The domestic pear supply looks very different right now than this time last year when growers and shippers were managing a tight pear crop. "We have a nice promotable volume of Anjous and Bosc this season," says Mac Riggan with Chelan Fresh. "We have a really good crop of Boscs with a lot of big sizes."
He says there's plenty of opportunity to promote value on Bosc pear, which is considered a premier, yet versatile, pear. "Retailers should be building big displays of Bosc pears right up front that people gravitate to. They can offer them at a value price yet the retailer can still make margin," says Riggan.
This level of volume follows a good growing season for pears in Washington. "It was a really good cherry crop and usually when you have a good cherry crop, that good quality follows right into pears and apples," he says, noting that the company will likely continue shipping domestic Bosc until June, possibly July, and domestic Anjou pears through August.
© Chelan Fresh
Competing within fruit
As for demand, it is good, though fruit is a competitive segment in the grocery store at the moment. "There's a lot of noise out there with all the new apple varieties and citrus season right now. There are well over 600 skus and back in the day, it used to be 300 skus. So there are a lot of options," says Riggan. That said, while the apple category has seen a significant amount of variety development, pears haven't as much though there are hopes that pears such as the new Happi variety, generates excitement in the category.
All of this is leaving pricing considerably lower than last year on pears. "However, there's room for everybody to win right now," Riggan says. "The consumer gets a great eating pear, the grower can possibly break even and retailers can offer value to customers who are watching their pennies anyways. It's an opportunity to buy Bosc pears which, in the past, might have been priced higher."
For more information:
Mac Riggan
Chelan Fresh
Tel: (+1) 509-682-6074
www.chelanfresh.com
