SELAH, WA - We often like to save the best for last, and I think this is especially true in the case of National Pear Month taking place in December. The high-profile fruit has long been a consumer favorite, and it is worth celebrating during the holiday season. To see how Rainier Fruit Company leveraged its pear prowess this past December, I got in touch with Blaine Markley, Director of Domestic Sales.

“Every year, I am blown away by the quality of the fruit we are growing. But this year, the Bartlett, treated Anjou, and Red Pears are all fantastic,” said Blaine. “Sizing of our pears this year is big and beautiful.”

According to Blaine, the pear category is ripe with opportunity as consumers find new and exciting ways to utilize different varieties. Fresh off the heels of National Pear Month, Rainier Fruit is confident that it will continue to see a rise in demand as we kick off the new year.

“Just like other categories, organics and bags are going to trend throughout January,” Blaine continued. “There’s an opportunity in consumer education on how to check the neck of a pear for ripeness, and sharing inventive ways to incorporate pears into health-based recipes will help make the category shine this month and into the rest of the year.”

On a final note, Blaine explained that Rainier’s Pre-Ripened pear program is an impressive point of differentiation for the company.

“The program yields a better pear eating experience and cuts down on the wait time for ripening from 6–7 days to 2–3 days,” Blaine said.

Sink your teeth into the pear category this year and you’ll soon see where shopper loyalty lies.

Rainier Fruit