As the benefits of consuming pomegranates have become more well-known, the fruit has become more popular. Marketing it as a snack item by selling the fresh arils could further boost consumption.“In the past, companies offered arils in different packaging formats,” explained David Anthony of Ruby Fresh Pomegranates. “But those were mostly for people who were using arils as ingredients for recipes or to put in salads.” Ruby Fresh decided to package the fresh arils in small cups and market them as snack items. Positioning them in this way has boosted sales of the arils.
“We've seen a significant increase in demand for our fresh arils,” said Anthony. “Our arils have been growing in popularity by about 25 percent every year, but last year we saw about 40 percent growth. We believe that's because of the snack cup. It looks like the snacking concept is taking off.”
Aril imports down
Production issues in Chile made for lower import volumes of pomegranate arils into the United States this season. Quality issues also popped up, prompting some importers to not import any fruit at all.
“We stepped back from importing arils this summer because we weren't pleased with the quality available,” said Anthony. “The main challenge was with the color. You'd like to get a dark red color with the arils, and if the color is light, then they don't present well and the product has a less sweet, more acidic flavor.”
Anthony added that next season might bring more import options because it's likely phytosanitary regulations will be changed to allow the importation of whole fruit from Peru. Currently, only arils can enter the United States from Peru. That means importers have to process and refrigerate in South America before sending the arils by air, which is a process that's more difficult and more expensive than shipping whole fruit.
For more information:
David Anthony
Ruby Fresh Pomegranates
+1 559 933 0340