Latest News From Pears

The Pear Bureau Northwest is sharing the industry's commitment to supplying retailers and their customers with flavorful pears through a handful of new tactics.

Pear Bureau Northwest is offering virtual visitors several digital tools at its Fresh Summit exhibit, and the message centers on flavor.

USA Pears is offering pear consumers a chance to win a outdoor pizza oven with the group’s #pearpizza takeover contest during National Pizza Month in October.

USA Pears is asking consumers: What is your pear-sonality?

Wenatchee, Wash.-based Stemilt Growers is touting its apple and pear packaging options at the Produce Marketing Association’s virtual Fresh Summit.

Dec. 5 is World Pear Day and Wenatchee, Wash.-based Stemilt Growers says its Rushing Rivers pears offer perfect promotion opportunities.

The Pear Bureau Northwest is celebrating National Pizza Month (October) by bringing back the pear pizza campaign.

Compared with year-ago levels, retail organic apple sales were up 30% in dollars and organic pear volume soared 29% in August.

Wildfires were causing a wide range of problems for the produce industry in the first two weeks of September.

Here's the latest news on pears from The Packer!

As the official start to autumn neared fall staples took more spots among the PMG top 20, but summer items and year-round favorites still held their own the week of Sept. 7.

The Northwest pear industry is adjusting to the coronavirus, said Kevin Moffitt, president and CEO of Milwaukie, Ore.-based Pear Bureau Northwest

Brewster, Wash.-based Gebbers Farms says state COVID-19 testing at the apple, cherry and pear-growing operation indicates the firm’s preventive measures have been effective at protecting workers.

Northwest pear grower-shippers expected a comparatively light crop this year, although they said they should have plenty of fruit to fill all needs.

Stemilt Growers’ Rushing Rivers d’anjou and red d’anjou pears go through a process that the Wenatchee, Wash.-based company’ calls the RipeRite program.

Honeycrisp, granny smith, fuji and gala have experienced notable sales growth this summer as families consume more food at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Washington Fruit & Produce Co. and Yakima Fresh have merged to sell apples, cherries and pears.

The Pear Bureau Northwest, Milwaukie, Ore., has promoted Neil Ferguson to creative marketing manager.

The next five years could be a challenge for apple growers, but the industry should emerge stronger and in a better competitive position after that.

Wenatchee, Wash.-based Stemilt Growers is offering this fall a new paper Farm + Famous grab-and-go pack featuring the message that “All Farmers are Famous.”

The 2020-21 fresh pear crop in Washington and Oregon is projected at 16.6 million 44-pound box equivalents, according the Pear Bureau Northwest’s first official estimate of the season.

Sage Fruit Co. LLC, Yakima, Wash., has welcomed Yakima-based Congdon Orchards to its team of grower-packer-shippers of Washington tree fruit, said Chuck Sinks, Sage Fruit’s president of sales and marketing.

It is fruit picking season in the Pacific Northwest, and Yakima, Wash.-based Domex Superfresh Growers is in the midst of harvesting cherries, blueberries, apples and pears, with kiwi berries set to start in September.

CMI Orchards, Wenatchee, Wash., has boosted its marketing capacity in recent years, adding more than four million boxes of fruit.

The World Apple and Pear Association is forecasting Europe’s 2020 apple production to drop slightly from last season, but pears will see a double-digit increase.

Congdon Orchards Inc., Yakima, Wash., is now a supplier of Washington apples, pears and cherries to Sage Fruit Co., starting Aug. 1.

Adding a spark to a familiar pear variety, Wenatchee, Wash.-based Stemilt Growers is promoting the starkrimson red pear as the Sparkrimson.

Cucumbers held on to the No. 1 spot on PMG the week of July 6, but beans rose four places to No. 2, while okra stayed at No. 3.

Viva Tierra Organic, Mount Vernon, Wash., will be shipping new crop apples and pears from California in July.

Rachel Elkins, University of California Cooperative Extension pomology farm advisor for Lake and Mendocino counties, retired July 1 after 33 years in her position.

Using fewer materials in packaging for fresh produce costs less in dollars as well as environmental impact, marketers say.

Haitian mangoes maintained their lead on The Packer's PMG the week of May 18, and cherries claimed the second spot.

Haitian mangoes maintained their lead on The Packer's PMG the week of May 11, and the overall mango category climbed from No. 4 to No. 2.

Oranges were finally dethroned on PMG the week of May 4, with Haitian mangoes taking the No. 1 spot.

Nature knows best for California pear growers.

The road to the new normal as the COVID-19 crisis continues is a rocky one for many in the fresh produce industry.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is planning on buying $470 million in surplus food, including $105 million worth of produce, as growers cope with disrupted supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic.

California summer fruit grower-shippers traditionally credit weather with having a say in what kind of season they’ll have.

Milwaukie, Ore.-based Pear Bureau Northwest has been using its communications to direct consumers to shoppable recipes along with ripening and storage tips.

After two years of late harvest starts, the California pear crop will be on a normal schedule, with harvest starting in early July.

Starr Ranch Growers, Wenatchee, Wash., has added three people to its sales and marketing staff.

Import requirements for Chinese fragrant pears have been relaxed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Retailers are switching from bulk to bagged apples, according to a Stemilt Growers, as limited trips to the store, online ordering and a grab-and-go convenience is highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oranges and organic pears maintained the top two spots on Produce Market Guide last week, while lettuce inched up a place to No. 3.

Pear Bureau Northwest/USA Pears is teaming with gourmet food gift shop Harry & David for a promotion that’s fitting for March, dubbed National Nutrition Month, among other designations.

Starr Ranch Growers, Wenatchee, Wash., will be marketing and selling Stadelman Fruit’s produce.

Green onions took over as the top item on Produce Market Guide the week of Feb. 24, while oranges slipped to second place.

Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers is partnering with the German-based emoji company to use the brand icons on the company’s apples, pears, and cherries.

Awe Sum Organics, Santa Cruz, Calif., started its pear program in Argentina in mid-February, with arrivals of bartletts on both coasts.

Domex Superfresh Growers, Yakima, Wash., is reporting good movement with the Northwest pear crop, with ample supplies to ship well into summer.