Sage Fruit Co. readies for pear harvest, expanded availability 

Bartlett pear harvest began in mid-August for Yakima, Wash.-based Sage Fruit Co., and the company’s other pear varieties will follow closely behind in early September, says Chuck Sinks, president of sales and marketing. 

Pear harvest will finish up in October, he said.

Sage Fruit conventional and organic pears are grown and harvested in several regions throughout the Pacific Northwest, including the Yakima Valley, Mid-Columbia and up through Wenatchee, he said. Sage Fruit Co. has two dedicated pear packing lines — one in Yakima and one in Chelan.

Top varieties for the marketer include bartlett, red and green d’anjou, and bosc, Sinks said. The marketer also has a couple of niche varieties — concorde and taylor’s gold.

“The 2022-2023 Northwest pear crop looks to be a bit lighter in volume than last season,” Sinks said. “While we experienced extreme heat late in the 2021 growing season, this year, a cold spring and late winter storm had an adverse effect on bloom.” Despite the weather challenges, Sinks said sizing and quality should be good for the season.

Expanding volume

Chelan Fruit is marketing its tree fruit through Sage Fruit, and Sinks said that, with the addition of Chelan Fruit for the 2022-2023 pear season, Sage Fruit will see a significant increase in volume of both organic and conventional pears. 

“We are looking forward to the opportunity to partner with Chelan Fruit this season, and with this increase in pear volume, we will be better positioned to fulfill our customers’ pear needs,” Sinks said. “Our goal is to provide a one-stop shop for our partners, and continuous growth is making that possible.”

This season, Sinks said peak pear sizing will be about a size down from the 2021-2022 crop. 

“We will see considerable volume of 100s and 110s, which lends well to bag promotions at retail,” Sinks said.

Sage Fruit offers both 40-pound and 27-pound options, as well as poly- and pouch-bagged product, Sinks said. “Additionally, we have high-graphic pear pop-up bins available for in-store display.”

Looking at the 2022-2023 marketing season, Sinks said he expects the domestic market is expected to be strong. Select export markets, especially Mexico, are also performing well, Sinks said.

Retailers can maximize sales in a number of ways, he said. 

“One thing a retailer can do to sell more pears is communicate to the consumer how to select and store them,” he said. “Pears are mature, but not necessarily ripe when they are sold. It’s important consumers know when a pear is ripe to ensure they enjoy them. If a consumer has a favorable experience, they will become a repeat customer. “

Last season, Sinks said Sage Fruit installed a pear conditioning room. “This season, we look to expand our preconditioning pear program to meet the needs of our retail partners,” he said.