WENATCHEE, WA - Stemilt’s proprietary Piñata® apple made headlines this month on popular online food media outlets, So Yummy and Serious Eats. Gracing two recipe videos, including one with an everyday apple hack, the flavorful tropical apple with culinary qualities found its way in front of more than a million food-minded consumers via these popular channels: the perfect lead up to the promotional gauntlet before the Cinco de Mayo holiday.

“We’re excited to partner with these leading food channels to amplify the retail activity on Piñata apples now and into the Cinco de Mayo holiday,” said Brianna Shales, Communications Manager. “Piñata is an heirloom cross with a balanced sweet, tart, and slightly tropical flavor profile and flesh that can handle cooking temperatures, making it a culinary standout.”

According to a press release, Stemilt’s Serious Eats partnership began in March, kicking off with an Instant Pot pulled pork taco and apple slaw recipe. Being a proud owner of an Instant Pot, I can attest to the fact that the culinary marvel is one of the most sought-after small kitchen appliances today. In fact, NPR reported that on Amazon’s 2015 Prime Day, more than 24,000 units were sold, and it jumped to 215,000 the following year, before selling out. In 2017, it was among the top five sellers on Amazon’s Black Friday list.

So Yummy is currently sharing a video of their Piñata Apple Upside Down Breakfast Cookies with its 17 million plus Facebook followers.

“So Yummy and Serious Eats each come with their own style and both provide a fun and shareable end result that will help drive shoppers to seek Piñata apples out at grocery stores,” stated Shales. “Each of these outlets reach an audience that we know will love Piñata. They both have high fan engagement, making them influential in the culinary world. This allows us to reinforce Piñata as an apple to enjoy and also tap into an audience that might not have had the chance to know what Piñata is.”

Stemilt is a frequent partner to influencers and food bloggers, tapping into their skills at highlighting brands and proprietary varietals like Lil Snappers® kid-sized fruit, Rave™ apples, and Skylar Rae® cherries.

“Intent marketing and tapping into the power of influencers has proven to be an effective way to build brand awareness,” continued Shales, “whether it’s during a seasonal push like Cinco de Mayo for Piñata apples or throughout the year for a brand like Lil Snappers.”

The Piñata brand apple was introduced to U.S. markets in 2008, when Stemilt’s founding family, the Mathison’s, purchased the North American rights to grow and market the fruit in 2004. “The flavor profile and build of Piñata will do well in any sort of heated application, making it a great apple to use for the upcoming Cinco de Mayo holiday,” states Shales. “The tropical twist is a great lead in for any retailer to promote the festive holiday on May 5.”

Piñata is now available year-round from your Stemilt representative. And as we inch closer to Cinco de Mayo, stay tuned for more hot and festive promotions.

Stemilt Growers