POM Wonderful's Jennifer Hirano Shares Pomegranate Category Updates in Exclusive Q&A

LOS ANGELES, CA - It’s almost time to start mapping out those pomegranate displays! As harvest kicked off in mid-October, followed by peak season in the winter, retailers can gear up for a few months of strong traffic in the pomegranate section. Jennifer Hirano, Vice President of Marketing for POM Wonderful, recently shared an exclusive look at this season and what it has to offer.

With the fresh pomegranate season kicking off, how are things looking in terms of quality and volume?

“With fresh pomegranate season kicking off in the fall, we are on track to harvest in mid-October, slightly ahead of schedule due to the exciting crop quality and yield, so consumers can expect to see pomegranates back in stores before National Pomegranate Month in November. With over 11,000 acres in Central California, we are committed to bringing only the highest quality fruit to consumers across the country.”

What upcoming opportunities can retailers look forward to? How does the winter season and its accompanying holidays influence pomegranate demand?

“Peak pomegranate season takes place during the winter, so we typically see an uptick in sales during the holiday season with our Wonderful variety whole pomegranates and POM Wonderful Pomegranate Arils. This is in part due to the limited seasonality of pomegranates, as consumers have a ‘get it before it’s gone’ mentality, in addition to POM Arils adding the perfect sweet and tart flavor and ruby red pop of color to festive drinks and dishes, with health benefits to match.”

With peak season and holiday merchandising already positioning the category for success, how can retailers maximize sales through the winter holidays?

“For our whole pomegranates—which are often an impulse purchase—we utilize display bins to help signal to consumers that fresh pomegranate season is underway, driving purchase, and generating buzz for the product’s seasonality. We also ensure these bins include eye-catching graphics that highlight our full family of products, a.k.a. The Antioxidant Superpowers, for better cross-merchandising. We encourage retailers to leverage our merchandising material, from eye-catching branded packaging to high-graphic in-store point-of-sale (POS) displays, including bin bases, posters, and balloons, to drive sales.

We are also launching a smaller hex-shaped bin to expand display opportunities for our fresh pomegranates, which have received strong interest from retailers. This display will help retailers bring in multiple sizes of pomegranates to offer various value and price points to their shoppers. It will also showcase pomegranates in new places in-store that may have a smaller footprint than the traditional produce section, which has larger footprint displays.”

Pomegranates have the opportunity to shine as we enter the heart of fall and near the winter season, so be sure to tap into this beloved lineup to meet high demand!