CMI Orchards, one of Washington’s premier apple growers, has announced the launch of an exciting retail promotion designed to celebrate the unique world origins of some of America’s hottest branded apples. CMI’s Apple Flavors of the World promotion includes top-selling Ambrosia Gold, KIKU, Kanzi, Smitten, Jazz, Envy and Pacific Rose apples.  These popular branded apples were originally discovered in orchard locations in Italy, Belgium, Canada and New Zealand, and are now grown in select orchards in the United States.

According to George Harter, vice president of marketing for CMI Orchards, the promotion can be tailored to succeed in any store format, and can be any combination of conventional or organic fruit. “We’ve assembled a compelling program that gives retailers a destination to display the best performing, hottest branded apples available and drive customer trial. The idea is that retailers can evaluate sales and then build plans for long-term variety improvement,” he said. “From sweet to tart, crisp and juicy to delicate and intense, there’s a winning flavor for every customer out there.”

CMI’s Apple Flavors of the World promotional toolkit includes special event signage, in-store displays, high-graphic packaging and country flags, paired with special pricing to cement retail success, drive excitement and create a destination for shoppers. CMI is also offering retailers the opportunity to work with their sales team to develop customized promotions that can include store sales contests, display contests and customer events.

“Our Apple Flavors of the World promotion is the winning ticket for retailers to capture incremental sales and drive excitement in stores,” Harter said.  He added that national supermarket scan data results show that late winter through early spring is prime time for retailers to capture incremental sales with branded apples.

“This promotion features seven of the top twelve performing branded apples in the U.S.,” said Harter. He went on to add that Nielsen scan data for the last 52 weeks of apple sales, ending Dec. 29, 2018, shows the top three ranked branded apples, Ambrosia, Jazz and Envy, totaled $186 million in sales versus a combined $77 million for all other branded apples in the top 12 combined.”

Robb Myers, director of sales at CMI Orchards, said the CMI sales team is primed and eager to work with retailers to customize promotions.  “We have all the tools in place to tee up a powerful sales plan for our retail accounts, maximizing the tools included in this promotion” he said.  “We’re offering a turnkey solution that will ultimately expose more consumers to premium branded apples to help retailers pump up sales during the slower spring months.”