Superfresh Growers® Discusses New Crop Apple Season; Catherine Gipe-Stewart Shares
From
| 23 August 2023
Overview of apples from Washington in the U.S. market, complemented by charts from Agronometrics. Original published on August 22, 2023.
YAKIMA, WA – Reports out of Washington State show a 29 percent increase in apple crops, and you know what that means—excitement in the produce aisles. Superfresh Growers® has taken advantage of spring’s bounty and is bringing an ample yield of clean and high-quality fruit.
“This will be a year to not repeat last year’s merchandising plans,” described Cat Gipe-Stewart, Director of Marketing. “We have more apples and better quality this year. This is the year to put apples front and center and PROMOTE!”
Retailers can anticipate a steady stream of apples to support year-round promotions in addition to promotional opportunities for all retail channels, as this year’s apple harvest showcases an impressive double-digit growth in volume across all varieties.
Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)
According to the release, this season boasts a bonanza of colors. Honeycrisp and Cosmic Crisp varieties have been exhibiting substantial growth and exceptional quality—two top choices among consumers. Capitalizing on this trend, a dual promotion strategy is recommended, either endorsing both varieties jointly or alternating between them to provide a compelling one-two-punch offering.
Autumn Glory® is another standout variety as it is poised for a substantial surge in volume. With distinct notes of cinnamon and caramel, and a name that evokes the essence of fall, Autumn Glory presents a compelling choice for pre-holiday promotions, especially in the month of November.
The overall fruit quality is projected to surpass last year’s standards, characterized by a remarkable two-size increase in fruit dimensions. Notably, this year’s distribution will exhibit a higher concentration of sizes within the mid-range of the bell curve, with reduced volume at both extremes of size.
The spring weather in May created ideal growing conditions, fostering a robust bloom and optimal pollination, a marked improvement over the comparatively colder spring of 2022.
“The 2022 crop year was difficult for growers, and we look forward to putting the past behind us and looking ahead to new crop,” explained Gipe-Stewart. “We had the perfect storm last year, with snow disrupting pollination season and then an early freeze at harvest, creating a short crop with less-than-ideal quality. We can leave that in the rearview mirror now.”
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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