PORTLAND, Ore. – USA Pears is excited to launch its #WhatsInYourFruitBowl initiative at a time when consumers are more focused than ever on developing healthy eating habits at home. Taking place during the month of March, this year is set to be the most wide-reaching initiative yet with powerful industry partnerships and engagement.
Sharing striking, colorful visuals on social media can encourage positive eating habits, with one study finding that people are more likely to eat additional portions of fruits and vegetables when they believe their social peers are doing the same. With the recent 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasizing once again that Americans are not eating enough fruit (only 20% achieve recommended intakes), it’s the perfect time to motivate consumers to eat more.
This year, USA Pears is excited to announce that Sunkist Growers and California Raisins Marketing Board will be joining the movement while National Mango Board and California Avocado Commission will once again be partnering to amplify this consumer movement. All four organizations will engage consumers with a sweepstakes and content centered around healthy eating habits and the importance of maintaining a well-stocked fruit bowl in the home.
“We believe that #WhatsInYourFruit Bowl is a perfectly timed campaign to coincide with National Nutrition Month. These days, many consumers are still spending more time at home and trying to maintain healthy meals and support their immunity by including more nutritious produce,” said USA Pears Marketing Communications Director Kathy Stephenson. “Perhaps now more than ever, keeping a fruit bowl stocked with vibrantly colored fresh and dried fruit is essential and is a simple way to keep produce close at hand. We are looking forward to other fruit producers, retailers, dietitians, influencers and associations joining us to turn the fruit bowl into a healthy movement.” Stephenson reminds us that, “firm pears should ripen at room temperature, on the counter or in a fruit bowl, and they can be moved to the fridge when ripe to keep for a few more days.”
The promotions – including a sweepstakes hosted by USA Pears and a social media campaign encouraging consumers to share their own fruit bowl pictures on their social media channels – place an emphasis on the many nutritional benefits to be gained from making pears and all fruits a regular part of the day. With one medium-sized pear providing 6 grams of fiber (21% of daily recommended), as well as having vitamin C, pears are a delicious and nutritious heart-healthy snack. Additionally, all 10 varieties of Northwest pears – including Green and Red Anjou – are certified Heart-Healthy by the American Heart Association.
In addition, the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) will be amplifying on its social media channels @fruitsandveggies by way of activating several of their Have A Plant® Ambassadors, who will share posts with their more than 1 million followers.
“PBH is a proud supporter of this clever initiative and is exceptionally excited about the promotion this year as it coincides with PBH’s recent State of the Plate Research launch,” says Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN, President & CEO of PBH. “We know from our research that people simply aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables, AND in order to inspire true behavior change that instills life-lasting habits, we have got to make this easy. Keeping your fruit bowl filled and front and center is one of the easiest ways we can get everyone in the family to Have A Plant® – choosing and enjoying more fruits and veggies more often every single day.”
To keep up with all of the fun and ins-pear-ation or to join in, make sure to follow @USAPears on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, and don’t forget the hashtag: #whatsinyourfruitbowl
About Pear Bureau Northwest/USA Pears
Pear Bureau Northwest is a non-profit marketing organization established in 1931 to promote the fresh pears grown in Washington and Oregon, home to 87% of the US commercial fresh pear crop. The Bureau represents over 800 grower families and partners with outlets throughout the world in an effort to increase overall success with the pear category. The organization provides marketing and merchandising expertise that is customized specifically for each retail organization, using its pear consumer research findings as well as individual store analysis using an in-house data system that measures pear category performance nationwide and third-party research to show retailers how they perform versus their competition. Retailers who are interested in partnering with Pear Bureau Northwest should contact them at info@usapears.com or 1 (800) 547-4610, as well as visit the retail trade site Trade.USAPears.org or consumer site, USAPears.org
