Sunkist Growers gives cara cara oranges a refresh

Super sweet. Uniquely pink.

That’s the message that the over 1,000 farmers at Sunkist Growers want to leave with consumers this season. Many of the farmers who specialize in cara cara oranges for Sunkist Growers lead the cooperative as one of the largest cara cara suppliers, and they are unveiling redesigned packaging options and merchandising offerings for “The Pink Orange” based on consumer trends and insights to drive the category this citrus season, according to a news release.

Cara cara marketing leans into the health benefits of the citrus as health continues to be top of mind for consumers. Orange on the outside and pink on the inside, cara caras get their unique pink interior from the antioxidant lycopene. Offering 100% of the daily recommended vitamin C intake, this specialty orange variety also contains key nutrients like folate, fiber and potassium, the release said. 

“Cara sales have increased in both dollars and volume this year versus last season,” Cassie Howard, senior director of category management and marketing for Sunkist, said in the release. “In the [3-pound] bag — the No. 1 selling pack size — we have seen increases by almost 20% year over year.” 

What’s more, Sunkist has recently commissioned consumer studies to shed light on key purchase motivators and recommendations needed to fine-tune the overall citrus shopping experience. Sunkist can apply these insights into action, customizing packaging, merchandising and shopper-marketing program offerings to each retailer’s unique goals and consumer requests.

Related news: Sunkist expands category management and consumer insights program

“We’ve been watching the cara shopper closely over these last few seasons,” Howard said in the release. “We know that consumers prefer to shop in-stores for produce, especially oranges, stressing the importance of eye-catching designs and engaging displays. Consumers want to be heard, and we’re listening to the feedback and applying real-time changes, revamping our messaging and packaging to own the cara category and be more easily recognizable in-stores for shoppers.”  

Sunkist's new “all pink” packaging and matching cara cara merchandising is set to launch this citrus season. The new bag designs were tested amongst avid orange shoppers, with the consumers gravitating towards the pink bag and “The Pink Orange” identifier for the cara category, according to the release. Nearly half of the respondents also indicated that the new design elicits fun and excitement, with 58% saying they would buy the product if available today, the release said.

Retailers are advised to contact their local Sunkist sales representative to learn more about Sunkist's new cara 3-pound bag option and display bins available for this season.