With imported Pink Lady® Brand Apples now arriving from a number of Southern Hemisphere countries, Pink Lady America is asking shoppers to look closely at that fruit in order to be sure they are selecting apples packed under trademark quality standards.
“It’s been a good year for U.S Pink Lady® growers and consumers enjoying their fruit,” says Alan Taylor, marketing director of Pink Lady America LLC in Yakima, Washington.
“And it’s been good to see the vast majority of the domestic fruit marketed with the quality standards coming with the Pink Lady® trademark. However, it’s not good to now see some fruit being imported into the USA without the benefit of the trademark and those standards which ends up hurting the domestic growers’ efforts.”
That Pink Lady® group is thereby asking consumers to only purchase those apples that clearly display the Pink Lady® trademark on the PLU stickers at retail and to also compare it to the store signage on that display.
“To be safe, it’s important that the Pink Lady® trademark name on the apple match the Pink Lady® name on the display,” Taylor says. “Consumer’s need to be assured that they are buying true Pink Lady® brand apples that meet their expectations.”
“It’s unfair to the grower and the consumer when what’s on the PLU isn’t the same as the signage because it’s not only potentially a quality issue, it may also be a trademark violation. It also is confusing to all who are seeking true Pink Lady® brand apples.”
Pink Lady America is also pointing out that it’s vital going forward that the growers and shippers marketing their fruit under the Pink Lady® Trademark be protected from those not packing under established quality standards.
“Those not adhering to those standards are taking advantage of those going to the additional effort of marketing quality and that just isn’t right,” Taylor says.
“Pink Lady America works hard to help in insuring that this branded apple is meeting all expectations by everyone and especially the end user, the consumer.”
“We are asking consumers to join us in standing up for those doing it correctly and not supporting those who aren’t. The brand needs this support to grow and to make more fruit packed to quality standards available to those consumers.
The use of the Pink Lady trademark in domestic markets is free, only requiring the signing of a license that illustrates the brand requirements.
For additional information contact Alan Taylor at 509-961-9186 or pinkladyrep@embarqmail.com
Source: Pink Lady America
