America’s first tearless and sweet onion hit retail shelves across the United States last December to accolades from consumer media nationwide. In just the first two months of what is the first season in wide distribution, Sunions reached more than one billion media impressions and counting in print, radio, web and television media including appearances on ABC’s The Chew and Good Morning America.
Consumers are responding to the buzz all across the country and visiting their local stores looking for Sunions. Along with dozens of questions regarding availability fielded through the Sunions website, messages streaming in from shoppers who put Sunions to the test demonstrate an overwhelmingly positive response.
“Just tried your onions. They are the best – I’m so surprised,” said one shopper. “I have bought ‘sweet onions’ before and was always disappointed. I couldn't believe the taste! I hope I can always get them.”
“Just bought some and the statements are true,” said another shopper. “I sliced it up and there was a very strong onion odor but no tears and no bite! I buy a lot of onions and these will be on my list – good product.”
Stories appeared in the media over the last eight weeks including features in The Los Angeles Times, MSN.com, Good Housekeeping, Today.com, Food & Wine and The Huffington Post where several tearing-prone editors put Sunions to the test. To their delight, not a tear was shed. You can view the video here.
A partnership with Buzzfeed designed to share the Sunions story with viewers of their popular “Tasty” recipe videos wrapped up in mid-February following millions of views. In addition, The Brothers Green, a popular YouTube influencer cooking series, will feature Sunions in an upcoming demonstration video.
A game-changing product of more than three decades of research, development and natural hybridization by Bayer Crop Science, Sunions are a long-day sweet onion variety grown in the USA. But unlike other long-day onions, Sunions actually become sweeter and more tearless in storage.
It all comes down to the levels of volatile compounds responsible for pungency and tearing in onions. The levels of those compounds in other onions remain stable or increase during storage. In Sunions, these compounds do the exact opposite and decrease in prevalence to create a milder, sweeter and tearless onion over time. This natural process also promotes a strong level of consistency from bulb to bulb.
Unlike any other onion variety, a sensory panel with full authority and power to determine ship dates follows a tightly-controlled protocol that includes both flavor and tearlessness. Sunions will ship only once they are certified ready by this panel of tasting experts and with the support of a food lab test determining the proper levels of volatile compounds.
Sunions are in their first season of retail availability and are backed by a comprehensive marketing plan including point-of-sale materials, produce manager education, social media content and a consumer advertising and public relations campaign. For product availability, please contact Sunions distributors including Generation Farms, Onions 52 and Peri & Sons Farms.
Contact:
Adam Brady
Tel: 912.541.7726