What if a snack that tastes sinfully sweet could be good for you too?
Healthy, nutritious apple snack is a candy-sweet treat



Stemilt Growers Inc. says its new line of sliced apples called AppleSweets® is all that and more – a snack for consumers looking for something that’s nutritious yet satisfies sweet-snack cravings. Stemilt Marketing Director Roger Pepperl said Stemilt did a limited launch of AppleSweets® at the start of 2007 in order to make sure production processes operated smoothly. Pepperl said the soft introduction was successful, and Stemilt is now offering the product to retailers nationwide.

While fresh-cut, packaged apples have been around for a few years, AppleSweets® are unique because they include flavored slices that taste like a caramel-rich candy or a wild berry lollipop.



“The flavors are made from all-natural ingredients that don’t add calories or fat to the apples,” Pepperl said. “Basically, you’re getting all the nutrients of a fresh apple in a snack that curbs your sweet tooth and makes you feel good about snacking.”

The two flavors now available are County Fair Caramel and Wild Berry, although Pepperl said other flavors will be rolled out in the future. Tropical in summertime and Mom’s Apple Pie in fall are two options Stemilt is considering.

Unflavored slices are also part of the product line. Tart AppleSweets are made from Granny Smith apples, and sweet AppleSweets from the Gala variety. Caramel-flavored slices are made from Golden Delicious and Wild Berry from Cameo® apples.



All slices, flavored or unflavored, are cut using Stemilt’s patented Perfect Apple Slicing System (P.A.S.S.), a method that slices each apple with the precision of a robotic surgical knife. Pepperl said the precision of the process does less damage to the apple cells than other slicing procedures, prolonging the slices’ freshness and bright-white appearance.

All slices are also soaked in an all-natural vitamin-mineral bath approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The bath prevents the slices from browning and adds vitamin C to the fruit, boosting the nutritious health benefits, Pepperl said.

AppleSweets have a 21-day shelf life if refrigerated properly from the time they’re sliced. Pepperl said the combination of the slicing system and the vitamin-mineral bath coupled with the proximity of the raw product to the slicing facility allows Stemilt to deliver “the freshest apple slice on the market today.”

“We are very confident in the quality of our product both from the standpoint of good flavor and product freshness,” Pepperl said. “AppleSweets really are a unique addition to snack foods.”

Pepperl said retailers carrying all four types of AppleSweets -- tart, sweet, caramel and wild berry -- have been able to build displays that created “substantial impact.” The packaging is bright-pink and blue, and each pack carries the new Fruits & Veggies – More Matters logo from the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH).

The Foundation is charged with promoting consumption of produce nationwide. Any product that carries the More Matters logo must be analyzed by PBH and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to make sure the product meets nutrition specifications.

Pepperl said AppleSweets are the “perfect snack to help busy Americans increase produce consumption.” “AppleSweets are easy to pack in cars and lunches, they’re nutritious and tasty, and kids love them,” he said.

In addition, Pepperl said there are different sizes of AppleSweet packs to choose from to fit most consumers’ needs. County Fair Caramel and Wild Berry are available in 13-ounce bags and 5-ounce packs. Sweet and tart come in 16-ounce bags and 6-ounce packs. Lunch-size snack packets offer 3 ounces of tart or sweet slices, and 2.5 ounces of caramel or wild berry slices.

“The package sizes and designs are bright and inviting,” Pepperl said. “It’s nice for retailers because they can create an AppleSweets® destination, an area in produce designated for the AppleSweets® family of products.”

Contact:
Stemilt Growers Inc
Diane Tribble
Phone: +1 509 662-9667 x221
Fax: +1 509 663-2914
Website

Publication date: 4/19/2007

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