Page 40 - February2019

“Halos contributed 27 percent of total produce dollar growth last season, indicating continued strong demand for mandarins,” Lazo says. “ ere is no need to refrigerate because they can remain at ambient tempera- ture. ey are easy to transport, not fragile, have good value and are healthy.”
Sun Paci c of Pasadena, CA, rivals Halos with its Cuties brand, the name the company rst gave to the Spanish mandarin trees it planted south of Bakers eld 20 years ago; Cecelia Packing out Orange Cove, CA, has a mandarin named Dimples; LGS Specialties, New Rochelle, NY, imports Darling Clemen- tines; Sunkist has its Delites; and Bee Sweet’s mandarins are branding with the company’s cute cartoon bee.
ere are stories behind each of these whimsical names that could be combined into a volume of fairy tales.
“We named our mandarins Halos because when we thought about things that are perfect, we thought of angels,” Lazo said. Angels wear Halos and embody pure good- ness. ere is nothing fake or arti cial about Halos. e product is also connected to child- hood happiness – and childhood innocence and cheerfulness, which enhances its aura. It’s these intrinsic values that often lead to the sweet, innocent brand names we now see in marketing mandarins.”
e major mandarin shippers are competing for the attention of children, or of the grownups who supply them with food, and their brands drive retail sales.
“Branded produce continues to drive produce growth, and packaging captures consumer attention in-store, while also communicating our ‘sweet, seedless and easy-to-peel’ qualities that have become the bedrock of the brand families love,” says Lazo.
40 / FEBRUARY 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS
“Di erent sizes of fruit can cater to various meals and culinary needs. While schools prefer smaller sizes, we’ve noticed that consumers enjoy having a wider range of sizes to choose from.”
— Monique Bienvenue, Bee Sweet Citrus
SIZE MATTERS
Once you have their attention, it helps to o er consumers choices in the size of both the fruit and the pack.
Mandarins have gained favor, in part, because they t far better in a child’s hand than the Navel oranges they are coming to replace.
“People snack multiple times per day and struggle to nd snacks that are healthy and taste good,” says Lazo. “Parents like them because they are a healthy, portion-controlled sweet snack. Kids like them because they are sweet, seedless and easy to peel.”
Although smaller is generally better, it is advisable to o er consumers a choice of easy- peeler fruit that is a bit larger.
“Di erent sizes of fruit can cater to various meals and culinary needs,” says Bien- venue. “While schools prefer smaller sizes, we’ve noticed that consumers enjoy having a wider range of sizes to choose from.”
ere are also emerging standards when it comes to the standard size packs for mandarins. “Across the industry, the 2-pound bag has become the fastest growing pack, with sales quadrupling since the 2015 season,” says
Ward from Sunkist Growers.
In the size of the pack, as with the fruit,
it makes sense to o er consumers a number of choices.
“Halos are sold in 3- and 5-pound branded bags and 5-pound boxes that appeal to shoppers’ preferences for convenient, grab- and-go packaging,” says Lazo.
e mandarin season begins well before anksgiving and continues until the rst grapes and stone fruit begin to ship in the late spring.
“Demand picks up at the beginning of February through April,” says Lazo. “We see increased demand during the week of Super Bowl for consumers looking for healthy snacks. Retailers take advantage of this increased demand by providing additional oor space for in-store displays and signage. Retailers are also often running ads/promo- tions throughout the winter season to keep mandarins top-of-mind and in shopping carts.”
Although counter-seasonal imports make it possible to o er mandarins virtually year- round, California growers have developed a sequence of varieties that make them able to ship fresh fruit during the entire peak season from November to May.
“ e outlets that have the most success with mandarins are those that commit to the California season and stay focused on the category,” says Lazo. “ ese retailers start strong with California mandarins as soon as the season begins; they are consistently putting mandarins in print ads and o er ample oor space to build large, cart-stop- ping displays. Retailers that stay true to branded mandarins are likely going to see incremental velocities of up to twice that of non-branded.” pb