SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE - Consumers wanting their Oppy fix will be excited to hear that the company is primed and prepped for success with a fruitful Southern Hemisphere crop on its way, fresh and ready for the taking.

“We’ve had a great response to the new crop, which is following the demand curve for high quality organic apples,” said Organic Category Manager Chris Ford. “We have premium sizes available, providing a favorable alternative to the smaller size domestic apples coming out of controlled atmosphere now.”

Packing sweetness in every crunchy bite, Royal Galas from Argentina are the first fruits up for grabs; these regal bites will have a growing volume hailing from Chile in the coming weeks. Following in Royal Galas’ footsteps, Granny Smiths and Red Delicious are next in line, and then comes the New Zealand Royal Galas, Fujis, and Braeburns in May. Jazz™ and Pacific Rose™ will be made available in June, alongside Argentinian and Chilean Cripps Pink and Fujis.

“We appreciate the opportunity to present import fruit produced by organic growers who are just as intent on delivering the highest quality eating experience as our domestic growers do,” Ford said, according to a recent press release. “Oppy’s organic programs are growing as a whole, so we’ve developed packaging with a cohesive look. Our new packs make it easy for shoppers to recognize that the fruit inside is organic by sporting the widely recognized yellow tone associated with organics as well as the USDA Organic logo, while calling out the variety each pack contains.”

The Southern Hemisphere apple program is the perfect complement to the marketer’s Washington-based organic apple program, Ford explained in the release. The Evergreen State features JAZZ™, Pacific Rose™, and Envy™, which recently welcomed its second US Apple Association Munch Madness win. The marketer is offering 2 lb and 3 lb Oppy organic branded bags housing Chilean and Argentinian apples for the first time this season, on top of its bulk fruit.

The company's Southern Hemisphere apples were preceded by Argentine pears earlier last month. The organic pear program for Oppy makes its way through June.

“We believe there’s a great opportunity for retailers to build their pear category by offering high quality import organics,” Ford said. “Our program is well-timed, as domestic stocks of popular varieties are winding down or have finished. We’re focused on familiar pears that drive the category, including Bosc, D’anjou, and several types of Bartletts.”

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