WENATCHEE, Wash. – Find us. Friend us. Farm with us. That’s the new message Stemilt is conveying through its redesigned website, new blog, and increased presence on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Launched earlier this month, the new Stemilt.com (www.stemilt.com) was designed with the consumer in mind. It has dedicated sections for fresh fruit recipes, fruit health/nutrition information, and a farming section with recent pictures from the field, and YouTube video’s that showcase the field to fork process for each of Stemilt’s fresh fruit products.
Acording to Stemilt marketing director Roger Pepperl, the website redesign was done as part of a wider program to build community with consumers.
One example of how Stemilt is doing this is through a new, dynamic recipe section. Each recipe contains a zoomable photograph, shopping list, easy-to-follow procedure, and nutrition/serving size information.
“We also included sharing buttons in the recipes section and throughout the site so that consumers can have the ability to instantly share what they see with their friends, family members, and co-workers either by email or through their favorite social sites,” Pepperl said.
Stemilt.com now features a micro-site that is useful for produce retailers and industry members, Pepperl said. Known as the ‘trade’ site, it can be accessed by going to www.stemilt.com/trade or by clicking on the Trade link in the bottom right corner of the Stemilt.com homepage. The trade site has a variety of information about Stemilt’s products and programs.
“The trade site enables us to share information that retailers and those in the produce industry want to know about,” said Pepperl. “It’s a great place to get a quick answer about a particular product or package, and could also be used as a tool to educate employees about apples, pears, cherries, stone fruits, and organics.”
To complement its website, Stemilt created a fresh fruit blog to provide consumers with grower stories, field updates, step-by-step recipes, and the latest information on Stemilt and its tree fruits.
“The blog enables us to share more detailed information with consumers about our fruits,” said Pepperl. “It appeals to foodies and other curious consumers that want to know more about where their food comes from, how it is grown, and the different ways they can enjoy it at home. Above all else, it provides consumers with yet another platform to gain information about fruit, and interact with one another.”
Along with the new website and blog, Stemilt is also stepping up its efforts in the social media world, by increasing its presence on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. The company first got involved in social media back in January 2009 by launching a Facebook fan page for its exclusive niche apple variety, Pinata. Today, Stemilt has a Facebook page and Twitter account where it shares crop updates, photos, recipes, tips, and more on a regular basis with its fans and followers.
“According to Facebook, more than 20 million people are connecting with Facebook Pages each day,” said Pepperl. “The use of social media is growing rapidly. We are participating in these sites in order to bring the farm closer to the consumer, and provide our retail customers with a different avenue to gain information about our fresh fruit products. It’s all about connecting with people in a fun, open environment in order to develop a large community of fresh fruit fans.”
Source: Stemilt Growers Inc.
