‘Healthy Living’ is always an apropos theme for Michigan apples
‘Healthy Living’ is always an apropos theme for Michigan apples
At the beginning of each year, many Americans pledge themselves to healthy living. It’s no coincidence, then, that for many years the Michigan Apple Committee has made “Healthy Living” the theme of its winter promotions, which launch each January.
Treadmills are a consumer favorite in the direction of healthy living, and Diane Smith, executive director of MAC, said her group is remaining on target in early 2015 by increasing its giveaways for treadmills. 
Exhibiting Michigan apples at the PMA Fresh Summit in October were Michigan Apple Committee staff members Diane Smith, Michael Bardon and Gretchen Mensing.
Each year, MAC hosts a sweepstakes, giving away three treadmills nationally in a Healthy Living promotion. But this year, MAC, which is based in Lansing, MI, is more directly involving retailers by having consumers enter the sweepstakes to indicate where they shop for Michigan apples. One customer for every retail chain participating in the contest will also win a treadmill in 2015.
MAC provides participating retailers with Healthy Living local advertising and promotional materials tailored to the retailer's specific produce merchandising materials. Smith said 150,000 consumers entered the contest last year.
Each entrant provides an email address, which MAC uses to provide ongoing information about Michigan apples.
In December, MAC completed its annual “local” promotion program targeting consumers in and around Michigan.
Starting in fall of 2015, MAC will apply funds from a USDA Specialty Crop Grant to produce educational YouTube videos and will use its various social media outlets to promote the videos.
Smith said the videos will inform consumers about how Michigan apples are produced and the nutritional benefits of apples. These videos now garner more consumer interest than the traditional merchandising technique of offering recipe ideas. This meets a driving consumer interest “on where their food comes from,” Smith said. “Not everyone lives near an orchard or a cider mill,” but consumers are still interested in the origin of their foods.
In another effort to promote Michigan apple movement, MAC has a group to develop export sales.
