Stemilt plans to continue innovation of Happi Pear, bringing new varieties to retail
Stemilt plans to continue innovation of Happi Pear, bringing new varieties to retail
Following last year’s short supply of Northwest pears, the industry expects a full crop this year, opening the door for pear promotions and more retail shelf space.
Stemilt Growers is ready to offer retail support to move the crop, with a variety of packaging options, merchandising managers to help coordinate in-store demos and opening events, and display bins for merchandising.
Stemilt’s Happi Pear, packed in branded boxes and bags, is shaking up the pear category as one of the few branded pears available, said Brianna Shales, marketing director.
“Growth in new pear varieties is slow with little innovation in recent years that would help demand increase for new items,” Shales said. “We feel that will change as Happi Pear grows in production and availability as it provides consumers with a unique texture and eating experience for pears.”
The company plans to continue this innovation, raising the bar with new varieties and improving its pear system from storing, to packing and distributing.
“We’ll be working on bringing more premium varieties to fill the rest of the pear category from a global brand view,” Shales said.
Stemilt’s harvest kicks off in August, with Bartlett and Starkrimson varieties, expanding to Bosc, d’Anjou, Red d’Anjou and Concorde as the season is in full swing in September. Happi Pear is picked around Bartlett timing, but comes to stores in limited volumes in early October this season. Stemilt also offers most core varieties as an organic option, with a season that stretches from August to April.
The six varieties that Stemilt grows come from Washington’s Wenatchee and Entiat River Valleys, which are well suited for growing high-quality pears with natural afternoon shade, cool weather at night and clay-heavy soil.
A new Unitec packing line at Stemilt’s Old Station campus in Wenatchee, WA, gives the company a great capacity and flexibility to handle pears for a consistent and high-quality pack, Shales said.
“The new line was 10 years in the making and has coincided with Stemilt improving its pear system in all aspects of our business,” she said. “The main feature of the line is Unitec Pear Vision technology that helps give 360-degree optical sorting capabilities on pears.”
Stemilt is known for its Rushing Rivers brand, an homage to where the pears are grown. Smaller pears — and apples — are marketed in bags under the Lil Snappers brand, and its organic fruit is packed under the Artisan Organics label.
Demand for Lil Snappers continues to be strong because they fit a fruit size profile and flavor that appeals to parents for their children, as well as adults looking for smaller portion sizes.
“Stemilt’s Lil Snappers kid’s size fruit pouch bags make a great vehicle for creating eye-catching displays,” Shales said. “Lil Snappers bags also are able to sit up on their own and can bring convenience to a refrigerated space in-store as parents shop for their children.”
The grower-packer-shipper’s research and development department is bringing innovation to pears and learning about what it will take make Happi Pear successful from farm-to-cart, she said.
“We’re investing in the long term to help welcome consumers back to pears,” Shales said. “We’re firing on all cylinders, as our production team would say, and backing up our pear program with a little extra ‘oomph’ to make flavor and quality stand out. We are excited about the season ahead and our ability to serve retailers as a one-stop shop for high-quality pears.”
