Pears

Honeybear Brands Says Pear Imports Begin March 1

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 21:28:26 GMT

Honeybear Brands says its fresh-picked crop of bartlett and bosc pears from the Southern Hemisphere will begin hitting retailer shelves in early March, with the season set to run through June 1.

Chuck Sinks, president of sales and marketing at Honeybear Brands, says that with harvest in Chile and Argentina beginning in late January and February, this means promotable volumes will begin shortly after as domestic storage begins to lose momentum, which he says creates a clean handoff. That means retailers avoid gaps while produce maintains quality, and there are strong promotable volumes without interruption.

“South American pears come online at exactly the moment U.S. domestic supplies begin to taper off. Washington storage fruit typically reaches their quality and volume limits between late February and early March,” Sinks says. “As controlled atmosphere rooms are opened and inventories wind down, retailers often see increasing pressure on condition, sizing and consistency.”

Honeybear says long-standing partnerships and a vertically aligned import program provide competitive pricing for retailers.

“Direct grower relationships reduce middle-layer costs and secure priority access to premium fruit,” Sinks says. “Consolidated shipping programs allow for better freight efficiency and predictable landed costs, and year-round category management means Honeybear can plan volumes, vessel timing and pack styles months in advance, avoiding the spot market volatility that often drives up import pricing.”

Sinks says this results in a stable, value-driven import program that competes with domestic storage fruit and other importers.

While bartlett pears will begin arriving March 1 and bosc around April 1, Sinks says the two varieties are complementary, especially when consumers understand the differences. Retailers can highlight bartlett’s juicy, aromatic profile along bosc’s firmer, denser eating experience, which encourages multivariety purchases, he says.

Also, consumers often misunderstand pear ripening. Sinks explains that a simple check-the-neck messaging can help boost consumer confidence and reduce shrinkage. Other messaging includes mix-and-match pear promotions that encourage consumers to try new varieties and help retailers move volume across both varieties.

“Bartletts lean sweet and floral; boscs hold their shape for baking and salads,” he says. “Pairing them with complementary items increases basket size.”

Sinks says this season, retailers can expect pears with higher natural sugars due to warm days and cool nights. Retailers can also expect clean, bright aromatics with bartletts and smooth texture and dense flesh with bosc, he adds.

“Quality is strong enough to support early-season ads,” Sinks says. “Retailers can confidently promote as soon as fruit arrives, without waiting for later vessels.”

Beyond Flavor: Why Economic Sustainability is a Priority for New Orchards

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 23:00:58 GMT

There’s been a longtime push in the specialty crop industry to offer newer varieties with better genetics. This is no more evident than in apples, where Honeycrisp paved the way for a different eating experience and went from possible breeding project reject to farmers market darling to arguably the most widely known modern apple variety.

The challenge with a variety like Honeycrisp is that it is a difficult variety to grow, store and pack, says Rob Blakey, research and development director with Stemilt Growers.

“It’s great for the consumer, great for the retailer, but we need to match that eating experience with efficiencies in the orchards and in the pack shed,” Blakey says. “Otherwise, it doesn’t pencil. And we’re talking about sustainability; a variety has to be economically sustainable.”

While early pricing compensated for Honeycrisp’s poor efficiency, a saturated market has caused prices to collapse, and the variety isn’t as sustainable for the grower as it once was.

Setting a New Gold Standard for Variety Efficiency

Blakey’s focus at Stemilt is to evaluate new cherry, pear and apple varieties that meet modern-day consumer demands while also being something sustainable for growers, packers and shippers.

It’s a process with an extremely long view, and it all starts at Stemilt with twice-yearly meetings to examine the variety mix currently in orchards.

“We look at market performance and our orchard mix by variety, organic and conventional,” Blakey says. “What we look at is, are we in line with what we’re selling? Because we want to grow what we can sell, so we are aligning that and having direction in that way.”

Mapping the Long View of the Orchard Cycle

Blakey says the team at Stemilt then examines each commodity — apples, pears and cherries — and looks at harvest windows on each ranch. The team also studies where each orchard is in its 20-year cycle.

“As a variety is sunsetting, what’s coming in? When are we taking that orchard out? What are we replacing it with?” he says.

From there, Blakey works backward from determining what goes in where and when. That includes determining what type of rootstocks will be needed when and what variety will be grafted to the rootstock, as well as making sure there’s enough budwood to grow those trees. Then there is thinking about what scaling some of those new varieties might look like in five to six years.

For example, Blakey says he’s ordered rootstocks in the nursery to plant in 2028 with the hope that those trees will begin cropping in 2032.

Stemilt also evaluates new varieties. Blakey says that thanks to a dialed-in evaluation process, Stemilt can launch a variety in under 15 years, which is roughly half as long as it used to take.

He says a variety like Cosmic Crisp is the model for new varieties. It’s easy to grow, easy to store, easy to pack, and consumers love it.

“That’s our bar,” he says. “If it’s not delivering on that type of efficiency, it’s not going to compete. … If it’s not beating Cosmic or it’s a unique color or bringing something completely different, it won’t make it.”

For apples, Blakey says this means looking for varieties that fit a specific demand or window. For Aura apples, he says Stemilt specifically sought out a premium yellow apple.

“We launched that from cross to launch in 11 years,” he says.

Currently, Stemilt evaluates about 50 apple varieties from around the world and looks to see how those varieties grow if they have commercial potential from the orchard to packout, Blakey says.

“What we also learned from some of the new varieties that didn’t make it: They can eat good, they can store good, but they’re so delicate we can’t pack them,” he says. “We are evaluating all the critical steps, because we don’t want to be putting in money — putting in capital and growing a variety — only to find out at that stage, once we’ve put $20 million in that it doesn’t pack so well. We’d rather learn the lessons early and get rid of stuff as quickly as you can.”

And there have been many great-eating varieties in the trials that did not make it in that final step, he says. While all varieties have unique challenges, he says it’s a balance to find out whether a “quirk” is something a grower or packer-shipper could live with.

Though many growers want a proprietary apple variety, Blakey says these next-generation varieties have to be primed to succeed in a crowded category.

“This has to stand on its own as a viable product, and it costs more, but it’s a lot cheaper than a failed variety,” he says.

cherries

(Photo: Nailia Schwarz, Adobe Stock)

Flattening the Peak for a Better Cherry Season

Blakey says cherry evaluation is slightly less complicated than for apples, as there isn’t a variety attachment to cherries. It’s just a dark sweet cherry or a light-colored, rainier-type of cherry.

But the life cycle of cherry evaluations is much longer, he says, adding that he currently trials about 55 varieties throughout the world.

“I planted stuff in 2018, and I’m going to see a crop this year,” Blakey says. “It’s just a long, long cycle to get cherries.”

And for cherry trials, Blakey says it’s about seasonality. Instead of a peak, Stemilt wants to flatten the curve.

“How do we have the best varieties at each timing in each growing district to deliver that superior eating quality and have a crop and size and deliver a return to the grower?” he says. “There’s plenty of good-eating cherries that just don’t yield enough.”

Blakey evaluates aspects such as timing, rootstock, pollination, storage and shipping.

“It’s all dialed in, so when we launch, we can launch with confidence as well,” he says. “We’re always looking to go early. We’re trying to build out the early side, get a better eating experience on the early side.”

Blakey says he works with breeding programs to source early varieties as well as going as late as possible into the cherry season. This evaluation includes genetics, altitude, latitude and aspect, he explains.

While he says Stemilt has maximized altitude and aspect, genetics is where he sees the potential to improve cherry season.

“There’s new material coming out all the time that can add weeks to our program,” he says.

There’s also concern with cherry cracking and pitting, so those are also considerations for evaluation.

Blakey says a bonus with cherry evaluations is those can be sold; it doesn’t have to have a specific branding and variety around it as consumers seek out a large, firm and flavorful cherry.

He and the Stemilt team look at the current variety mix to see if there are opportunities or gaps for new varieties.

Bringing in new globally developed cherry varieties is its own challenge, Blakey notes. The budwood goes into government quarantine and evaluation to ensure the plant material is clean.

“Some varieties have taken 10 years to get out of quarantine because they couldn’t clean the material up,” he says. “It’s roughly two years, though.”

Then the nursery will take that budwood to grow a few test trees from which to pull budwood. Blakey says good paperwork is the key to keeping up with the evaluations in quarantine and in the field trials.

Stemilt Pears.png

(Photo courtesy of Stemilt Growers)

Moving Past the Old Model for Modern Pears

There’s an old adage that says, “Plant pears for your heirs.” And when it comes to pear breeding cycles, it’s a rather long cycle.

Pears have a juvenile period from seedling to cropping that lasts six years. The Happi pear originally was bred in 1988, Blakey points out. However, he says the pear category is ripe for innovation.

“There’s a lot of exciting pair genetics coming, just people haven’t been incentivized,” he says. “Pear growers are pretty conservative, because it just takes so long. In the old models, it would take six years before they got their first crop, 10 years before they started hitting peak production. And that one orchard was supposed to be there for 60 years.”

Blakey says a focus for him is on genetics and growing practices more in line with the future. Happi pear, for example, crops in the third year and hits peak production in the fifth or sixth year. He says that’s, in part, due to its precocious nature and its fire blight and pear psylla tolerance, which allow for more high-density plantings.

“We’re not trying to grow these big, old, steep leader trees anymore,” Blakey says. “We grow it like an apple: more trees per acre, earlier production. We get into full production earlier, which we’re paying that capital off a whole lot quicker.”

Unlike cherries and apples, Blakey says he evaluates far fewer new pear varieties, so he’s looking for the best of the best of new cultivars, as well as new and improved rootstocks that are cold-sensitive — a crucial trait. As he hopes to shorten that growth window, an orchard that could last for 60 or 100 years could recover from a once-in-50-year cold event, but that risk is higher with newer high-density plantings.

“If we’re growing an orchard for 20 years and those extreme colds are not happening as frequently and we’re growing in warmer districts, we can start looking at dwarfing rootstocks for pears,” he says.

And as with other commodities, new pear varieties need to perform well in storage and packing along with being easier to grow. Pear ripening is a significant factor in Blakey’s evaluation of new cultivars.

“Pears are more complicated,” he says. “They have to ripen, or you get a nonripening pear that’s crunchy to eat out of hand. So, how do we ripen it? It’s a big part of why we like Happi, because it ripens slowly and it doesn’t turn to mush. So, [those are] just more aspects that we have to look at.”

Future of Research and Development

As Blakey looks ahead, he says all of this R&D will help drive efficiency in the supply chain.

“How do we grow it better, we pick it better, we store it better, we pack it better?” he says. “Just with the shrinking margins, we have to be better at every single step without sacrificing an improved flavor experience.”

Blakey sees technology playing a key role in the future of new variety development.

“What excites me is that we have technology — storing technology and genetics — that we can deliver on that superior eating quality for longer in the year,” he says. “We’re not getting tired galas. We’re not getting tired Honeycrisp. We have technology to stretch the great-eating-quality window.”

CMI Orchards Recognized for Sustainability Efforts

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 22:28:12 GMT

Wenatchee, Wash.-based CMI Orchards says it has been named a 2026 SEAL Sustainability Award winner in two categories, earning a Sustainability Innovation recognition for its Planet Positive program and a Sustainable Products honor for its carbon-negative apples, pears and cherries.

CMI says the Sustainability, Environmental Achievement and Leadership Business Awards recognize 50 of the world’s most sustainable companies for environmental initiatives that demonstrate innovation, measurable impact and long-term commitment across industries and geographies. The company adds that these dual awards underscore its global leadership in driving regenerative, climate‑positive tree fruit production and advancing sustainability.

CMI says the SEAL Awards recognize its Planet Positive program, which integrates carbon-negative growing practices, regenerative soil health, waste upcycling and transparent environmental reporting into the company’s orchard systems. The program is designed to benefit more than the environment, providing tangible benefits for growers, retail partners and consumers seeking food produced with integrity and accountability.

“At its core, Planet Positive reflects our belief that farming should leave the land better than we found it,” says Bob Mast, president of CMI. “By cultivating carbon negative orchards, regenerating soil, producing nutrient-rich fruit, upcycling waste and operating with transparency and trust, we’re helping move the fresh produce industry forward while giving families confidence in the food they bring home.”

CMI was also recognized with a SEAL Sustainable Product Award for producing carbon-negative apples, pears and cherries with its tree fruit that offsets and surpasses its on-farm emissions footprint. The Soil Center, a facility that operates a closed-loop system that converts orchard waste into regenerative soil amendments, supports CMI’s carbon-negative efforts.

“This recognition highlights meaningful progress in regenerative agriculture and offers consumers fruit that fully offsets its growing emissions,” says Rose Vejvoda, sustainability manager for CMI. “Between 2022 and 2025, The Soil Center project generated more than 700,000 carbon credits by storing carbon in the soil, where it delivers lasting environmental value. We remain committed to expanding these practices, increasing sequestration and strengthening sustainability across our supply chain.”

USA Pears CEO Reports Early Wins Following Major Brand Refresh

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 20:12:25 GMT

Last fall, USAPears launched a new logo and look, which the organization debuted at the International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce and Floral Show in Anaheim, Calif. The organization says this new look is designed to help pears feel modern, approachable and relevant to today’s shoppers.

With a few months with the new logo, CarrieAnn Arias, president and CEO of USA Pears, says she’s noticed an immediate impact of this refreshed branding.

“From coast-to-coast, as our team has been on the ground at industry events like Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo, IFPA and New York Produce Show, the response is overwhelmingly positive,” she says. “The new look is just one aspect of a larger initiative educating the public about the full range of benefits of pears, from both a nutritional and culinary standpoint.”

Elevating the Retail Experience

Brian Dey, retail and merchandising innovation manager for Four Seasons Produce, says he loves the new branding and point-of-sale materials, noting the logo is a great mix of vintage feels in a modern new look.

“The new pear bins look amazing, vibrant with great graphics and suggested uses for the fruit,” he says. “The point-of-sale cards are some of the cleanest I have seen, with flavor profiles and a QR code that takes you directly to the new look USA Pear website. As a pear geek who loves merchandising and working with (as well as eating) pears, I am very excited to be working with the Pear Bureau on pear promotions with this new look going into 2026.”

More Than Just an Occasional Snack

And while Arias says consumers already have a strong connection between health benefits and pears, the new branding seeks to solidify pears’ presence as a modern, versatile and essential way to boost fiber naturally.

“We’re focused on helping customers see all the ways pears can be a part of their everyday life — not just on occasion,” she says. “The versatility of the fruit is really unmatched when you consider all the ways you can enjoy eating a pear, whether it’s whole, sliced, baked, blended or even poached. You’ll see us focus on recipes, cross-cultural complements of the fruit, and all the flavorful and fun ways you can eat fresh pears year-round.”

And this means a focus on younger generations, too, Arias says as millennials and Gen Z look to healthier options. She says she’s eager to see how pears resonate with younger shoppers at retail.

“What we’re focused on now is fiber, and how pears are well-positioned to deliver on this nutritional attribute in everyday meals and snacks,” she says. “Knowing that consumers are looking for healthier options, we’ll continue to echo that a medium pear provides 6 grams of dietary fiber or 21% of the recommended Daily Value.”

Reaching Millions Through High-Profile Partnerships

In December, USA Pears brought some “pear-cipitation” to New York City with billboards in Times Square, which Arias says reached millions of consumers during the holiday season. World Pear Day on Dec. 6 served as another opportunity to highlight pears through social media posts with food creators. And Arias says there’s more planned for the future to keep pears at the forefront of the conversation.

“We’ll be launching an iHeart partnership, expanding conversations about how pears support a healthy lifestyle and showcasing the many growers bringing this incredible fruit to market,” she says.

California Pear Industry Speaks Out Against Argentine Imports

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 23:01:30 GMT

“We really got our rear ends kicked this year by Argentine pears being in the marketplace when we started our harvest,” says Chris Zanobini, executive director of the California Pear Advisory Board.

Zanobini says California used to have a thriving pear industry, in which growers produced around 320,000 tons about 25 years ago. This year’s total was around 107,000 tons, or about 30% of U.S. pear production.

“They’re stewards of the land,” Zanobini says of the state’s 60-plus growers that farm around 4,000 acres. “In California, we have to adhere to the strictest environmental policies.”

The majority of those pears, bartlett and bosc, are for processing, but Zanobini says the state’s growers pride themselves on growing for the fresh market, too. He estimates that about 1.4 million 36-pound boxes go to the fresh market.

“We tend to operate within our market window, which is right around the first of July,” he says. “We like to be done by October, because we don’t like to compete with the Northwest, and neither does the Northwest like us to compete with them.”

Zanobini says that the relationship between the California pear season and the Pacific Northwest’s pear season has been good, except when imports get added to the mix. He estimates that since 2016, Argentine imports have increased 125%. He says those pears, treated with ethylene inhibitors, help importers extend pear storage.

“Argentina’s harvest is in December and January,” he says. “So, those pears can store for a very long period of time.”

Zanobini says that while Argentina supplies about 90% of pears during the winter months, about 70% of pear imports from Argentina arrive in April and May, right before the start of the next California season. This year importers brought pears to the U.S. through September, and a major retailer delayed its California pear program by a month as a result.

“That was about 10% of the crop that got pushed back,” he says. “And it was at a premium price.”

He says that really hurt the state’s pear growers, who have farmed since the Gold Rush.

“We still have some of those same families that started back then, still growing pears,” he says. “Finally, our guys said enough’s enough.”

Zanobini says as a response, industry leaders have begun discussions with the U.S. trade representative’s office to help California growers find relief. He sees this as a good time to help prevent Argentinian pears from undercutting U.S. growers.

“We said the time [and] the opportunity is right now to try to get something to happen,” he says. “There’s all these great things about producing fruits and vegetables in California, and I guess we have to fight for our right to do that.”

Washington Pear Growers Face Record Flooding and Unusual Pest Management

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 03:48:51 GMT

Last week, approximately 78,000 residents in the Skagit River floodplain in Washington state were ordered to evacuate as back-to-back atmospheric rivers saturated the region. The water surpassed historical marks, notes Robert Ezelle, director of the Washington Military Department’s Emergency Management Division.

“What we have seen in actuality is it came through right at about the record flood level,” he told AgDay. “That doesn’t mean to say that we’re out of the woods. We’re not, because as the waters come down here, they’re still going to be gaining strength. And as they hit the Burlington, Mt. Vernon area, we’re still expecting to see about 2 feet higher than record flood level. It’s going to be most likely worse than you experienced back in 2021.”

Last week’s storm impacted many parts of Chelan County, as well as other parts of the Pacific Northwest, where officials evacuated Washington State University’s Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center in Mount Vernon due to high water and flood warnings.

The impact stretched across the Cascades into the Cashmere Valley, where Randall Chipman, a certified crop adviser in Cashmere Valley between Wenatchee and Leavenworth, scouted area orchards to assess what he saw. In a video he posted on LinkedIn , a pear block in Cashmere that usually sits 10 feet or more above the waterline had trees pulled up with roots almost 5 feet in the air.

“The main concern now is, alright, where are we going to get our topsoil back?” he says in the video. “We have all of our roots exposed. It’s going to be more detrimental than maybe just having regular soggy feet. Now we have to wait for next year, but keep an eye on it.”

Chipman says a bright spot to the flooding is that it hit during dormancy, when trees have already shut down for the winter. Prolonged wetness isn’t necessarily as much of a concern as exposed roots. And, he says in the winter, most orchards are waterlogged with snow, so this is almost the same thing.

“Realistically, dormancy will help,” he says. “We’re not worried about waterlogging. If it was during this season and we had fruit on the trees, then you have no oxygen, and then that’s it’s an issue.”

Chipman says some pear growers in the area have experienced flooding, but nothing to the extent that happened last week.

“It’s going to be this annoying thing that we’ve never really thought we had to deal with,” he says.

Downed trees with exposed roots are a main concern for pear growers in the Cashmere Valley in Washington, says Randall Chipman, a certified crop adviser.

(Photo: Randall Chipman)

And he’s also optimistic that all this rainfall could help limit pear psylla pressure next growing season, though he says he needs to monitor pest pressure next year to see if his assumptions play out. Instead of psylla overwintering under the limbs of nearby pine trees, it could be those rains could have washed the psylla out of the trees, he says.

“We’re essentially doing an overhead wash right now, which is a pest management strategy for washing psylla out of a tree,” Chipman says.

He points out that growers in the Hood River of Oregon have much less pear psylla pressure, which could be due in part to the amount of rainfall the area gets compared with the Cashmere Valley.

“It’s not exactly on the packing side of things, but it would be interesting to find out,” he says. “It’s definitely an interesting horticultural phenomenon of sorts.”

How Honeybear’s Analytics Helps Retailers Maximize Category Management

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 19:45:04 GMT

Honeybear Brands , a grower, marketer and developer of premium conventional and organic apples, pears and cherries, says its Honeybear Insights Team (H.I.T.) helps retailers optimize assortment, pricing and promotions with its category intelligence.

Chuck Sinks, president of sales and marketing at Honeybear Brands, says this data helps get new varieties into retailers as well as helps retailers plan for more space for other established varieties.

“We don’t skew it towards Honeybear,” he says. “If there’s a variety out there that we don’t grow that really sells well, we’ll tell them that. We’re not biased in how we run our numbers.”

As part of the data, the Honeybear Insights Team evaluates category performance, shopper behavior and pricing strategies to better help retailers be positioned to meet consumer demand.

As an example, Sinks says a meeting with an East Coast retailer highlighted the retailer’s need to move more New York apples. Sinks says the data helped the retailer increase shelf space for New York varieties and cut back on some Washington varieties to help give those New-York-grown apples a spotlight through the season.

Sinks says this helps build trust with these retailers.

“They know that if we’re making recommendations that won’t really help our business, they know they can trust us when we’re telling them things that will help our business,” he says.

Sinks also says this data and insights go beyond apples and pears.

“With the subscriptions that we have and the data we have, we’re able to look at a lot of different categories,” he says. “It’s not just apples and pears. We can look at a lot of different categories and with that, we can make all sorts of recommendations.”

Sinks says these insights are extremely valuable for time-pressed produce managers.

“We’re here to be a full business partner,” he says. “In the category, sometimes some of these retailers don’t really have access to it or don’t study the numbers and go from history and when that history has changed over the years, it can impact their sales.”

New Washington Fruit Growers PLU Sticker Highlights Sustainability, Health Benefits

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 17:29:00 GMT

Washington Fruit Growers has debuted a new PLU sticker designed to connect shoppers to the story and values behind its fruits.

The company says the sticker, in the shape of the Liberty Bell, pays tribute to its long-standing logo, which is a symbol of its roots and commitment to quality.

Family-owned and led by third and fourth generations, the company says its refreshed design helps promote its ongoing focus on quality and transparency.

“This update connects our past and future in a meaningful way,” says Tommy Hanses, CEO of Washington Fruit Growers. “We’re proud to offer not only premium-quality fruit but also a simple way for shoppers to see the care and responsibility behind everything we grow.”

The updated sticker features a QR code that gives consumers instant access to information about:

The health benefits of apples, pears and cherries.
Washington Fruit’s organic program, sustainability efforts and food safety initiatives.
Its dedication to quality.

Washington Fruit Growers says its new PLU stickers have been introduced to its conventional and organic apples hitting produce departments this season.

“As more consumers — especially younger generations — want to know where their food comes from and how it’s grown, we saw an opportunity to make that information easily accessible,” Hanses says. “By simply scanning the QR code, shoppers can learn about the health benefits of our fruit, the sustainable practices we use and the steps we take to ensure quality and safety every step of the way.”

FreshXperts Welcomes Dennis E. Kihlstadius

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:17:05 GMT

Consulting consortium FreshXperts LLC announced Nov. 17 that Dennis E. Kihlstadius has joined its team of experts advising the fresh-produce and perishable foods industry.

The group describes Kihlstadius as a highly respected authority in postharvest science, ripening technology and fresh produce handling.

“Dennis brings a depth of technical expertise rarely found in our industry,” says FreshXperts founder Anthony J. Totta. “His knowledge of ripening science and postharvest handling is unmatched, and we are excited to offer his capabilities to our clients. He elevates our consortium and strengthens our mission to serve the entire fresh produce supply chain from grower to consumer.”

FreshXperts says Kihlstadius has spent over two decades as an instructor at the University of California–Davis’ Postharvest Fruit Ripening Workshop and served as an instructor at the Produce Academy for 13 years under lead instructor Ronnie De La Cruz. He has also launched or helped launch ripening programs for the National Mango Board and California’s avocado industry, as well as worked in ripening, conditioning and handling programs for tomatoes and pears in California.

Kihlstadius’ areas of expertise and past experience include, according to the group:

Postharvest assessments and system optimization.
Ripening-room design, operation and training.
Reducing shrink and maximizing shelf life.
Field-to-retail quality control systems.
Technical education and training for staff at all levels.
International sourcing, market entry and supply chain alignment, especially cross-border technical support for Asian, North and South American markets.

Seen and Heard at IFPA Global Produce and Floral Show 2025: Expanded Lines and New Introductions

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 15:50:03 GMT

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Ocean Mist showcased its expanded Roastables line, now with seven items, at the International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce and Floral Show. The company will soon debut new packaging for the Roastables line.

“It’s a breath of fresh air into this line,” says Lori Bigras, communications manager at Ocean Mist Farms. “We want them to jump off the shelves.

The new packaging features a vertical window and fun typography and Ocean Mist plans to launch the new packaging in the first quarter of 2026.

Jeff Fulton, Chris Drew, Lori Bigras, Brian Hawes and Joe Angelo at Ocean Mist Farms’ Global Produce and Floral Show booth.

(Photo: Christina Herrick)

This new look is designed to meet customers where they are, with seasons and flavoring that is aligned with today’s shopper.

“We’re focused on service, quality and innovation,” says Chris Drew, president and CEO of Ocean Mist Farms, noting Ocean Mist really focuses on educating consumers on the value of Rostables. “We want everyone to have access to flavorful and nutritious produce.”

Robert Hernandez, Martha Noriega, Ana Romero Carbajal, Alan Voll and Daniel Heguertty at the Fresh Farms Global Produce and Floral Show booth.

(Photo: Christina Herrick)

Fresh Farms showcased new Candy Hearts and Candy Snaps additions to its frozen grape line, joining the popular Cotton Candy frozen grapes.

Frederico Albonetti, Gianluca Vignoli, Nour Abdrabbo at Unitec’s IFPA Global Produce and Floral Show booth.

(Photo: Christina Herrick)

Unitec showcased its newest sorting and packing technology at the IFPA Global Produce and Floral Show.

Justin Wright and Jeff Richardson at Great Lakes Greenhouses’ IFPA Global Produce and Floral Show.

(Photo: Christina Herrick)

Visitors to the Great Lakes Greenhouses booth talked about the upcoming winter season mini organic cucumbers program.

Ashley Filliol, Hailey Monson, Catherine Gipe-Stewart, Trisha Casper, Destiny Nash, Jeff Webb, Luis Gonzalez, Matthew Snider and Derek Tweedy at the Superfresh Growers IFPA Global Produce and Floral Show Booth.

(Photo: Christina Herrick)

Superfresh Growers highlighted its new packing line and a new pear grower added to the fold, which brings breath, volume and quality to the pear category. The company plans to open a new Rainier cherry packing line in the spring with new packaging and merchandising. Superfresh Growers have a dedicated Rainier line and offers the cherries in a 2- and 3-pound and polybagged options.

“We continue to increase our quality and reduce scuffs,” says Catherine Gipe-Stewart, director of marketing for Superfresh Growers.

Your next read:

Stemilt Adds New Pear Packaging Options

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:56:07 GMT

Stemilt Growers says it has two new packaging options as part of its pear program: a mixed variety bag called Prism Pears for conventional fruit, and two 4-count EZ Band paperboard consumer packs for conventional and organic pears.

Stemilt Marketing Director Brianna Shales says the new packages help retailers find solutions for merchandising pears.

Prism Pears is a new mixed-pear bag that combines green, red and brown pears in a 2-pound or 3-pound poly bag and is available in conventional. Stemilt plans to add organic availability soon.

Shales also says Stemilt has expanded its EZ Band for conventional green d’anjou and red pears. She says the EZ Band will ship in a Euro footprint box with eight 4-count units in each master.

“These packaging additions are in line with Stemilt’s ongoing investment in pears from the orchard with the new Happi Pear to state-of-the-art packing and now to innovative packaging solutions to help retailers drive sales,” Shales says.

Stemilt will showcase these new packaging options at the International Fresh Produce Association’s upcoming Global Produce and Floral Show at booth No. 2847.

Pear Outlook

Stemilt says the most recent forecast from the Washington State Tree Fruit Association shows that this season’s pear volumes are 58% higher than last year’s, with organic pears expected to increase by 73%.

Shales says this means Stemilt will have a reliable supply and strong promotion opportunities for conventional and organic pears, especially winter varieties like d’anjou, red pears and bosc.

“With bigger volumes of pears this year, packaged programs can help create incremental sales opportunities and make pears easier for shoppers to buy,” Shales says. “Prism Pears is a way to highlight multiple pear varieties in a single bag and encourage consumers to try a pear they may not have before, while the paperboard EZ Band option helps build visibility for large-medium sized pears. Retailers can rely on Stemilt to have a good supply this season and the tools to see success in the pear category.”

Shales says that promoting pears will be a key this year, especially organic pears. Retailers can pair them with in-store events such as Pear Month in December or create more display space to help pears stand out and drive additional movement.

“The addition of Prism Pears and new EZ Band packaging options gives retailers choices in how they merchandise pears this season to see incremental sales,” Shales says. “With more fruit to move, we want to make sure pears are easy to merchandise and appealing to shoppers, whether conventional or organic.”

Superfresh Growers Adds to Orchard Buddies Package Offerings

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:23:25 GMT

Superfresh Growers says it will expand its Orchard Buddies packaging line, which launched n 2024. The new additions will include 2- and 3-pound organic apple and pear pouch bags as well as a 3-pound organic apple poly bag.

The Yakima, Wash.-based company says this expansion helps retailers build a complete organic apple and pear display.

The new bags feature unique orchard scenes and incorporate furry and feathery friends. The company launched the Orchard Buddies last year to help make organic apples more appealing to children and weave stories about nature and environmental stewardship.

The company says the pouch bags used in Orchard Buddies packaging is made from 100% low-density polyethylene, which are recyclable at locations that accept film recycling.

Superfresh Growers will showcase the new Orchard Buddies at its International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce and Floral Show booth, No. 3269. Superfresh Growers will also offer the second edition of its Orchard Buddies kids’ books, “The Orchard Buddies and the Newest Helper.”

The 2025 Pacer 25 — Tim Harrington

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 19:53:10 GMT

Editor’s note: The following profile is from the 2025 Packer 25, our annual tribute to 25 leaders, innovators and agents of change across the fresh produce supply chain. ( You can view all honorees here. ) This feature has been edited for length and clarity.

Tim Harrington — Senior merchandising manager, Stemilt Growers

If you’ve ever been to a Stemilt Growers trade show booth, you’ve likely met Tim Harrington, the company’s senior merchandising manager. Harrington has a dynamite personality and the sales know-how to back it up.

Harrington will retire from Stemilt in 2026. He says it’s bittersweet.

“It’s such mixed emotions,” he says. “I’m voluntarily quitting the best job I’ve ever had.”

Harrington got his start in the fresh produce industry with Hannaford Bros. in the produce department before going to college to study marketing, a job he says really helped him in his future roles. He worked part-time while going to school. And after graduation, Harrington worked at Shaw Supermarkets for 23 years, 13 of which as a quality assurance manager. He joined Stemilt in 2009, as a merchandising manager, where he says he could meld his marketing degree with his produce department expertise — and the rest is history.

Harrington credits his success to his wife, Donna, who he says has supported, encouraged and championed him through his 33 years in the fresh produce industry.

What are the biggest challenges facing growers and marketers of pears, apples and cherries?

Maintaining the economics of growing and packing. As with many in the produce industry, we’ve seen the expense of farming and packaging rise significantly over the past 10 years. In my eyes, the retail on apples, pears and cherries has remained basically static. They really haven’t seen any changes in retail over all these years. In some cases, retails have not changed in those 10 years; apples, pears and cherries are still a tremendous value for a family’s grocery cart.

Labor is another challenge facing our industry. I’m so proud to say that Stemilt is on the cutting edge of combating this with the latest and most sophisticated pear, cherry and apple packing lines. With this new technology and equipment, we can maximize production that will offset some of the labor challenges. All of these enhancements and have come at a significant investment, but they are absolutely essential to our business.

What do you see as the biggest opportunities for growth in the pear, apple and cherry categories?

We grow a significant amount of our apples organically. And truthfully, the industry hasn’t grown to its full potential with organic apples, pears and cherries — certainly not to the numbers we’re growing and packing organically. There’s a significant room to have increases with organic apples and pears and cherries far beyond what they’re currently achieving — to maximize organic apple, pear and cherry sales, to increase promotions and awareness. While we have seen organic apple, pears and cherries grow in sales over the past 10 years, there is still double-digit opportunities to capture more of that business.

The organic consumer is the ideal consumer shopping in your store or online. Their basket size, in many cases, is double that of the conventional shopper. Having a well-balanced, competitive organic offering at the store is key. With apples and pears, a premium of anywhere between 30 cents to 50 cents a pound is ideal on most varieties; that narrow spread of retail will maximize sales as well as enticing new customers to the organic category.

Are there specific programs that you’ve been especially proud to help build, market or champion?

One that really stands out is the opportunity to share what I call a look inside the world of apple, pears and cherries at Stemilt. We’ve done that through our unique Stemilt Apple, Pear and Cherry College.

We’ll take anyone from a produce manager to a produce specialist to a produce inspector to a category manager to a director to a VP to an owner. We run it very similarly to Driscoll University.

I’m really proud of the education that we’ve done with these people through these on-site apple, pear and cherry colleges, sharing the knowledge of the behind the scenes, of what it takes to grow beautiful and delicious fruit.

I’m also proud of the many visits to our retail customer locations to bring the orchard to them for on-site educational sessions. We actually go and we’ll do a two-hour educational session with videos, interactive questions. This, too, has allowed many store team members to gain valuable knowledge about where our products come from and the latest and fresh trends of what we see for the future.

Many of the interactive office samplings have allowed teammates to try new and exciting upcoming varieties. I have a niche for going into people’s corporate headquarters to their cafeterias, and in taking a new variety of an apple or cherry or pear and spending the mid-morning through mid-afternoon either giving out a whole piece of fruit or slicing fruit, having hundreds and hundreds of people try it.

Of course, we do that store level as well, but these educational and learning sessions, I think, are invaluable. And I’m very proud of that, proud of us at Stemilt for having apple and cherry colleges. It’s renowned. No one else does it. It’s really unique to us, and we’re super proud of all the people over the last 16 years we’ve had come through.

Who have been the most influential mentors or role models in your journey, and what lessons from them do you carry into your career today?

Al Michoud was my first produce manager that I worked for in the early ’80s. Al taught me the value of a true day’s work. He taught me about the seasonality of fresh produce as well as making sure only the best quality and freshness were present on the counters. He was a stickler for this too. If you didn’t take off the bad stuff in the morning, he was going to get you. He was a stickler for freshness on the counters, making even if the display wasn’t full. What was out there had to be primo, and I’ve carried that through my whole life.

And then I got to the latter part of my career, where I credit Roger Pepperl and Brianna Shales for being highly influential in my latter part of my life. They took a chance on me, they hired me and then they encouraged me to reach my full potential in interacting with our customers through my creative delivery. I don’t even know I got this creative delivery built inside me. All I know is they liked my personality. They liked the way I interacted with our retailers, and they gave me full carte blanche to go off and do whatever it took to really maximize the relationship and the sales potential with those customers.

They both encouraged me to reach my full potential of interacting with our customers through my creative delivery. They were super supportive of my suggestions for my unique ways of reaching customers, whether it be a road show or a town hall event or even a simple lobby sampling. They always boosted my confidence. Whatever I set my mind to, this was a huge boost, allowing to be more confident and achieve success in ways that I only dreamed of.

What advice would you give to young professionals entering the produce business today?

If the opportunity presents itself, work produce in the retail store environment for a year or two. Anybody entering the business, I personally think they should have a year of store produce experience as they grow and continue to become familiar with all of the offerings in the produce department as well as how they are merchandised. This will truly help establish a well-rounded picture of what it’s like to spend a day in the life of produce. You’re going to be exposed to all the different seasons for a couple of years.

As you progress up the ladder in various positions in the industry, you can always reflect back on those basic roots. It also builds great street credibility. I know a lot of kids coming to university, and they just don’t want to do the retail hours. And I get it, but I think it’s a great building block for them to really get their feet on steady ground to understand. A lot of times, people come from university and they may be assigned to buy potatoes or onions or watermelons or cherries. This way, they have the whole department for a couple of years, and they’ve seen how it works.

The category managers and vice presidents — their customers are the stores. The store’s customers are the people who come shop the store.

If you tell someone you worked in the stores, you truly do know what it’s like to be on the front lines with this produce.

I would also like to encourage those young professionals entering our industry to find a mentor who has a significant amount of years in the business. There is much to be gained from the knowledge of a seasoned veteran.

The 2025 Packer 25 — CarrieAnn Arias

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 19:24:03 GMT

CarrieAnn Arias — President and CEO, USA Pears

CarrieAnn Arias joined USA Pears as its president and CEO last year, bringing a wealth of experience in international CPG and fresh produce marketing. Arias served as the founder and CEO of business and technology consulting firm TableSpark, and she also served as vice president of marketing at Naturipe Farms and Dole Food Co.

Arias was instrumental in launching co-branded products and programs with Disney, American Idol, Sony Pictures and more. Arias says she’s passionate about using consumer insights and data to develop new products, compelling brand stories and consumer loyalty.

She also enjoys cooking for family and friends and playing golf. Arias, a self-proclaimed “serial volunteer,” holds board seats on three agriculture-based nonprofits as well as mentoring women throughout the produce industry.

You’ve built a career in produce marketing. What drew you specifically to pears, and what excites you most about leading USA Pears?

Since stepping into the CEO role at USA Pears last year, I’ve focused on pulling all of the pieces together to build momentum for the uptake of fresh pears in daily diets. This domestically grown fruit provides a host of nutritional benefits, and it’s time to get pears off the bench and into the game, spotlighting their pivotal role in maintaining health and wellness. With strong grower support, a refreshed brand and a growing presence in the health space, USA Pears is poised to lead with heart and strategy.

If you could change one consumer perception about pears overnight, what would it be?

Too often, pears seem to be overlooked and underrated, even considered old-fashioned. We consider them a classic with real staying power. A pear’s fiber content alone is worthy of celebration. After all, a medium pear offers 20% of the daily recommended value of fiber, which supports satiety as well as gut, heart and brain health. With fiber plus nutrients, flavor and versatility, too, pears are ripe for a place in modern everyday diets.

Consumers are increasingly focused on health, convenience, and sustainability; where do pears fit into those priorities?

First, pears are among nature’s most delicious sources of fiber — the No. 1 nutrient gap in the U.S. diet. One medium pear provides 6 grams of fiber, or 20% of the recommended daily value, helping people feel full faster and for longer. The prebiotic fiber in pears promotes gut health, and the fruit is fat-free, cholesterol-free, sodium-free and only about 100 calories (per medium pear).

Second, pears are a convenient, nutrient-dense choice that is available fresh nearly year-round. Pears ripen at room temperature, and shelf life can be extended with refrigeration, reducing waste. Once ripe, they’re an easy grab-and-go snack to eat fresh, slice up for a salad or blend in a smoothie. (They’re also great baked or poached)

Finally, nearly 90% of U.S.-grown pears come from Oregon and Washington, where farmers have been working with the land for multiple generations to make pear growing a way of life and support a sustainable industry for their communities.

Looking ahead, how do you see the role of digital media and influencer partnerships evolving in produce marketing?

Digital media and influencer partnerships will be key components in produce marketing efforts, as both play critical roles in reaching consumers and changing behaviors. At USA Pears, our domestic and export promotional strategies this season are all about connection. We’re focused on where health meets enjoyment and where tradition meets innovation. You’ll see campaigns featuring traditional media, influencers, dietitians and easy, family-forward recipes that show how pears fit into everyday life.

For the first time ever, USA Pears will be on iHeart Radio and streaming TV during NFL games. These efforts, amplified by dietitians and influencers, will help close awareness gaps and connect with consumers where they live, scroll, shop and snack.

How do you see technology reshaping the way consumers discover and purchase pears?

At USA Pears, we’ve been using a research-backed approach to assess and update the USA Pears brand identity to better reflect what today’s consumers feel about: food, flavor, health, sustainability and transparency.

From our online experience to in-store activities, our revamped brand will be part of the entire path to purchase and make it easier for people to spot and choose pears they can feel good about. Our refreshed brand will include a new logo with a modern design that will quickly and clearly identify USA Pears, and we’ll carry that aesthetic over to our website and media experiences to deliver a cohesive and contemporary brand experience.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received in your career?

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received is to not be afraid to take a leap. It’s about more than just trying something new or going for that next promotion. It’s about fearlessly believing that anything is possible and striving with purpose to make it happen.

We focus on understanding that growers, retailers and communities rely on a healthy pear industry, and their success and sustainability is at the center of what we do. We’re leading with that sense of purpose — and with a courageous heart and strategy — and we’re buoyed by strong grower support, a refreshed brand and a growing presence in the health space.

Study Finds Promising Pear Food Safety Situation

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 11:49:59 GMT

It seems the pear industry is doing well when it comes to food safety on pear harvest, packing and storage. This is according to a study partially funded by the Center for Produce Safety (CPS).

During a Sept. 10 CPS webinar, Laura Strawn — professor and extension specialist at Virginia Tech — presented findings from a recently completed study into food safety risk mitigation in pears. The study used a metagenomic approach to catalog microbiological communities present on pears at harvest, during various stages and conditions of storage, and at retail.

Among other things, the study found that the packing line reduced microbial load — including of foodborne illness-causing microbes — on pear surfaces, and that method and length of storage changed the volume and makeup of microbial communities on pears.

“We were able to find that Listeria monocytogenes and generic E coli did not grow on intact pears throughout the entirety of storage,” says Strawn, the study’s principal investigator, adding that “wrapping of the pears significantly reduced Listeria monocytogenes levels.”

Objectives, Purpose and Findings

The study had three main objectives:

Identify what kinds of microbial communities are present on whole, intact pears prior to storage. D’Anjou pears were used in the study.
Identify and quantify what microbial communities are present on marketable (whole, intact) and unmarketable (mechanically damaged) pears in bulk bins and individually wrapped in storage for three, six and nine months under industry-standard environments, and track the changes over those storage times.
Track what happens to listeria colonies across storage conditions and lengths when applied to pears individually and in combination with other microbes that could be found on pears

“We really wanted to characterize the microbiota of these pears under different storage practices and provide evidence-based recommendations for both food safety and then also a little bit of quality management if possible,” Strawn says of the motivation behind the study. She adds that other tree fruit, especially apples, have benefited from similar investigations.

“But we really didn’t have those strong science-backed recommendations for our pear industry, and this was a really wonderful opportunity to do it,” she says.

On the first objective, the study found that the types of microbes on pears — the microbial communities — at harvest and after running through the packing line didn’t change much. But the number of microbes decreased significantly after passing through the packing line, “confirming the value of postharvest handling,” the report reads.

Strawn also notes that listeria was not found natively on pears in the study. Though another part of the study involved inoculating pears with listeria to see what happened under different conditions, they did not find the microbe on uninoculated pears.

On the second objective, the study made the surprising finding that the microbial communities were very similar between intact marketable pears and mechanically damaged unmarketable pears. However, wrapping pears in antimicrobial wrapping had a noticeable impact, both reducing the number of microbes present and decreasing the variety of microbes.

Finally, on objective three, the study found that listeria just didn’t grow on pears across storage. Large volumes of listeria and other co-inoculate microbes were applied to the study’s pears, and while listeria was still observable on the pears by seven months of storage, there was never any growth. Instead, volumes declined from inoculation levels under all tested conditions.

Impact for Industry

While all the findings were valuable to the pear industry, Strawn characterizes the finding that listeria didn’t grow on pears through storage as especially important.

She says it means the pear industry needs to “stay focused and vigilant on our food safety programs to prevent that initial contamination because we were able to show that if you have no contamination, it’s not going to be a supportive environment.”

She points to the large-scale outbreaks of listeria from produce, noting that such outbreaks stem from high levels of initial contamination followed by microbial growth, or “amplification.”

“So, being able to show that your commodity, under your operation and whatnot, doesn’t grow or ever show that amplification — it’s really important,” she says. “Because then you can say, ‘OK, good, we’re not getting any amplification. Now let’s really focus in on our good agricultural practice programs or good manufacturing practices. All the things we do around sanitation and worker health and hygiene, all that stuff and make sure that we’re not getting any kind of potential contamination.’”

Strawn also points to the findings that wrapped pears in storage showed less varied and reduced microbial loads compared to bulk-stored pears as useful to industry. She acknowledges that wrapping pears is labor-intensive and comes with a big cost, so moving the industry to wrapping is not desirable. But she adds that it could be a quality-preserving strategy “if you did have a lot come in that you were particularly concerned about or you thought might be more prone to disease.”

Pear Bureau Says 2025 Will Be An ‘Incredible Year’

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 19:11:34 GMT

As pear harvest is underway , CarrieAnn Arias, president and CEO of the nonprofit marketing organization Pear Bureau Northwest, sat down with The Packer to give a season outlook.

“With harvest underway, we can already tell it’s going to be an incredible year for USA Pears,” Arias says.

A mild winter and favorable growing conditions helped Northwest pear growers set up for a great harvest this year. Arias says yields could exceed last year’s harvest by about 60% across the 10 varieties grown in the area, which will run through fall.

“Based on what we’re seeing thus far, it’s shaping up to be a beautiful harvest,” she says. “Overall quality is being reported as good, and our growers are sharing that it’s a much more normal crop than last year.”

Arias says the Pear Bureau plans domestic and export promotions around connection, the intersection of health and enjoyment, tradition and innovation.

“You’ll see campaigns featuring influencers, dietitians and easy, family-forward recipes that show how pears fit into everyday real life,” Arias says. “For the first time ever, USA Pears will be on iHeart Radio and streaming TV during NFL games when the season begins.”

Noting the essential role that retail partners play, Arias says Pear Bureau will offer customized promotions and materials to for enhanced visibility and to drive engagement with high-value shoppers.

“Like the pears we promote, we know strength and quality aren’t always about appearance,” Arias says. “Our revamped marketing playbook will have us embracing what’s real and what’s flavorful, even if it has a blemish or two on the skin. We want people to know that imperfections are natural and don’t affect the quality, flavor or nutritional value of pears.”

Arias also points to the USDA’s Section 32 buy of bartlett pears as a way to expand access of pears to food banks and school nutrition programs.

“We’re excited for this opportunity to introduce more people to the benefits, flavor and versatility of pears,” she says.

Arias says the Pear Bureau plans to focus on the benefits of fresh pears this season. Arias says consumers’ growing interest in fiber-rich foods is a perfect fit with pears.

“As awareness of fiber increases and taste preferences shift away from processed foods, consumers are increasingly turning to fresh fruit, which works perfectly for fresh pears since they’re available year-round,” she says. “A medium pear provides 20% of the daily recommended value.”

Arias also notes recent research by the Pear Bureau shows younger and smaller households in the south and middle of the country tend to make few or no pear purchases.

“We have an awareness and engagement gap to fill among these consumers, but we think that they can be swayed over time as our messages break through and are amplified by enthusiastic purchasers, dietitians and influencers,” she says. “We are excited to explore new ways to connect with consumers where they live, scroll, shop and snack.”

Arias says the Pear Bureau will also update its brand identity to reflect consumers’ interest in health, flavor, sustainability and transparency.

“From packaging and point-of-sale updates to consistent digital messaging, our revamped look will make it easier for people to spot and choose pears they can feel good about,” she says. “We look forward to sharing more on this in the fall.”

Arias also says the addition of Barbara Ruhs as the bureau’s director of nutrition affairs and communications will be instrumental in elevating pears’ health and wellness profile for consumers.

“Barbara’s insights will also be instrumental to shaping our content and making clear connections between real-life habits and wellness benefits,” Arias says.

Pears on the Rebound this Season

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 22:09:27 GMT

As the first pears of the season come off the trees, growers and marketers say this year’s crop looks to make a good rebound following a less-than-stellar 2024, when the yield was shortened by a cold snap in 2023. While some varieties may still have some lingering effects, overall the season looks to be a good one.

Kaci Komstadius, marketing manager for Wenatchee, Wash.-based grower-shipper CMI Orchards, expects to see production up about 80%.

“Conventional bosc pears will lead the surge, with volumes climbing around 200% year over year thanks to excellent bloom and fruit set,” she says. “Promotable volume is anticipated across all major varieties, setting the stage for strong retail programs throughout the season. Specialty pears will also shine: forelle and comice are expected to double, seckel to nearly triple, and Gem to rise 30%. Organics will see dramatic growth, with green anjou up 553% and red anjou up 198%.”

Season Preview

Marketers attribute the jump in volume to a strong growing season; ideal settings for bloom and pollination as well as a good growing environment into the summer have led to good condition and fruit finish.

“A milder winter supported a healthy dormancy period, leading to a favorable bloom and strong fruit set,” says Catherine Gipe-Stewart, director of marketing for Yakima, Wash.-based Domex Superfresh Growers. “Overall quality appears clean and well developed, with crop condition tracking positively.”

Sizing is yet to be determined for many pears as “pears typically gain substantial size in the final weeks before harvest,” Gipe-Stewart says.

Brianna Shales, marketing director for Wenatchee-based Stemilt Growers, says bartletts are still feeling the effects of last year’s winter damage and might be on the smaller size.

“Fruit sizing is going to be a bit of a mixed bag, with early pears coming off the tree in smaller size profiles,” she says. “We’re expecting anjou and bosc to have a range of sizes and excellent quality. I’ve heard the Hood River region has larger sizing, so between the Wenatchee/Entiat River Valleys and them, we should have plenty of pears to promote across all size ranges.”

But, Shales says, there’s still a lot to be excited about.

“The quality is outstanding, with bosc standing out as some of the best fruit we’ve seen in years,” she says. “Color is great for all varieties, and the fruit is very clean. It’s a complete turnaround from last season from a fruit finish standpoint and very marketable.”

And Gipe-Stewart says having good promotable volume is great for growers.

“Following a short crop last season, growers are eager for a return to full production, and labor crews are equally motivated, with strong domestic turnout and expectations for a productive, rewarding harvest,” Gipe-Stewart says.

Chuck Sinks, president of sales for Elgin, Minn.-based Honeybear Brands, says the key to a good year will be consistent shelf presence to rebuild momentum.

“While last year’s short crop caused some supply disruptions, the industry has worked closely with retail partners to maintain relationships and reassure consumers,” he says. “Any lingering concerns are likely to fade as quality and availability stabilize.”

Spotlighting everyday value as a complement to pears’ health benefits is one focus of promotions for Domex Superfresh Growers this year to snag younger consumers, says Catherine Gipe-Stewart, director of marketing.

(Photo courtesy of Domex Superfresh Growers)

Challenges and Opportunities

As with other specialty crops, pear growers face rising labor costs and shortages, says Komstadius.

“Since pears are highly labor-intensive, ensuring adequate crews at the right time is critical,” she says.

Gipe-Stewart says while farming costs continue to increase, grower net returns have not.

“Farming costs have risen across the board, while the average price per box has dropped,” she says. “This makes every technology investment decision even more critical.”

Sink says export markets are a key opportunity for the industry to balance supply and support grower returns this year.

“Strong demand abroad helps relieve domestic pressure, especially when promotable volumes increase,” he says. “Pear Bureau Northwest and other industry groups are ramping up promotional efforts in key markets like Mexico, Canada and Southeast Asia.”

And, Gipe-Stewart says Latin, Central and South American markets will also play a key role for pear marketers.

“These are proven export markets for us, and through USA Pears, we have allocated strong promotional budgets to support them,” she says. “We are also exploring opportunities to reenter India and the Middle East, reintroducing our pears to those markets if pricing conditions are favorable. Any expansion into these regions will be approached with caution to ensure sustainable, profitable growth.”

Mexico and Canada are other important export destinations for U.S. pears, Shales says.

“Mexico can move great volumes, while Canada has a penchant for organic pears and is a large consumer of pears,” she says.

Variety Trends

Newcomer varieties such as Gem and Happi have started to gain interest in the marketplace. Marketers say what makes these unique is that both are truly seasonal varieties.

“Production is steadily increasing year over year, however, part of the appeal of this variety is its seasonality; it’s only available for three to six months of the year while supplies last,” Komstadius says. “As an early-season pear, Gem offers retailers an exciting opportunity to capture consumer attention right out of the gate.”

Komastadius says Gem offers a sweet pear with a versatile eating experience — crisp when eaten right after purchasing, and it has a softer, juicer texture after a few days on the counter.

Shales says Happi will hit stores in mid-September, and it also offers a versatile eating experience.

“Its flavor profile is sweet with a bright and zesty bite that is maintained throughout its different stages of ripeness,” she says. “It does well at retail because it’s robust enough to hold its quality throughout the supply chain while delivering a good eating experience.”

Stemilt plans to add more acres of Happi in the future, Shales says.

“We are confident in the eating quality and unique experience of Happi, so we are planting it at scale to bring this innovation into the top three pears at Stemilt in the future,” she says.

Sink calls the classic varieties “the backbone of the industry.” Marketers say each of these classic varieties — such as anjou, bosc, bartlett, starkrimson, red anjou and Asian pears — offer consumers a distinct eating experience.

“Each of these core varieties brings its own unique characteristics to the category, whether it’s the juicy sweetness of the bartlett, the versatile flavor profile of the anjou, the firm texture of the bosc, or striking red color of the starkrimson,” Komastadius says.

Gipe-Stewart notes that pear variety development is different from other specialty crops.

“Pears are slow to change. Unlike apples, they do not frequently produce new sports or varieties. That is why bartlett and anjou remain the top two varieties, as they have been for centuries,” she says. “Pears are an artisan fruit, deeply rooted in tradition, with an ‘old world’ character that continues to resonate with consumers.”

Stemilt Growers plans multivariety pear ads in peak buying times, such as the fall and winter and Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, says Brianna Shales, marketing director.

(Photo courtesy of Stemilt Growers)

Building Consumer Demand

It’s important for retailers and marketers to help make pears more accessible and appealing to consumers, especially to young shoppers and those with families, Komstadius says.

“Many shoppers aren’t sure when pears are ready to eat, so we’re working to simplify the message through engaging, educational content at the point of purchase and across digital platforms,” she says. “One of the biggest barriers to pear purchases continues to be consumer confusion about ripeness and readiness to eat. As an industry, we’ve made this a key focus by investing in education and engagement tools that simplify the pear story for shoppers.”

Shales says as part of that education, Stemilt has its RipeRite program, which she says will ensure pears are shipped with the right pressure for a ready-to-eat experience within a few days of purchase.

“It takes a great deal of planning and coordination to bring pears to retail that can be enjoyed soon after consumers take them home, but we see this as the way to win with the volume of pears this year,” she says. “We want to help in messaging about pear readiness with retailers but also feel part of the role is on us to deliver pears at pressures that will ripen within a few days of purchase, since that is when consumers want to eat them.”

It’s also important to tap into the health benefits of pears through in-store messaging, Komstadius says.

“Partnering closely with retailers, we’re creating in-store signage and digital campaigns that highlight the natural benefits of pears,” she says. “We’re leaning into healthy messaging, reminding consumers that pears are an excellent source of fiber and a nutritious snack option for the whole family.”

And the health benefits of pears are a natural fit with current health trends. Gipe-Stewart says a medium-sized pear offers around 6 grams of dietary fiber, mostly found in the skin.

“A growing trend on social media, especially TikTok, is ‘fiber maxxing’ — a focus on boosting daily fiber intake to support gut health, digestion and overall wellness,” Gipe-Stewart says. “The idea centers on nourishing a healthy gut microbiome and enjoying the many benefits that come with higher fiber consumption. While many people turn to supplements, mixes or powders to increase fiber, pears offer a fresh, whole food alternative that is both delicious and naturally nutrient-rich.”

Gipe-Stewart says spotlighting everyday value as a complement to the health benefits of pears is also a focus of promotions for Domex this year to snag younger consumers.

“Sales data indicate that while older consumers continue to purchase a few high-quality pears at premium retailers, the most significant growth opportunity lies in value-driven retailers,” she says. “Here, the least price-sensitive customers are driving bagged pear sales, purchasing more pears per trip, while more price-sensitive shoppers are sticking to buying a few loose pears less frequently, missing the opportunity of the convenience and value of bagged pears.”

Gipe-Stewart says shifting that perception of a pear from a luxury item to a staple will help boost consumption. She says younger shoppers have purchased pears in the past but need reengagement to buy again.

“To reengage these shoppers, the industry needs to continue promoting the health benefits of pears. Research shows that shoppers are most interested in pears’ fiber and vitamin content,” she says. “Owning the pear health story will be essential — think more social media campaigns and in-store signage highlighting gut health and fiber benefits.”

Marketing and Promotion

Marketers say they’ll put a lot of focus on promotions, packaging flexibility and marketing support to help grow demand. Komastadius says CMI plans to offer different packaging options to fit store formats and shopper preferences.

“This includes bulk displays, value-driven bagged programs and premium packaging formats that elevate presentation,” she says. “We are launching our Happy Bee Pears program, designed to create allure for younger generations with simple, fresh packaging updates, ripening guides and a suite of delicious recipes.”

Sink says retailers should consider digital promotions and themed displays to help drive in-store sales. He says cross-promotions always do well — think cheese, nuts or wine.

“Secondary displays outside the produce section, like near deli or bakery, even pharmacy, can be effective,” he says.

Shales says Stemilt plans multi-variety pear ads in peak buying times, such as the fall and winter and Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

“January will be a great opportunity to tie promotions back to health, as people tend to focus on this in the new year,” she says.

Shales says Stemilt also plans new merchandising materials with large display buildouts to catch the shopper’s eye.

“Consistency in ripening is what delivers that great flavor experience and what helps drive repeat sales,” she says. “This is something we are going to be heavily focusing on internally at Stemilt.”

Gipe-Stewart says following last year’s smaller crop, marketers have been concerned about losing shelf space to other fruits, so it’s critical that pears have year-round shelf space.

“As USA Pear President CarrieAnn Arias continues to emphasize, maintaining year-round pear shelf space is critical, even if it means including imported pears or sourcing from domestic regional competitors,” she says. “This can be challenging for Pacific Northwest growers in a big crop year, when we need every bit of shelf space and promotional activity to move fruit. With this year’s strong crop, we have more than enough pears to support domestic programs through the entire season, and we do not anticipate a need for imports next summer for conventional pears.”

DiSilva Fruit Kicks Off Fall with Organic Apples, Pears

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 21:54:38 GMT

DiSilva Fruit says it is kicking off fall with its organic program, featuring apples and pears in convenient 2-lb. resealable bags. These are perfect for back-to-school lunches, quick snacks and healthy family moments, the company says.

“Apples and pears are timeless family favorites, and we’re excited to spotlight them in our fall organic lineup,” says Nelly Czajkowski of DiSilva Fruit in a Sept. 8 news release. “With Morning Kiss Organic leading our apple program and Bright Bounty debuting with organic pears, we’re offering fresh opportunities for our retail partners to drive sales this season.”

The 2-lb bag program is designed to appeal to today’s busy families while supporting retailer profitability, DiSilva says. With competitive pricing and smaller fruit sizes, it adds that the packs are ideal for households looking for fresh, organic produce in an easy-to-grab format. The line also integrates into existing Northeast apple programs, allowing retailers to showcase premium organic fruit alongside conventional displays. The 2-lb. bags join bulk full and half carton options for DiSilva’s fall lineup.

The Morning Kiss-brand organic apples are available in Gala, Granny Smith, Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Cosmic Crisp in 2-lb. bags. With Washington expecting record apple volume this season, the company says its organics program offers excellent promotional opportunities across both categories.

Organic pears will debut under DiSilva Fruit’s Bright Bounty brand. The company says organic pear volume is up exponentially over last year, offering retailers expanded promotional opportunities and consumers greater access to this nutritious and flavorful fruit. Pears are rich in fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants, aligning with consumer demand for organic options that support health and sustainability.

Nutritionist Barbara Ruhs Joins USA Pears

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 21:25:36 GMT

USA Pears named Barbara Ruhs director of nutrition affairs and communications at the end of July. Ruhs is a registered dietitian nutritionist and the former nutrition marketing dietitian for Avocados From Mexico.

“We’re excited to welcome Barbara as we lean into the nutritional benefits of fresh U.S.-grown pears,” says CarrieAnn Arias, president and CEO of Pear Bureau Northwest. “Barbara is a nationally recognized dietitian and wellness strategist with a strong track record of helping brands bring nutrition to the shelf. Her insights will help USA Pears speak clearly and credibly about the important role pears can play in everyday wellness.”

“As a dietitian, I believe working in the food industry is a critical piece to helping Americans eat healthier,” Ruhs says. “Now, more than ever, shoppers are hungry for foods that deliver health benefits, and pears are well-positioned for nutrition stardom. As an excellent source of fiber, just one medium pear provides 6 grams of fiber, which is more than 20% of the daily goal. They pair perfectly with protein, and with more than 10 varieties to choose from, there’s a pear for everyone.”

Stemilt partners with Day’s Century Growers to bring B.C.-grown Happi pear to consumers

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 19:22:11 GMT

Stemilt is partnering with Day’s Century Growers, a family-owned pear grower and packer in British Columbia, to sublicense the new HW624 pear, branded as Happi pear, to offer locally grown Happi pears to Canadian consumers.

Rob Blakey, Stemilt’s director of research and development; Kevin Day, co-owner of Day’s Century Growers; and Ian Potter, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre’s president and CEO, share their excitement for the cross-border collaboration to bring Happi pear to the Canadian public from a local grower, according to a news release.

“Day’s Century and their growers are the leading pear growers and packers in British Columbia, and we are excited to collaborate with them on the Happi pear project,” Blakey said. “Haley’s Comet comes around more often than the launch of a new pear variety, so when something as special as Happi pear comes along, it is key to join forces with growers and packers who understand the importance of quality and the needs of the local consumer.”

The Day family, owners of Day’s Century Growers, has farmed their land, known as Byrnes Farms, for more than five generations, growing pears, fresh vegetables and sweet corn. Day’s Century is known for its locally grown pears in the heart of Kelowna, British Columbia. The grower has also implemented high-density plantings in the property’s newer orchards to increase the volume of pears per acre and the fruit quality, the release said.

Day’s Century Farm

(Photo courtesy of Stemilt)

“Our family has been farming since 1892, and we represent 80% to 90% of the pears grown in British Columbia,” Day said. “We have been looking for a new pear, and Happi pear has been the best candidate for us. We like Happi pear because of its sweet but slightly tangy flavor profile, storage ability and growing benefits, like its tolerance to psylla and fire blight. The HW624 variety behind the Happi pear program is set up to be successful for us as the grower and for the end consumer who enjoys it.”

Happi pear was bred by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers at the breeding station at AAFC’s Harrow Research and Development Centre in Ontario, British Columbia through cross-pollination methods, the release said. Since then, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre has been evaluating the Harrow pear varieties and through working alongside the growers and consumers, HW624 hit all the marks. Happi pear is a Harrow Sweet cross that has a sweet, bright, zesty bite with citrus notes and some pears displaying a light blush color. Happi is one of the few pear varieties that has excellent eating quality when it is green and crunchy or when yellow with a melting texture. For the grower, the variety is precocious, productive and highly tolerant to fire blight and pear psylla. For the packer, it is easy to store and pack, with low scuffing and shrivel. Because pear breeding is so slow, it is rare for a variety to tick so many boxes in the supply chain.

Vineland is proud of the achievements of Stemilt Growers in engaging Canadian producers like Day’s Century Growers in the commercialization of HW624 and the Happi pear brand. This represents the beginning of a nationwide rollout of this exciting new pear and exemplifies Vineland’s commitment to bring high-quality, locally grown Happi pears to Canadian growers and consumers, enhancing the economic viability and sustainability of the horticulture sector, the release said.

Stemilt and Day’s Century Growers share an aligned passion for bringing innovation into the pear category through precision growing, packing and shipping practices. In 2019, the Day family installed a new packing machine equipped with three-lane electronic pear grading and dumping mechanisms specifically designed to increase daily production of pears and yield a consistent, quality pack of pears. Likewise, Stemilt is in its second year of producing pears on its new, state-of-the-art Unitec pear packing line in Wenatchee, Wash., complete with double defect sorters and direct transportation between the packing line and its distribution center to ensure pear freshness and quality, the release said.

“We’re very excited to be partnering with Day’s Century Growers to plant enough of this new cultivar to bring Happi pear supply that will match the high demand for the premium variety throughout North America,” Blakey said. “We look forward to building the Happi pear brand with an exceptional local grower group and packer in British Columbia. Growing a new variety to commercial volumes takes time and collaboration. Instead of getting there fast on our own, we hope to go farther together with our friends and partners in Canada.”

USDA announces results of Oregon and Washington pear marketing order referendum

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 14:06:23 GMT

The USDA announced that in a May referendum producers in the federal marketing order for pears grown in Oregon and Washington approved lowering the voting requirement for changes to the fresh pear handling regulations from the current 80% in favor to 75% in favor.

In the referendum, 99.24% of voting pear producers, representing 99.42% of the production volume voting in the referendum, favored the amendment, according to a news release. The votes met the requirement of needing support from two-thirds of the producers voting or two-thirds of the volume represented.

More information about the pear marketing order is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service’ 927 Oregon and Washington Pears webpage or the marketing orders and agreements webpage or by contacting the Market Development Division at 202-720-8085.

Stemilt highlights 5 retail strategies ahead of rare pear season

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 21:28:01 GMT

With the 2024 pear crop projected to be the smallest in 40 years due to winter freeze, Wenatchee, Wash-based Stemilt says it is presenting five ways for retailers to address sales challenges during the rare crop.

“It’s been a long time since the industry has experienced pear volumes like this, yet there are still opportunities to be explored within Stemilt’s pear mix,” Stemilt Marketing Director Brianna Shales said in a news release. “Early planning will help retailers maximize this crop. For example, organic pears will have promotion opportunities, while varieties like red d’anjou and Happi Pear act as substitutes for others down in volume.”

With the conventional side of pear offerings down this year, increasing organic promotion is ideal, according to Stemilt. Retailers can run a monthly organic red and green pear promotion while available to encourage pear purchases within the category.

“Stemilt is a unicorn with an organic pear crop that is up 40% year over year,” Shales said. “Organics are a great way to drive dollars to the pear category in times where volumes are not in excess. Better yet, our new, state-of-the-art pear packing line has automated capabilities which will allow us to dial in on handling pears carefully, keeping them fresh, and improving the flavor experience for consumers.”

The second way to bring quality to the table for the pear category will be substituting bosc for red d’anjou pears, Stemilt says, adding that the bosc crop was large last year, which means 2024 would be its off year.

The variety also was impacted by weather, causing a shortage on bosc industrywide.

“A third variety we’re very excited for this year is Stemilt’s exclusive offering of Happi Pear,” Shales said. “Happi will be available in limited supplies in September and October, but [it] is the pear of the future to start building sales around.”

Retailers can also build pear sales throughout the season is with Stemilt’s Lil Snappers, offering parents and their kids’ convenience as back-to-school season comes around, according to the release. The kid-centric brand can be a vehicle for opportunities with smaller-sized pears. Another self-merchandising pear bag that retailers can feature is an in-and-out endeavor with frost impacted pears.

“We are introducing a new poly bag, Frostbite Pears, for a value opportunity,” Shales said. “This creative packaging solution is for pears with russet-like marks or rings on the skin, caused by frost. Frostbite Pears might look different, but they have the same flavorful experience known in Stemilt’s Rushing Rivers program.”

Pear Bureau Northwest selects CarrieAnn Arias as next president and CEO

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 13:39:32 GMT

Pear Bureau Northwest named CarrieAnn Arias as the organization’s new president and CEO, effective July 1.

Arias takes over the duties of president and CEO from Kevin Moffitt, who held the role since 2001 and is retiring.

“I am very pleased to have CarrieAnn on board with her decades of produce marketing experience. I believe she is going to do a great job of furthering the mission to increase fresh pear consumption among consumers worldwide and continue to increase grower returns,” said Jordan Matson, chairman of Pear Bureau Northwest.

Previously, Arias was the founder and CEO of TableSpark, vice president of marketing at Naturipe Farms and vice president of marketing at Dole Food Co., where she led teams, drove market growth and cultivated strong relationships within the industry.

“I am thrilled to join the Pear Bureau and lead this incredible team,” said Arias said. “Together, we will continue to build on the Bureau’s strong foundation and drive our mission of promoting pears in the US and around the world,” she added. “I am committed to fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence as we work to achieve our strategic goals.”

Related: Outgoing Pear Bureau Northwest CEO shares career highlights

Outgoing Pear Bureau Northwest CEO shares career highlights

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 14:47:32 GMT

Earlier this year, Pear Bureau Northwest announced that President and CEO Kevin Moffitt will retire from the bureau after 35 years with the nonprofit marketing organization. In this episode of the “Tip of the Iceberg” podcast, Moffitt shared how a career that started in bananas led to his role at the bureau, his favorite memories and more.

Moffitt said he started his produce marketing career with Dole in California, focusing on banana ripening. Then it was on to the East Coast to test fresh-cut lettuce and vegetables and then fresh-cut trials of pineapple. He also worked for Sun Sweet Prunes, Sun Made Raisins and Diamond and gained some experience in international marketing.

He found his path in pears when Terry Elwell, who at the time worked in marketing for the Washington Apple Commission, said the Portland, Ore.-based pear bureau wanted to find someone for an international marketing role. Moffitt has been with the bureau ever since.

He said he used his banana ripening knowledge to complete handling information on pears.

“I actually was the first one to pull together all of the research that had been done on pair ripening and find out where the gaps were and what else we needed to do and actually created a pair handling manual with ripening instructions,” he said.

When asked what makes pears so unique, Moffitt talked about the different varieties of pears and how well they pair — pun intended — with different types of food from sandwiches to snacks to smoothies and desserts.

“I think the unique side of pears is the versatility, and there’s so many different ways that it could be used,” he said. “We have a lot of varieties out there that can be used. Some are a little bit firmer — they’re better for baking — and some are softer they could be used in sauces. When pears are getting to be a little riper, you can use them in cooking or in sauces or smoothies. You can use it from start to finish when it’s firmer all the way to the end, and I feel that that really is a unique aspect of pears.”

Moffitt said he’s excited to see that half of pear consumers are under 45 years old and that they like to experiment with flavors and varieties, which bodes well for the future of the pear industry.

“I tell my team, ‘Don’t go where the trends are. Go where the trends will be,’” he said.

He said the bureau is focusing on increasing consumption and helping consumers understand when pears are ripe, because depending on the variety, it may be easy to see as with bartletts or not with d’anjou.

“A lot of produce is an impulse purchase, but pears skew even higher than most items in terms of impulse purchase,” he said. “We have to gain awareness, and we have to gain understanding of how to use them — how to tell when it’s ripe and then increasing consumption.”

Moffitt said some consumption growth came from 2-pound bags of pears, which took off in the last five years. The bureau, he said, has come up with some creative ways to help educate consumers on ripeness with QR codes on the packaging that take consumers to short-form videos of growers in the orchard.

“The other thing that we did last year that I’m pretty excited about is an augmented reality experience that came through the QR code, and when the consumers scan the code on their phone, they can see the pears swirling around on their phone virtually,” Moffitt said. “Then it talks about what to do with the pears, talks about the versatility of pears and which varieties go well on which pizza, salad, sandwiches, drinks, and then it finishes with the check-the-neck message — checking the neck for ripeness. And when it’s soft near the stem, it’s going to be ripe and ready to eat.”

To view the full episode, click on the video player above.

Stemilt breaks ground on new pear packing facility

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 19:55:09 GMT

A new pear line facility equipped with automated packing systems, defect sorting and robotic palletizing will complement Stemilt’s approach to growing pears.

The Washington-based tree fruit grower, packer and shipper is investing in new technology to accentuate quality and flavor for brands like Rushing Rivers pears and the newly launched Happi Pear.

“The Happi Pear is the first branded pear in a long time,” Stemilt Marketing Director Brianna Shales said at the International Fresh Produce Association’s 2022 Global Produce & Floral Show. “It has a distinct texture, and you can eat it green and yellow. Happi will help revive the pear category.”

According to Shales, this is the second commercial year growing the Happi Pear, and this upcoming season will be a short one. Stemilt will be ready to scale up production in the 2023 season.

Related news: Stemilt Growers sees strong marketing prospects for pears

Synced with anticipated crop, the pear line facility is poised to be fully operational by the 2023-24 pear season to increase productivity of Stemilt’s pears coming from optimal growing locations in Wenatchee, Wash., and the company’s ripening center.

USA Pears recognized in Good Housekeeping’s 2023 Best Snack Awards

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 22:37:17 GMT

USA Pears has announced that its 10 pear varieties were recognized in Good Housekeeping’s 2023 Best Snack Awards.

Select winners can be found in the July/August issue of Good Housekeeping, on stands now and the full list is available online , according to a news release.

“We’re thrilled to have been selected by Good Housekeeping for this award in the Powerhouse Produce category,” Jim Morris, marketing communications manager for Pear Bureau Northwest, said in the release. “Pears make a nutritious, high fiber and versatile addition to savory snacks and meals, or to naturally satisfy your sweet tooth.”

“Along with many familiar varieties including Bartlett, Anjou and Bosc, our growers in Washington and Oregon also produce other heirloom varieties, and several new pears introduced in the last few years,” Kevin Moffitt, president and CEO for Pear Bureau Northwest, said in the release.

So, there are sweet and juicy pears for every taste – from crisp to very juicy, with overtones ranging from citrus and vanilla, to floral and cinnamon” added

“More than 700 grower families in the Pacific Northwest are currently preparing to begin harvest in August, to deliver a fresh new crop of sweet, delicious pears to markets soon.”

Leveling up apple and pear packaging

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 15:31:55 GMT

Yakima, Wash.-based grower-shipper Superfresh Growers has introduced an apple and pear fruit bag made from post-consumer recycled plastic.

Post-consumer recycled plastic is made from things people recycle daily, like plastic bottles, milk jugs and other bags. Superfresh’s new PCR packaging is sourced from U.S. recycling centers, can be continuously recycled, is SGS Global Services certified and FDA food-contact approved, according to a news release.

This initiative represents one of many efforts by Superfresh Growers to reduce its ecological footprint and conserve resources, the release said, adding that the cost of these bags is comparable to a bag made from 100% virgin plastic.

“The PCR bag was an idea we formed a couple of years ago — we wanted a solution that could utilize recycled plastic resin and give it new life. As more products utilize PCR, it will help generate a market for that recycle stream, driving demand and increasing recycling rates,” Tyler Weinbender, Superfresh Growers director of sustainability and packaging, said in the release.

Related news: Manufacturers, customers aim for sustainability in packaging

The project closed one of the last recyclability gaps for Superfresh Growers, according to the release.

“There were hurdles, but our local printer was aligned with our concept and helped make it a reality,” Weinbender said. “We are already using recycled corrugate in our boxes and pulp trays, as well as PET in our cherry and berry clamshells, so the PCR bag fits nicely into our sustainable packaging goals.”

Weinbender said the landscape of sustainable packaging options is extensive and, in some cases, misleading. Companies must be vigilant to ensure they invest in technologies that advance sustainability goals, he added.

“We’ve seen a handful of new paper packaging options for apples recently but ultimately found that they require more energy and water and have a higher carbon footprint than monofilm bags. Additionally, we can minimize freight emissions by partnering with our local printers. Roughly two-thirds of our bags are made right here in Central Washington State — something I’m really proud of,” Weinbender said.

The Superfresh Growers PCR bag can be recycled through current plastic bag and film recycling streams, such as in-store drop-off. As this design is added to its packaging lineup, Superfresh Growers is excited for continued growth in packaging sustainability and carbon footprint reduction, according to the release.