Riveridge expects to see apples take off for back-to-school season

Riveridge Produce Marketing markets fresh apples on behalf of many multi-generational growers—primarily in Michigan. “At Riveridge, we focus on providing quality produce with food safety in mind,” said Trish Taylor, marketing manager for the Sparta, MI-based company. “We utilize technology in both the orchard for growing flavorful, full-colored fruit and technology in the packing facility to be food safe and provide traceability.”

Considering apples are often a staple of the lunchbox, the company sees back-to-school season as an important one.

“Our fresh apples are a nice, sweet snack alternative for lunchboxes,” Taylor said. “You can often find poly bags of 2 1/4 to 2 ½-inch size apples which are perfect for children to eat all at once rather than just a few bites. Our fresh-pressed cider is also popular with kids.”

And considering that many of today’s families are looking to get back to whole foods and step back from processed snacks, Taylor noted now is an important time to capitalize on this segment.

“But the whole foods need to be easy to grab and not require prep, so that’s where a whole apple is perfect,” she said. “Back-to-school perfectly coincides with the bulk of harvest for much of the U.S. We’re gearing up for cooler temps and much of the produce is at its peak for flavor and value. Produce gives a great nutrient bang for the buck.”

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)

Still, there are so many options for snacking and for lunchbox space, so companies need to be savvy when appealing to the sector.

“Non-produce items have the benefit of unique packaging and placement in many areas of the store,” Taylor said. “But at the end of the day, apples provide so much versatility. They can be a simple grab and go; they can be sliced for lunches or salads and they can be an ingredient in dinner or dessert.”

With that in mind, Riveridge expects bags of smaller apples to trend this fall as consumers look to curb their grocery budgets.

“They may also pick varieties that have fallen a bit out of favor instead of newer varieties to save dollars,” Taylor said. “Cider is always a good choice to gear up for back to school and football season.” One recent trend she’s noticed is to have shopper-friendly options.

“So many more consumers are turning to delivery and curbside pick-up for their grocery shopping,” Taylor said. “A 3# bag of pre-washed, pre-sorted fruit gives piece of mind that the best fruit will be selected when choosing items for consumers who shop from their computer or phone.” Another trend gaining moment, according to Taylor, is fruit that eats well but may not look the best due to weather effects.

In response, Riveridge has created packaging around hail-damaged apples in recent years when there has been some damage to the fruit. “We’ve received positive feedback from retailers and consumers, and it helps find homes for fruit that was destined for juice, meaning a better return to the grower,” Taylor said.

The News in Charts is a collection of stories from the industry complemented by charts from Agronometrics to help better tell their story.

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