Pear Bureau Northwest Introduces Pear World: A New Online Destination For Kids

Portland, Ore. – Pear Bureau Northwest is launching “Pear World,” its new online destination for elementary school-age children. The website – found at http://pearworld.kidzsmart.com as well as under the “Kids and Classroom” section of www.usapears.org – brings the pear orchard to life to engage and educate children about pears, and encourages families to include pears as they strive to make half their plate fruits and vegetables as recommended by the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA’s MyPlate initiative.

Pear World features the USA Pear mascots, the “Pear Buddies,” a friendly and physically active crew of different varieties of pears, each with their own color, shape, and personality. Popping up in eye-catching illustrations and animations throughout the site, the Pear Buddies guide children through kid-friendly recipes, activities, and information. Kids and parents alike will enjoy Pear World’s visual playfulness, which includes an interactive "Living Orchard" that changes with the seasons – just like life in a real pear orchard. Holidays are also celebrated in the Living Orchard – regular site visitors will be rewarded with special décor and animations, from tree ornaments to fireworks.

In addition to the Living Orchard, the site features three rooms to explore:

• The Pear Orchard – Kids will come here to learn about the ten different varieties of USA Pears, where they are grown, and how they get from the orchard to the grocer.
• The Pear Kitchen – This section is full of pear recipes that kids will love to make and eat, plus it includes kitchen safety tips and a kid-friendly introduction to cooking tools and utensils.
• The Pear Lab – With arts and crafts, hands-on educational 'experiments,' and fun games, this section is sure to be popular with kids, parents, and educators.

“We are pleased to offer this unique online destination where kids and families can really have some fun with their pears,” said Cristie Mather, director of communications for USA Pears. “Pear World is a place where kids can roll up their sleeves and interact with pears in the virtual orchard and in their real kitchen at home. We aim to increase familiarity with pears among kids and families, thereby helping to develop a preference for pears which will drive repeat purchase.”

Cheryl Fisher, account executive at Kidzsmart Concepts (www.kidzsmart.com) who designed the digital experience in partnership with USA Pears, is thrilled at the potential benefits available to families through the site. “Our goal was to create a captivating experience for both kids and parents that educates as well as entertains, by engaging visitors with a space for interactive exploration. The playfulness of the content simply makes learning about the health, nutrition, variety and value of pears more fun,” said Fisher. “It was equally important to design the experience for the desktop as well as for mobile devices ­reflecting the increased usage of smart phones and tablets, especially among parents."

About Pear Bureau Northwest and USA Pears

The Pear Bureau Northwest was established in 1931 as a nonprofit marketing organization to promote the fresh pears grown in Oregon and Washington.

Today, the United States is the second largest pear-producing country in the world, and Oregon and Washington comprise the nation's largest pear growing region with 1,600 growers producing 84% of all fresh pears grown in the United States. Pears grown in these two Pacific Northwest states are distributed under the “USA Pears” brand.

To learn more visit www.usapears.org, and follow USA Pears on Facebook at www.facebook.com/usapears and Twitter for consumers @USApears or trade at @pearbureau.

Source: Pear Bureau Northwest