sweetango.
Pushed by national promotions and a 25 percent increase in distribution, Ambrosia apples are riding a retail wave all the way to the cash register. Over the past 13 weeks, a record 14,022 supermarkets put Ambrosia on the shelves for consumers. As a result, Nielsen data shows Ambrosia ranked No. 9 in total dollars among all apple varieties during this period, and it had the strongest growth of any apple in the top 10 nationally.
Ambrosia has broken into a new level,” Steve Lutz, vice president of marketing for CMI, said in a press release. “The biggest challenge for any club variety apple is to make the jump from being a niche item to a year-round item. The sales data show that Ambrosia have bridged the gap to becoming a ‘must have’ apple for retailers.”
With a large national crop, apple prices and retail shelf prices have been lower throughout the entire 2014-15 season. Over the most recent 13-week period from November through January, Nielsen scan data shows that total U.S. apple dollars increased less than 1 percent, while volume increased only slightly by 2.3 percent.
In contrast, during this same period Ambrosia apple sales skyrocketed and dollars jumped 19 percent. The increase in Ambrosia sales led performance of the top 10 apple varieties during the period. Honeycrisp dollars increased by 15 percent, followed by Pink Lady (up 7 percent) and Granny Smith (up 2 percent). All other apple varieties in the top 10 declined in year-over-year sales during the period.
“It’s just really gratifying to see consumers and retailers alike discover Ambrosia,” said Lutz. “The sales success speaks for itself.”
By Columbia Marketing International
Supermarket sales data released by Nielsen Perishables Group reveals continued strong apple sales over the December holiday period. A three year analysis of apple performance by CMI shows retail volume continues to grow, led by newer varieties. During the month of December, apple category volume at retail increased by 3.2% over 2012 but is up 9.5% over 2011.
“It’s very encouraging to see near double digit volume growth in December compared to the same period just two years ago,” said Steve Lutz, Vice President of Marketing for CMI. “The numbers validate that consumers are buying more apples overall while embracing new varieties.”
The Nielsen Perishables Group data for December 2013 shows the Fuji, Cripps Pink/Pink Lady®, Ambrosia™ and Granny Smith varieties all increased in volume by more than 20%. Honeycrisp and Rome volume in December 2013 vs. 2011 increased by 18.3% and 17.4% respectively.
“The December data really reveals how consumer preferences are shifting while growing the category in the process,” said Lutz. “Over two years, Honeycrisp volume is up by over 17% despite an average retail price of $2.40 per pound. Ambrosia™ volume is up by 24% with an average retail price that is 20% higher than the average for the total apple category. Volume growth at these levels combined with higher retail prices is only sustainable if consumers like what they’re buying and come back for more.”
Lutz said that despite the strong category volume gains, the report shows it’s not all good news. Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Jonagold and Cameo® all lost significant market share over the two year holiday period. Lutz noted that Cameo® volume dropped by 43% while Braeburn lost 28%.
The analysis also indicates how supermarket distribution practices are impacting store-level volume. Impressions per store per week (a measure of the unique items in each store each week) increased by 8.1% for the category as more apple varieties and items were stocked on retail shelves.
“It’s pretty clear that over the past two years, retailers encouraged consumers to discover these new varieties by putting more items on more shelves more often, said Lutz. “Ambrosia impressions jumped by 48% while Cripps Pink/Pink Lady® and Honeycrisp both increased by over 16%.”
Not all apple varieties secured incremental retail impressions. McIntosh, Braeburn, Romes and Cameo® varieties all suffered declines in retail impressions. “This clearly shows that there is a finite amount of space available for apples,” said Lutz. “Romes volume was bailed out by a substantial drop in an already low retail price, but those other varieties were hit hard by the loss of retail shelf support.”
Consumers’ favorite apple varieties may be changing according to newly released supermarket performance data for November.
Steve Lutz, Vice President of Marketing for CMI, reports shoppers are increasingly seeking out apples believed to be high in flavor.
A report by Nielsen Perishables Group shows that older varieties like Red and Golden Delicious are losing ground, while new varieties like Gala and Honeycrisp are showing growth. Apple volume in supermarkets increased by 2.5 percent, apple retail prices fell by 6.5 percent, and the gains in volume were said to be supported by these falling prices. Gala was the largest volume apple in U.S. supermarkets, and has increased by 3 percent over the same period last year. Honeycrisp rankead second in volume, jumping by 14 percent.
Lutz reports more consumers are selecting newer variety apples like Gala, Honeycrisp and Fuji at the expense of some traditional favorites. Pink Lady volume jumped by 44 percent, while Ambrosia volume increased by 22 percent, despite supermarket shelf prices substantially higher than the average price for all apples.
Lutz stated, “Increasingly, for retailers success hinges not only on knowing which apple varieties to put on the shelf, but also knowing which apples to emphasize in merchandising and which varieties should be dropped.”