WENATCHEE, WA – The first four months of the season have seen robust growth for Kanzi® apples.

According to Nielsen FreshFacts syndicated scan data from the 2016/17 apple season to date, Kanzi® has had one of the highest growth rates in dollars and volume of any apple in the top 25 varieties in the U.S.

“Kanzi® performance this season is really unprecedented,” said Robb Myers, Vice President of Sales for CMI Orchards, in a press release. “The success retailers are having with Kanzi® reminds me of when our industry launched the Honeycrisp. It’s remarkable to think that of the 8,000 supermarkets selling Kanzi® this season, more than 6,000 stores weren’t selling Kanzi® at this point last year, an increase of over 300%.”

CMI Orchards’ Vice President of Marketing Steve Lutz noted that national Kanzi® sales started the season at a blistering pace, and so far, that pace has not slowed.

“The growth rate of Kanzi® this season is unmatched by any other apple,” said Lutz. “So far this year Kanzi® has been tremendously successful for our retail partners.”

Lutz remarked that one of the keys to Kanzi’s® success this year has been more and more aggressive store-level promotions.

Retailers have really been working with us this year on Kanzi® promotions and promotional pricing,” said Lutz. “The scan data nationally shows a significant increase in Kanzi® promotions priced at $1.99 a pound or less. Last year the average Kanzi® promotion was about $2.19 a pound. Not surprisingly, promotional volume doubled with the more attractive pricing this season. Interestingly, the increase in Kanzi’s® non-promoted volume is even higher this season over last, indicating consumers try Kanzi® on sale and come back to buy again at full price.”

Myers added that as more customers become familiar with Kanzi® in the U.S., CMI expects the apple variety’s sales to parallel the sweeping success of Kanzi® in Europe.

“We are beginning to see the same success with Kanzi® here in the States that was seen in Europe—where the apple is a fan favorite,” said Myers. “Our customers absolutely rave about how Kanzi® are a perfect harmony of sweet and tart flavor notes. No other apple is as intensely flavored—it’s definitely a unique apple, and one that complements CMI’s full manifest of club apples where we have a flavor for every taste.”

Lutz noted, in the company’s press release, that though sales of Kanzi® apples are booming, the variety has room to grow, and enterprising retailers can take advantage of the fruit’s burgeoning popularity.

“What’s amazing is that the strong sales this season are limited to only the 8,000 stores that carried Kanzi®,” said Lutz. “That means that more than two thirds of the retailers in the country, and their customers, have missed the hottest apple in the market so far this season. We’re going to work on that this spring so our customers can take advantage of the strong sales momentum as there is plenty of time left this season for retailers to cash in on Kanzi®’s success.”

Kanzi® apples are available now from CMI Orchards and Applewood Orchards.

For more on varieties that drive sales and draw customers, check in with us at AndNowUKnow.

CMI Orchards