WENATCHEE, Wash. – Prepared to be the star of the show, the apple with the extraordinary culinary attributes is ready to shine during two upcoming holidays: National Pinata Day and Cinco de Mayo. A Stemilt exclusive variety, Piñata® apples make an excellent promotion opportunity for retailers in the spring months. Brianna Shales, Stemilt’s marketing director, shares retailers should take advantage of Piñata®’s culinary abilities and set ads now for category success.
“Piñata® apples are known for their excellent culinary attributes,” explains Shales. “They are great for snacking, baking and cooking. It doesn’t break down easily in heated application and suits the need for many apple shoppers who seek an apple with a diverse set of abilities. Putting this apple on ad starting in early April through May will boost the category and will leave apple shoppers delighted with the flavor and eating experience.”
With National Pinata Day on April 18 and Cinco de Mayo on May 5, retailers will have the opportunity to run both bag and bulk promotions. Stemilt’s 5lb. Piñata® Apple Lover packs are a great choice for shoppers who want to stock up between store trips. This bag size also moves high volumes for the retailer. If consumers seek small sized fruit, they should opt for the 3lb. Piñata® Lil Snappers® pouch bag.
“Bags do well as they meet the need for a no-touch grab-and-go option for the consumer,” explains Shales. “Bulk is another option and retailers can feature the apple as a culinary delight or alongside other core varieties in a multi-variety ad.”
All of Stemilt’s bags and bulk Piñata® apples come in high graphic boxes, making it easy to build a fun, festive display. Set displays in high traffic areas and cross merchandise with pineapples to make the display pop and grab the consumer’s attention. Promote these festive displays on social media platforms and encourage engagement from the consumer.
“Fun and enticing is what we built the Piñata® brand around,” explains Shales. “It is the perfect apple for this time of the year as many consumers long for something tropical and Piñata® can be that flavorful escape.”
Piñata® is a successor of the Golden Delicious, Cox’s Orange Pippen and the Duchess of Oldenburg varieties. Born in Germany, Stemilt was the first to cultivate Piñata® in North America in the early 2000’s and currently grows and harvests the Rojo strain, a strain known for its high color making for a beautiful, bi-colored red apple that stands out on the shelf.
“Overall, Piñata® is a solid variety to carry within your lineup during the spring months,” explains Shales. “Piñata® apples have classic apple flavors with a tropical twist. It’s crisp, juicy bite gets apple lovers excited, but they stick around the for the balanced, sweet-tart taste and long-lasting pineapple finish. It will leave them delighted whether they are snacking, baking or cooking.”
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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.
