For Delano, Calif.-based Wonderful Citrus, the California mandarin season kicks off in November when Wonderful Halos return to stores, said Dave Rooke, senior vice president of sales.
The mandarin season is expected to go through May, Rooke said.
Rooke said Wonderful’s Halos had a strong season last year that ran into the early summer.
“As a result of the long season, coupled with the heat and drought, the citrus industry as a whole will be seeing less fruit this season,” he said.
“The fruit is looking to be a little larger and upholds the superior fruit quality people know Wonderful Halos for, allowing the brand to continue to deliver upon its sweet, seedless and easy-to-peel brand virtues.”
Wonderful Citrus will launch a new marketing campaign that will coincide with the start of the season, he said. The campaign will include social media, in-store point-of-sale displays, and a collection of colorful stickers that will “surprise and delight” consumers, he said.
“Last season’s regionally targeted campaign drove significantly higher sales growth in ad markets versus non-ad markets during the campaign period,” Rooke said.
“Wonderful Halos will also continue its Grove of Goodness display program for a fifth year, featuring new eye-catching Halos Grove Tree displays.”
Rooke said large in-store displays of Halos in the produce department drive 18% faster velocities compared to product merchandised without a display.
Wonderful Citrus touts its Halos Quality Standard, which Rooke said prioritizes sweetness. Sweetness, he said, is the highest driver of taste likeability with consumers.
Seedless lemons
Wonderful Citrus will also offer Wonderful Seedless lemons, a program now in its third year, he said. This season’s deal will launch in October with limited distribution focusing on select markets and channels.
“While volumes of this new, naturally seedless lemon variety are still small, this innovative product will be a game-changer in produce as production grows over the next few years,” Rooke said.
Additionally, Rooke said Wonderful Citrus offers a full portfolio of citrus including navels, lemons and limes, as well as specialty citrus items like cara caras, blood oranges, and minneolas. The company also offers Texas oranges and grapefruit, he said.
Strong year anticipated
Rooke said Wonderful Citrus is “excited and optimistic” about the new season. Last season saw elevated demand and consumer demand for the vitamin C found in citrus, Rooke said.
“When comparing consumption trends of citrus to two years ago, pre-COVID, we’re seeing strong growth across almost all citrus subcategories and are excited to see this will continue,” Rooke said.
“Specifically, demand for Wonderful Halos mandarins is expected to be strong again this season as they’re the perfect healthy snack for both kids and adults and an excellent source of vitamin C.”
The Halos Quality Standard has strict taste and quality specifications that lead to customers rating Halos 18% higher overall than generic brands on Amazon last season, he said.
“We expect to continue seeing an uptick in e-commerce as more retailers and grocery stores incorporate drive-up and order-ahead offerings,” Rooke said.
