Wenatchee, Wash.-based CMI Orchards is expanding the year-round availability of its high-flavor organic apple varieties, and that investment is paying off, company officials say.
“At the time of writing, the latest 52-week period ending Dec. 31 Nielsen data shows high-flavor, branded apple organic category volume is up 7.5% compared to the same time period last year,” Danelle Huber, senior marketing manager at CMI Orchards, said in a news release. “Specialty brands such as Envy, Cosmic Crisp, Ambrosia Gold, SugarBee, and Kanzi show significant increases in volume. This tells us that while we do see a decrease in volume across the entire produce department, with shoppers tending to stick with pantry staples and cutting back on the ‘luxury’ of fresh produce, the hunger for these high-flavor, branded organics is only growing.”
Despite consumer concerns about inflation, Huber said retail scan data shows there is always a place for the “best-tasting, freshest fruit on the shelf.”
“Offering a diverse selection of fruit is paramount to ensuring there’s an apple for every shopper’s taste preferences,” Rochelle Bohm, vice president of marketing, said in the release. “Our company recently entered into some fantastic new partnerships with growers which bolstered our manifest, allowing CMI to deliver the most exciting brands and core apples under one umbrella.”
Bohm said in the release that CMI strives to stand out to their customers as the “easy button” and operates as a one-stop shop to streamline the process every step of the way.
“Exploring and developing new ways that consumers are buying and interacting with produce is something CMI is passionate about,” Bohm said in the release.
“From meal kit programs to providing digital assets and toolkits for retailers to supplement and enhance their own content, CMI Orchards is well equipped to continue expanding into the omnichannel area,” she said. “Combining competitive branded organic volume and omnichannel marketing capabilities ensure that there’s more bang for your buck with campaigns that are sustainable and irresistible.”
