The apple ready to generate sales to Rave about

There are plenty of Rave apples to go around this apple season — and outrageously juicy flavors yet to be shared with consumers. Stemilt Marketing Director Brianna Shales encourages retailers to get behind Rave with the four Ps of marketing and position it as the start of school snacking apple with branded packaging and prominent placement.

“Now is the time to ride the Rave wave and share its excellent eating qualities with consumers,” said Shales. “We’re revving the Rave engine, but now we need retailers to help get it into the hands of consumers. Together with regional partners in the Midwest and East, we’ll get to share its outrageously juicy flavor and refreshing, snappy zing with people all the way into October this apple season.”

As parents and kids are shopping for back to school, Rave can be offered as a healthy addition to any lunch box or after-school snack. Most children and adolescents in the U.S. do not consume the recommended amounts of fruit and vegetables, according to a study by School Nutrition Association. Behavioral economics suggest that making fruit more accessible, convenient, and appealing could have a substantial impact on behavior.

“Rave’s natural timeline helps position it as the ultimate back to school apple with great flavor and nutritional health benefits,” says Shales. “Our brand is also partnering with Back 2 School America to supply school kits to students in six major markets. Signage at the point of sale will help Rave land in more lunchboxes as a healthy addition to any meal.”

Fitting with its name, Rave apples received rave reviews this season from top media outlets like Today’s Parent, Consumer Queen and AllRecipes. The brand is also utilizing influencers to raise awareness of the apple’s season to more than 100,000 fans via inspiring custom content and mailers fit for popular unboxing videos.

“The Rave brand is centered on this being the apple that people rave about during its limited seasonal window,” said Shales. “The word-of-mouth effect that comes with media and influencer coverage fits with the essence of Rave, and increases consumer excitement for the apple so that they look for it in their local store.”

Stemilt, Applewood Fresh and Yes! Apples all grow Rave in the United States where supply has increased from last year. Quality and volume with flavors and sizes to match can bring Rave to store shelves lifting the category as other apples come to harvest. All the while, supporting young students in school this fall.

“Washington will have more apples this season and this will be the story for most apple varieties, but what’s special about Rave is its exclusive availability and unique flavor, which is enjoying a ‘vintage’ year thanks to growing conditions this season,” said Shales. “Rave is here and we’re excited to partner with retailers to bring its outstanding flavors this season to consumers.”