CHELAN, WA - ’Tis the season for greens, reds, and golds, which means that the apple display is already festively decorated if you have Honeycrisp and Granny Smith in stock. And, as I hear it from Mac Riggan, Director of Marketing at Chelan Fresh, this is the year among years for these two apples.
“Right now, quality is fantastic and volume is ample when it comes to these two varieties,” Mac shares. “Both have a lot of big sizing and value pricing, Honeycrisp especially, a holiday merchandising dream for retail.”
The retail promotion opportunity is so good that Mac says if someone had told him five years ago the sizing Chelan Fresh is currently seeing would be offered at today’s prices, he would have said “yeah, right.”
“We can currently offer maximum value to where everyone in the supply chain can win, especially as high quality, big size, holiday fever, and value pricing all come together,” he continues.
Chelan Fresh is particularly excited to be able to serve its growers, customers, and the consumers all in one fell swoop, and it shows in its current winter-inspired offerings. If you need a little extra inspiration for your produce department, Chelan Fresh has revived last year’s festive winter merchandiser, including the jolliest snowman you ever did see on pop-ups and shopping bags.
“When it comes to merchandising, everyone has their own strategies. But you can build big displays this time of year without worrying about shrink, and there are all kinds of cross-merchandising opportunities with Granny Smith and Honeycrisp for the holidays. Granny Smiths, specifically, are an amazing apple for baking, and their green color resonates with the holiday season,” Mac advises.
Whether it is holiday festivities or winter baking fever, this is hopefully one key ingredient for your recipe of seasonal success in fresh produce. As we continue to report on all the key categories throughout the industry, keep checking in with AndNowUKnow for the latest.
