“The Northwest pear season is expected to start ten days earlier this year,” says Brianna Shales with Stemilt Growers. A warm spring in Washington State resulted in an early bloom. The projection for this year’s crop size is two percent higher than the five-year average and about two percent lower than last year’s crop. “Similar to last year, it’s a very promotable pear crop with plenty of promotion opportunities for retailers both domestically and in export markets,” mentioned Shales.
Harvest of Bartlett and Starkrimson coming up
“We expect to start harvesting both the Bartlett and Starkrimson varieties in early August and should have a promotable volume by mid-August. Timing aligns well with the back-to-school timeframe in the U.S. and we recommend early ads to start pear momentum off strong,” said Shales. In September, Stemilt will start harvesting its winter and specialty varieties. Stemilt’s leading pear varieties are d’Anjou, followed by the Bartlett and Bosc. “D’Anjou is a great pear for fall, spring, and summer promotions,” said Shales.
Rushing Rivers brand
Last year, Stemilt started packing its pears under the Rushing Rivers brand. “We want to tell our customers the story of where our pears come from,” said Shales. The company’s pears are grown in the Wenatchee River Valley and the Entiat River Valley. The mountains and rivers located near these valleys create a climate and conditions to produce the best pears in the world,” mentioned Shales. Pear consumption has been stable in recent years, and Shales notes that pear consumers tend to be loyalists, with new purchasers typically buying pears when the fruit is on ad. Some varieties have become more popular at the cost of others. Red Bartletts for instance are being replaced by the Starkrimson variety.
For more information:
Brianna Shales
Stemilt Growers
Tel: (+1) 509-662-9667