Autumn means brisk fall weather and the return of Sunkist® citrus season! At this year’s PMA Fresh Summit + Expo in Anaheim, Sunkist Growers is encouraging trade customers to celebrate the season with the vibrant colors and tastes of citrus.
“Leaves are turning and days are getting shorter, but with the winter comes Sunkist citrus – bringing a taste of California sunshine to the cold winter months,” said Sunkist Advertising & Public Relations Manager Joan Wickham. “We are looking forward to kicking off our 2014/15 growing season at this year’s Fresh Summit to showcase our new initiatives, packaging and point-of-sale materials for our trade partners.”
Bright, juicy and sweet, Sunkist Navel orange season begins in mid-October. To help retailers capitalize on seasonal consumer enthusiasm for this delicious, seedless orange, Sunkist is offering its decorative holiday 10-pound cartons and a new 2015 “Year of the Sheep” Lunar New Year carton, perfect for building festive, eye-catching displays in store.
Sunkist will also debut its Sesame Street-themed packaging, created as part of the cooperative’s participation in the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) and Sesame Workshop’s “eat brighter!” movement. The newly-designed 10-pound Navel orange carton and polybag, as well as a Giro-bag for easy-peel mandarins—a kid-friendly favorite—will be on display at Sunkist’s booth. The colorful, eye-catching packaging will allow retailers to showcase the beloved Sesame Street characters to encourage families to eat more fresh produce.
For the first time, Sunkist is will be making its popular hockey program available across North America, allowing U.S. customers to partake in the program – which has been very successful in Canada. Hockey-themed Navel orange packaging including 10-pound cartons, variable weight Giro bags and 4-pound net bags, as well as optional account specific program overlays, will be available for retailers drive sales and capitalize on hockey fan enthusiasm during citrus season.
Showcasing how delicious Sunkist citrus is as an ingredient, Chef Jill Davie will be serving up a Sunkist Flatiron Steak with Citrus Spiked Butter Beans featuring Sunkist Navel oranges and limes and Sunkist Lemon Shrimp, Bacon and Avocado Toasts, demonstrating the versatility of lemons in cooking.
From cooking to décor, lemons are a versatile household staple that is growing in demand. Sunkist is pleased to offer quality, fresh lemons year-round. At PMA Fresh Summit, Sunkist will highlight its many lemon offerings including conventional, organic, Meyer and seedless. Whether displayed in bulk or packaged in bright, convenient pouch and net bags, Sunkist lemons shine on the shelf and in the fridge.
Grapefruit refreshments will be also be served at the booth to promote Sunkist’s “Not Your Mother’s Grapefruit” campaign, aimed at putting a modern twist on grapefruit to inspire millennial consumers to eat more of this delicious, nutrient-rich fruit. A refreshing, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice will be served in the morning and a Sunkist Grapefruit IPA Twist cocktail will be sampled in the afternoon, highlighting current mixology trends.
Lil Snappers® kid size fruit will also be featured at Sunkist’s PMA Fresh Summit booth. Lil Snappers kid size fruit is premium fruit great for lunches, treats and snacks and packaged in convenient, 3-pound re-sealable stand up pouch bags. In conjunction with Stemilt Growers, the two companies offer over 20 Lil Snappers citrus, apple and pear varieties that are perfectly sized for little hands.
With over 40 citrus varieties, Sunkist will also preview its seasonal specialties that come into season during the winter months. Varieties such as Cara Cara Navel oranges, Moro (blood) oranges and Minneola tangelos are quickly growing in popularity among consumers, offering opportunities for retailers.
Visitors to the Sunkist booth will also be invited to learn more about the cooperative’s growers through Sunkist Family Stories, a campaign featuring the cooperative’s multigenerational farmers. Offering a glimpse into the life of today’s modern farmer, Sunkist Family Stories allows consumers to experience the dedication and care that go into growing fresh, premium Sunkist citrus.
“Consumers are interested in the where their produce comes from and how it is grown, providing an opportunity for retailers to educate consumers about the origins of their products,” said Sunkist Director of Retail Marketing Julie DeWolf. “As a cooperative of thousands of California and Arizona farmers, Sunkist has deep roots and many powerful stories to share about our growers. This season, we are excited to offer retailers customizable point-of-sale materials to bring these inspiring stories to life in-store and encourage purchase.”
Sunkist has all the tools that retailers need to create successful citrus programs; visit Sunkist at PMA Fresh Summit Booth #2038 to learn how to squeeze the most out of citrus this season.