The return of a normal pear crop isn’t the only thing Stemilt is celebrating this season. This marks the third year that Stemilt has shipped small volumes of its new pear variety, Happi Pear, as part of its mission to innovate the category and remind consumers of their love for pears. While Happi Pear is still growing to commercial volume, Stemilt’s marketing director, Brianna Shales, said it’s positioned to become the company’s third pear variety by volume in the future.

“The time to invest in the future of pears is now,” said Shales. “This season, we’re laser-focused on revitalizing the pear category through strategic moves in advancing our packing capabilities and offering retailers and their shoppers something new to try, like Happi Pear. Volumes of Happi Pear are going to grow significantly over the next five years and will position it as Stemilt’s No. 3 pear variety by volume. September kicked off the start of Happi Pear’s third season, signaling just the beginning of refreshing the category and bringing people back to pears.”

Happi Pear is a cross between Harrow Sweet and NY10353 pears developed through natural cross-pollination methods at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre in Ontario, Canada. Happi Pear is all about offering a different pear experience with its unexpected bite and sweet, bright and zesty flavor.

“Happi Pear is trademarked as the fruit for every smile because of its unique ability to be eaten whether green and crisp, or soft and juicy,” said Shales. “While still delivering an exceptional eating experience, people can choose when to enjoy Happi Pear. Aside from the eating experience, it checks all the boxes from a growing, storing, and selling standpoint, as it performs well throughout all stages of the supply chain. It’s a pear that’s going to stand out in the produce department for its cheery flavor and consistent quality.”

Today, Stemilt is growing the fruit in Washington and Canadian growers are also starting to plant trees that will produce Happi Pear for their markets. Stemilt will then focus on expanding its reach in the market and growing its distribution network in efforts to introduce more consumers to the variety and drive long-term category growth.

“Happi Pear represents years of dedication to breeding and growing a pear that delivers on flavor, quality, and visual appeal,” said Shales. “It’s a variety that retailers can build excitement around, knowing volumes will steadily increase and consumer demand will follow. Happi Pear is Stemilt’s next step in driving innovation in the pear category, offering a branded pear with vibrant purple packaging that grabs shoppers’ attention. As a vertically integrated grower, packer and shipper, Stemilt is ready to deliver exceptional quality and ignite new growth for pears.”