WENATCHEE, WA - Stemilt is reassuring the buy-side that SweeTango® apples are here to meet category demand. With a significant decrease in this season’s national Honeycrisp crop, SweeTango apples will allow retailers to offer another premium apple in the category. Marketing Director Brianna Shales says retailers can rely on Stemilt and other SweeTango partners to support store promotions and keep displays fresh through the end of the year and into next.

“The Washington state share of Honeycrisp volume is down about 26 percent,” says Shales. “With this tightness, and last year being ample for promotions, retailers need to shift their promotion attention to offering consumers another premium apple in Honeycrisp’s place. In September, SweeTango was the #1 Club apple in the department and we’re currently selling around 120 lbs per store per week. Over one-third of stores in the U.S. are carrying it.”

SweeTango is a managed variety, and Stemilt grows them in the West Coast conventionally and organically, a press release stated. The grower is seeing color, flavor, and fracture thrive in its mature orchards in the Northern district of Washington state.

“Some of the best quality of the year is coming out of storage now, and as retailers get into January, SweeTango will be an excellent choice for building up the category and promoting and delighting consumers with excellent apples,” says Shales. “SweeTango is one of the crispiest apples out there, having made its way into the Guinness World Records for loudest crunch from an apple.”

SweeTango will be a niche item in the category until larger volumes of Cosmic Crisp® apples become available to help with the shortage of Honeycrisp promotions, the release stated. Stemilt will strive to support retailers with multiple SweeTango items including displays, packaging, and merchandising to help it be successful.

“When you’re thinking about options for SweeTango promotions, a 27 lb or 40 lb box works great because you’ll be turning boxes over and keeping your displays fresh simultaneously,” says Shales. “We’re here to provide retailers with all the tools they need from 2 lb bags to totes and 4-pack EZ Bands. With these items, there is a great opportunity to increase SweeTango promotions and drive Honeycrisp shoppers to another apple option that eats great!”

More apple category updates are on the way, so stick around.