Stemilt’s FruitTracker programme has published its second Stemilt-O-Graphic, a one-page report that delivers national category insights in an easy-to-read infographic format.
The latest edition looks at pear category performance over a four-week period in November 2014, and compares it to the same timeframe the year prior, with data coming from Nielsen Perishables Group.
According to Stemilt marketing director Roger Pepperl, both category volume and dollars were down slightly year-over-year, which is to be expected given the fact the crop is down considerably over last year.
Bartlett, d’Anjou, and Bosc were the top three varieties, accounting for a combined 87 per cent of category sales during the four-week period.
“Pears are alternate bearing fruits and this is the “off” crop year in the Northwest so it’s not surprising to see a dip in both category volume and dollars,' he explained. 'However, it also tells retailers that now is the time to promote the pear category in order to reverse this trend and capitalise on the great quality of fruit available during the remainder of the season.'
Promotions centered on the many nutritional benefits of pears are great in the New Year with all the focus on healthy resolutions. Stemilt also encourages retailers to tell the story of where their pears come from, because it’s the story that consumers want to hear more and more.
“People want to know where their food came from and who grew it. Our Rushing Rivers pears come straight from the best pear locales in the world and have a great story to tell. From cartons and signage to videos, photography, and more, we have all the tools to help tell that story to their shoppers this winter and early spring,” said Pepperl.
