WENATCHEE, WA - Following its starring role in this year's $160,000 Oscars consolation basket, Ambrosia Apples is getting some attention of its own. Ambrosia™ has ranked #9 in total dollars among all apple varieties and had the strongest growth of any apple in the top 10 nationally.
Pushed by national promotions and a 25% 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.
“Ambrosia has broken into a new level,” said Steve Lutz, Vice President of Marketing for CMI. “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, according to a press release. 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% while volume increased only slightly by 2.3%. In contrast, during this same period Ambrosia™ apple sales skyrocketed and dollars jumped 19%.
"It’s just really gratifying to see consumers and retailers alike discover Ambrosia," continued Lutz. "The sales success speaks for itself."
The increase in Ambrosia™ sales led performance of the top 10 apple varieties during the period. Honeycrisp dollars increased by 15%, followed by Pink Lady (+7%) and Granny Smith (+2%). All other apple varieties in the top 10 declined in year over year sales during the period.
