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fall merchandising
According to Bay Baby Produce, Inc., president Michele Youngquist, retail clients have increased sales of pumpkins by
cross promoting with pre-painted pumpkins, pumpkin paint kits, unique pumpkin varieties and hard winter squash. LEFT: PHOTO COURTESY OF NEW YORK APPLE ASSOCIATION
FALL 2018
Merchandising Tips
From apples to pumpkins, there are tricks to marketing and selling seasonal products before and during key holidays.
As the summer heat transitions into cool fall temperatures, produce retailers need to transi- tion to fall promotions. Simple preparations for promoting fall favorites such as apples, cranberries, pump- kins and squash can mean easy additional sales with little effort.
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BASKET
Apples are synonymous with the fall season and play a prominent role in popular holidays and activities, says Cynthia Haskins, president and chief executive of the New York Apple Association Inc. in Victor, NY. Haskins says New York offers 26 apple vari-
28 / AUGUST 2018 / PRODUCE BUSINESS
eties for retailers, including McIntosh and the apple “born” in the state, Empire.
“From Labor Day picnics, back-to-school lunches and on-the-go snacks to tailgating parties and Halloween celebrations, New York apples are a perennial favorite,” she says. “During the Thanksgiving and holiday season, apples and ciders are festive and deli- cious.”
Another company, Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc. (OSF), Summerland, British Columbia, began to offer its U.S. customers something interesting late last fall — nonbrowning Arctic apples.
“Apples are such a sweet addition to Thanksgiving dinners and fall décor, so we
will be focusing on showing consumers what they can do with our nonbrowning apples for their holiday feasts, as well as how our dried apples make the perfect back-to- school snack,” says Neal Carter, president of Okanagan Specialty Fruits.
The company currently only grows Arctic apples, so it is focused on its promotion.
“Recipe cards are something we like to provide consumers with to give them meal ideas and easy step-by-step instructions on how to put it all together,” says Carter. OSF features recipe ideas on its website, including a Make-Ahead Arctic Apple Kale Salad that Carter says is perfect for busy holiday meals.
One of the more popular items in the
BY CHRIS CRAWFORD
ABOVE PHOTO COURTESY OF BAY BABY PRODUCE;