WENATCHEE, Wash. – Retailers better make room for some of summer’s juiciest produce: Stemilt’s Artisan Organics™ peaches and nectarines. Stemilt’s organic peaches and nectarines will begin their season in mid July with excellent quality and flavor anticipated.
“With the long, cold winter, flavors are really going to be enhanced this year,” states Brianna Shales, Stemilt’s communications manager. “Those cold winter months provide our trees with a protective snow blanket that acts as an insulator and when it melts, provides a lot of nutrients to the tree, which results in an explosion of flavor and a juicy bite.”
Stemilt will start packing both organic peaches and nectarines around July 15 and retailers can expect to see volumes to pick up quickly before reaching substantial volumes by the end of the month.
“To really make the most of the organic peach and nectarine season, retailers should have big promotional ads starting in the middle of August through the middle of September,” says Shales. “Their ads should address the opportunity to go big with bulk or appeal to families on the go who are need in of the Lil Snappers® 2lb. pouch bag, available in both organic peaches and nectarines.”
Shales explains that Stemilt’s focus of growing classic peach and nectarine varieties makes for a great balance between acids and sugars, which is what consumers desire when they eat these fruits.
Retailers can expect a wide selection of varieties but can count on a few for great volumes, excellent quality and unbelievable flavor. The Artisan Organics™ peach season starts with the famous Zee Lady. Sierra Rich and Sweet Dream make up most of the company’s August volumes, while August Lady wraps up the season in September. On the nectarine side, Stemilt’s key varieties are Grand Bright, Honey Haven, and August Bright.
Stemilt’s stone fruits are marketed under the company’s Artisan Organics™ brand and have been for more than a decade since making the move to all-organic. Stemilt’s organic peaches and nectarines are grown primarily by the Douglas Family in the southcentral portion of the state. It’s here where the arid climate, along with the hot days, cool nights and abundance of fresh water sources in the area make the region an ideal growing locale.
“The Douglas family have farmed for four generations and knows how this region’s climate affects their organic crops. They have spent years perfecting the art of growing organics and they have found what works and what doesn’t,” says Shales. “Washington is an excellent place to grow organic produce thanks to the dry elements. This climate takes away the risk of brown rot due to extra moisture in the air and the cool nights allow the tree to reenergize. Then, warm sunny days help grow large-sized fruits with high sugars and vibrant colors.”
Stemilt’s Artisan Organics™ is celebrating its 30th birthday this year and the company continues its organic mission to ensure they are offering new and exciting varieties both organically and conventionally.
“Nearly 30 years have passed since Tom Mathison, Stemilt’s founder, made that bold move to grow fruits organically, but his legacy lives on thanks to the vision of his grandsons, West and Tate,” says Shales. “West and Tate are constantly striving to find the newest, greatest organic varieties and focusing on flavor so that our organic fruits meet our mission of delighting consumers.”
For information about Stemilt’s summer fruits or Artisan Organics™ program, please contact your Stemilt representative today.
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About Stemilt
Stemilt Growers is a leading tree fruit growing, packing and shipping company based in Wenatchee, Washington. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt is the leading shipper of sweet cherries and one of the nation’s largest suppliers of organic tree fruits. Stemilt has also demonstrated a commitment to sustainable agriculture and social responsibility since 1989, when founder Tom Mathison launched the company’s Responsible Choice program. For more information about Stemilt, visit www.stemilt.com and follow Stemilt on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and You Tube.
