WENATCHEE, Wash. – Let Stemilt’s BB #:113654 Granny Smith and D’Anjou pears be the green consumers find in the produce department this St. Patricks’ Day.
Stemilt’s Director of Marketing, Brianna Shales, has shared ways retailers can tie green items into the holiday promotion to increase volumes and sales in the apple and pear categories.
“Green is the signature color of the holiday, and we have two fruits that will tie naturally into St. Patrick’s Day themed promotions,” said Shales. “Granny Smith has held a consistent place in the category as the #3 apple variety in the U.S., and March is a good time to take advantage of D’Anjou pears while other varieties have less availability.”
Granny Smith represents 11.2% of apple pounds sold and about 10.3% of sales, which has it trailing just behind Honeycrisp. The apple is on a swing for retail price per point, so it can be sold at a higher retail price this year.
“In March 2024, Granny Smith sales were fueled by a large apple crop where 7.2% more Granny Smith apples were sold than in this timeframe in 2023,” said Shales. “This year, we’re selling 12.2% more, but dollars are up 10% year over year from December 1, 2024, to January 25, 2025.”
On the pear side, D’Anjou has been making up 32% of sales and volumes in the March timeframe because other varieties aren’t available or in large supply. It’s the one month D’Anjou pears are above Bartlett in terms of volume and sales.
“Promotional activity for pears has been less this year than in previous years due to the shortened crop, however, the green color of D’Anjou make it great for capturing consumer attention,” said Shales. “It pairs well alongside Granny Smith to offer both an apple and pear option for St. Patrick’s Day.”
Stemilt offers a multitude of bag and bulk options, and it’s nearly a 50/50 split between bag and bulk preferences amongst consumers. Lil Snappers kid’s size fruit is one popular Stemilt vehicle for selling smaller-size apples and pears which are great for parents shopping for their children.
“Traditionally, November is the time when Granny Smith promotions are running as we get closer to Thanksgiving,” said Shales. “We’d like to bring that same spike to the category into March as well to help increase volume and sales of apples and pears at retail early in the spring. Bringing in a 5 lb. bag of Granny Smith apples and a 3 lb. bag for D’Anjou pears are great vehicles to use to achieve this!”
About Stemilt
Stemilt is a family-owned grower, packer, and shipper of tree fruit. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt’s mission is to cultivate people and delight consumers with its World Famous Fruits. Stemilt is a leader in sweet cherries and organic tree fruits, and a key supplier of apples and pears. The company stewards an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible business through its Responsible Choice® program, which has been in place since 1989. For more information about Stemilt, visit www.stemilt.com.
Contact:
Brianna Shales
Marketing Director
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