<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;line-height:130%"> Wenatchee, WA</span><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">By Jordan Okumura<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">04.30.13</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>CMI has kicked off the import season for the exotic KIKU® brand apple. Customers can enjoy imported KIKU® while supplies last. They will then have to wait until the new domestic crop is available next Fall, according to a press release.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img class="small-cropped-image" src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacySmallCroppedImages/cmitn043013head.jpg" alt="IMAGES APRIL 29 2013" />CMI President and VP of Marketing, Bob Mast commented on the growing program, “It has been exciting to watch both our production of the KIKU® grow as well as the loyal following we are seeing from consumers. We contribute a great deal of our success to our retail partners who are sharing the KIKU® apple in demos at their stores and allowing people to see for themselves that this quite possibly may be the sweetest apple they have ever tasted.”</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Demand for the KIKU® apple continues to grow each year in the U.S., since it began production in 2008. New packaging with the flavor profile for the KIKU® apple has supported both the growth and distribution of the brand. CMI released a new two pound grab and go pouch bag this last season that came with smaller snack size apples. With the success of this pouch for retailers, these two pound pouches will be available for the imported KIKU® program. The 2 pound bag allows consumers to try the KIKU® apple without the sticker shock as the bags can be retailed at comparable prices for three pound bags of conventional fruit.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> <img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/cmitn043013body.jpg" alt="Images 043013" /><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">CMI growers in addition to other KIKU® growers around the world are continuing to expand their orchards and yield will continue to increase annually. Expansion as well as their partnership with New Zealand KIKU® growers allows retailers to extend profits later into the season allowing consumers to be able to enjoy fresh KIKU® apples further into the year.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.cmiapples.com/retailer/kiku" target="_new"> CMI</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
