Pink Lady promotions ideal for Valentine’s Day
From
| 23 January 2023
Overview of apples in the U.S. market, complemented by charts from Agronometrics. Original published on January 19, 2023.
Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be as sweet without making Pink Lady apples a top promotional item for the loveliest day of the year.
“Bulk is the major opportunity for Pink Lady this year, and Valentine’s Day is a key timeframe to promote the variety,” said Brianna Shales, Stemilt’s marketing director. “This is one variety we’ve seen promotable volumes of compared to last year and makes a pretty-pink addition to the theme of the holiday.”
Currently, 46 percent of Pink Lady volume goes into a package and 53 percent is sold bulk, which is a higher SKU than other varieties. Nielsen scan data showed this apple grew 45 percent in both dollars and volumes from January to April 2022 when compared to the year prior.
“This data shows us how retailers got behind Pink Lady last year and built really good momentum in the apple category,” said Shales. “Keeping that momentum going through bulk promotions is going to bring attention to larger Pink Lady apple sizes so retailers can increase their volume during a shorter crop year.”
Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)
Nationally, Pink Lady apples make up about 6.5 percent of apple volumes sold and about 6.2 percent of category sales during the January-April timeframe. In the Midwest, Pink Lady accounts for 8.2 percent of apple category volume. In the South and West regions, it makes up 6 percent each, and 5.2 percent in the Northeast. According to Shales, promoting bulk will help retailers in the South, West and Northeast regions grow toward the U.S. average.
“It’s all about making Pink Lady part of multi-variety promotions every month throughout the late winter and spring months,” said Shales. “Since Pink Lady sits on the tart side of the flavor spectrum, it can help bridge the gap where you’d normally have Granny Smith promotions, and still provide another tart apple option. To boost the category, conventional and organic Cosmic Crisp, and organic Fuji compliment Pink Lady apples promotions.”
Pink Lady apples are known for their pink-hued skin, crisp bite and effervescent finish. Its high sugars and acids make them slow to brown, making it a versatile apple for fresh snacking, baking, or entertaining. Its long season makes it a regular feature in the top 10 apples positioning it to perform well around the Valentine’s Day holiday.
“We’re always happy to provide retailers with the POS they need to make the variety stand out,” said Shales. “The quality and color of Pink Lady poises it to be a variety for promotion in the late winter and spring time. When looking for opportunities to grow and increase volume in the apple category this winter and spring, Pink Lady fits the bill.”
The News in Charts is a collection of stories from the industry complemented by charts from Agronometrics to help better tell their story.
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