WENATCHEE, WA - It’s all waiting for you at booth #900. What, you ask? An abundant lineup of premium apple offerings, a new sales-driving sustainability strategy, and the experts of CMI Orchards who work to bring it all to life. As we gear up for the awaited Organic Produce Summit (OPS), I had to see how the supplier plans to show off its selection of premium specialty organic apple varieties, which includes Envy™, Ambrosia Gold®, KIKU®, Kanzi®, Jazz™, Smitten®, and Cosmic Crisp®.
“These incredible category builders add new and exciting options for hungry organic customers and power incremental sales,” Danelle Huber, Marketing Specialist, notes. “New partnerships have also expanded CMI’s organic fruit supply, and we’re now able to deliver increased volume of core customer favorites, like Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Granny Smith, in our Daisy Girl Organics label.”
In addition to its vast portfolio of fan-favored apple varieties, CMI Orchards will also be turning the focus to its sustainability efforts at the upcoming event, as the grower is launching a new educational campaign called Relax®, which aims to help consumers navigate complex packaging information in the produce department.
“We understand how stressful it is for consumers who want to do the right thing, but are confused,” Rochelle Bohm, Brand Manager, adds. “We want to make navigating purchasing decisions as simple as possible for consumers, while creating a much-desired emotional connection. We’re doing some great work exploring sustainable packaging options and have some exciting things to share with our retail partners during the show—including a new communication shield we will be incorporating into our packaging.”
As these new packaging developments come to light, CMI Orchards also notes that OPS provides a valuable opportunity to ensure the supplier is meeting the needs of its buy-side allies.
“There’s no sense in us innovating packaging if we’re not meeting retail and consumer needs, so connecting, sharing, and understanding what is important to our retail partners is essential,” Rochelle says. “Shows like OPS give us a great avenue to have those conversations. It’s always an invigorating show to attend, and we’ve found great value in participating each year.”
CMI Orchards will definitely be showing off its prowess at this year’s show, with a long-standing track record in the organic sector laying the groundwork for continued growth.
“Early on, our owners recognized the opportunity for organics, and they quickly adapted to anticipate and prepare for its growth, transitioning orchards and acquiring new acreage. This leadership approach set CMI apart from other growers in the industry, with our organic percentages much higher than average,” Danelle reflects. “Transitioning some of our best-selling branded apples to organics has given us additional selling avenues and more options for organic consumers.”
ANUK is the place to read in the lead-up to OPS, so don’t miss out on our next update.
