Sun World International LLC, Bakersfield, Calif., has enhanced the packaging for many of its products as the company launches its spring/summer program, said Gordon Robertson, senior vice president of sales and marketing.
Sun World will have a desert table grape program during early May and June with red flame, green Superior Seedless and black Midnight Beauty varieties along with a small, mostly export deal for its Sable Seedless variety from the San Joaquin Valley.
Sun World will offer its La Rouge Royale brand elongated sweet red peppers and La Jaune Royale elongated sweet yellow peppers starting in early May. And for the third year, the company will offer Sweet Mini Peppers.
“We continue to expand our acreage a little bit every year,” Robertson said. “We’re seeing strong demand for Sweet Mini Peppers from retail and club businesses.”
In addition to 2-pound and 1-dry-pint bags, Sun World has introduced a new retail 1-pound bag for its Sweet Mini Peppers, he said.
The company is introducing a new standard bag for its proprietary varieties that will feature improved graphics and improved clarity. It also plans to offer a laminate standup pouch bag for its Superior Seedless and Midnight Beauty grapes.
“We’re trying to complement the product as much as we can and increase the visibility of the product in the bag,” Robertson said.
A consumer study showed a preference for the standup pouch bag compared to the regular bag because of the handle that makes it easier to carry and because of the graphics, he said.
Sun World also will package grapes in clamshell containers with quick-response codes and item-level traceability.
“QR codes give us the ability to tell the story of who grew the fruit,” Robertson said. “They take the consumer all the way back to the farm.”
The company has developed point-of-sale materials to promote awareness of its branded varieties in-store that can be customized with QR codes.
Sun World also will introduce volume-fill retail bins for high-volume sweet pepper promotions this season.
The bins come with fruit already packed and can be taken from a truck and dropped directly onto the sales floor, he said.
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