Pear pouch presents CMI with expanded marketing opportunities
Pear pouch presents CMI with expanded marketing opportunities
Hotter-than-normal temperatures in the Pacific Northwest are expected to reduce pear sizing for Columbia Marketing International this season. “Our horticulturists tell us that pear size is down one to two sizes from normal,” said Steve Castleman, senior vice president of sales.
Steve Lutz, vice president of sales, said the availability of smaller sized pears means that the company can expand its bagged program to meet retail and consumer demand. “CMI’s Sweet Gourmet Pear pouch bags have been a huge hit with our retail partners this year,” he said. “Nielsen data for the season show that our two-pound Sweet Gourmet Pear pouch bags sales increased by 126 percent, so were really excited about our prospects during the new crop.”
Lutz attributed the bag’s success to its upscale appearance and strong graphics. “Bagged pears have historically been packed in low cost poly bags that convey a low quality message to consumers,” he explained. “The beauty of our new pouch bag is the strong appeal it has to consumers looking for both high quality and the convenience of not having to select individual pears. In addition, the bags feature an educational component to educate consumers about pear ripening.”
The bag size is another critical factor. “The two-pound pouch is small enough that it encourages trial by light users because of a lower price point as compared to a three pound unit,” he commented. “The experience from our customers is we’re able to drive incremental purchases with the Sweet Gourmet Pear pouch bags rather than simply cannibalizing sales of existing products.”
Lutz said Nielsen scan data for the 2014-15 season show that packaged pears drove category growth in both dollars and volume while bulk pears declined.
For the pear season from Sept. 1, 2014 to May 23, 2015, total pear sales declined by 6 percent, while packaged pear dollars increased by 12.7 percent.
