US: Stemilt’s Piñata apple hits stores
According to Stemilt marketing director Roger Pepperl, the 2012 Piñata apple crop is up slightly in volume from last year with lots of pent up demand from consumers.
“We’re anticipating the most exciting season yet for Piñata,” said Pepperl. “This apple already has quite a fan following, and with favorable growing conditions producing a high-quality crop, we expect even more people to find and fall in love with Piñata this year.”
The January start of the Piñata apple season lines up perfectly to help people achieve health-minded New Year’s resolutions without having to sacrifice flavor. Like other apples, Piñata apples are free of fat, sodium, and cholesterol, low in calories, and a good source of dietary fiber.
“It’s estimated that two-thirds of Americans make resolutions in the New Year, and losing weight tops the list for many people. Promoting Piñata as a healthy and fresh snack is a great way to appeal to these health-minded shoppers, as well as boost sales in your apple category,” said Pepperl.
Piñata is a cross between two heirloom varieties from Europe – Cox’s Orange Pippin and Duchess of Oldenburg – and the more familiar Golden Delicious apple from the United States. When combined, these three varieties create a vibrantly colored and flavorful apple. Piñata’s high sugar, high acid flavor profile, tropical notes, and juicy flesh come from Cox’s Orange Pippin and Duchess of Oldenburg, while the thin skin of the Golden Delicious makes Piñata a versatile apple suitable for virtually any culinary use.Piñata is a result of nearly two decades of development at the apple breeding program in DresdenPillnitz, Germany. Following its release in Europe, the apple quickly made a name for itself under the names Pinova and Sonata, and was even selected as the 2001 Apple of the Year in Germany.
In 2004, Stemilt purchased the exclusive rights to grow and market this apple in the United States, and trademarked it Piñata in order to better convey the apple’s exciting attributes.
Piñata is one of the most versatile apples available today. The crisp and juicy texture make it great for eating fresh-out-of-hand, while its thin skin and fine-grained texture make it an ideal choice for salads and baking. Regional chefs who have experimented with Piñata quickly realized that the apple adapts
well to cooking temperatures. This allowed chefs to take Piñata beyond traditional baked goods and use it in a variety of gourmet dishes like risotto, pork belly, and steelhead tartare.
“Piñata is ideal for fresh eating, but has also proven itself as a high-quality ingredient for use in the kitchen,” said Pepperl. Stemilt has a variety of merchandising tools available to promote Piñata apples in the produce department this year, including signage, posters, and pop-up display bins. The pop-up display bin features bold graphics and a QR code that takes shoppers to a mobile website with additional information about Piñata.
Piñata is also a social apple. The Piñata Apple Facebook page (www.facebook.com/PinataApple) has been in place since 2009 and now has over 1,700 fans. In addition to posting about the apple’s availability, Stemilt will hold a photo contest and have several giveaways in order to engage with its loyal
fans.
“Social media is a great way to get the word out about unique items like Piñata because it allows you to share information directly with consumers in a fun setting. We’re looking forward to expanding the Piñata community through our activities on Facebook while the apple is in season,” said Pepperl.
Contact:
Roger Pepperl
Stemilt
www.stemilt.com