August is National Back to School month and Stemilt Growers is celebrating by adding a new item to its popular line of kid-sized apples and pears, Lil Snappers.

Bartlett pears are now available in the convenient three-pound Lil Snappers package. This kid-friendly item is set to arrive in stores nationwide in September — just in time to help moms fill their child's lunch with healthy fruit.

"Bartlett pears have a classic sweet flavor that kids love," Roger Pepperl, marketing director at Stemilt Growers, said in a press release. "We're excited to start another season of Lil Snappers with this variety. The convenience attributes and great flavors of Lil Snappers make this product line a win-win for parents in their efforts to feed their children healthy foods while simultaneously managing a busy household."

Stemilt was expecting to start harvesting new-crop Bartlett pears the third week of August. Pre-season estimates have the Washington state pear crop down by 15 percent from last year's large crop. It's a highly promotable crop featuring large-sized pears with excellent eating qualities, according to Mr. Pepperl.

Stemilt introduced Lil Snappers in 2011 and has gradually expanded item offerings to include flavors that kids enjoy. Lil Snappers are available in Gala, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Piñata, Fuji, Braeburn and Honeycrisp apples, and d'Anjou and Bartlett pears. Stemilt also has organic Lil Snappers available under the "Artisan Organics" label.

The product itself is appealing to parents and kids alike, said Mr. Pepperl. Bartlett pears are packed in the same convenient and resealable three-pound bag as other Lil Snapper varieties. The bag was designed to stand up in the refrigerator for easy accessibility. Small ventilation holes on each bag allow the fruit inside to breathe, which maximizes freshness. Vibrant, kid-friendly graphics and "snapper" characters are strategically located on the handle of the bag so that shoppers can view the quality of each piece of fruit in the clear bag.

Lil Snappers are shipped in a display-ready carton, which holds nine three-pound bags, or 27 pounds of fruit.

To round out the Lil Snappers product line, Stemilt has pop-up display bins available for merchandising at retail. The Lil Snappers look is carried through on the display bin, which can hold up to 12 bags.

The bin also has the recognizable More Matters logo on it in order to encourage shoppers to add more servings of fruits and veggies to every plate.

Finally, a QR code on the bin allows shoppers to access a mobile site from their smart phones in order to get information about Lil Snappers, including nutrition facts, kid-friendly recipes and printable activity sheets for kids.

"Bartlett pear Lil Snappers are a great item to promote at retail this fall," Mr. Pepperl said in the press release. "Running a promotion on this new item gets your pear category off to a strong start and helps parents ensure their kids are eating healthy when they go back-to-school."