PARMA, ID– Sunions, the game-changing tearless and sweet onion that captured wide consumer and media acclaim during its inaugural 2017-2018 season, will begin shipping to a limited number of retailers this week.
In its inaugural season of availability, Sunions racked up more than 1.2 billion consumer media impressions in print, radio, web and television media including appearances on ABC’s The Chew and Good Morning America. While the first Sunions have been released to the market this week, others are still maturing into the tearless and sweet onions celebrated by consumers nationwide. The initial release will be limited, but grow in availability throughout the following weeks.
Using a certification unique to the onion category, a sensory panel with full authority and power to determine Sunions ship dates follows a tightly-controlled protocol including three separate tests for both flavor and tearlessness before releasing Sunions for shipping.
“We follow a strict process with our sensory team not to allow the release of Sunions until they reach peak flavor and tearlessness,” said Lyndon Johnson, crop manager for onions at BASF Vegetable Seeds. “We’ve differentiated ourselves in the marketplace with a set of stringent quality requirements to maintain our brand promise.”
A product of more than three decades of research, development and natural hybridization by Nunhems Vegetable Seeds, Sunions are a long-day sweet onion variety grown domestically in Washington and Nevada. But unlike other long-day onions, Sunions actually become sweeter and tearless in storage. Most other sweet onions available during the same window of availability – typically November to April – are currently imported from South America.
Sunions are backed by a comprehensive marketing plan including point-of-sale materials, produce manager education, social media content, a targeted digital advertising program and consumer public relations campaign. For more information visit www.iheartsunions.com or for product availability, please contact Sunions distributors Generation Farms, Onions 52 and Peri & Sons Farms.
# # #
About Sunions
Sunions, America’s first tearless and sweet onion, didn’t happen by accident. The product of nearly 30 years of research, development and natural hybridization, this game-changing onion is crunchy and sweet with a mild flavor. Once harvested, Sunions follow a tightly controlled flavor protocol and are tested throughout storage until they reach peak flavor and maximum tearlessness. Then, and only then, do Sunions growers ship them to retailers around the country. There are plenty of reasons to cry in this world – now onions don’t have to be one of them. Sunions are marketed and distributed exclusively by Generation Farms, Onions 52 and Peri & Sons Farms.
