YAKIMA, WA - We are counting down the days until International Fresh Produce Association’s (IFPA) Global Produce & Floral Show, and it is one event the industry sure won’t want to miss out on. Superfresh Growers is one exhibitor this year and will be highlighting its Pacific Northwest portfolio down in Orlando, Florida, and the excitement around the season is already sweet.

“As this is the largest event of the year, we are very excited to see all our industry peers,” Catherine Gipe-Stewart, Director of Marketing, tells me. “We will have Autumn Glory to sample and are excited to share this year’s crop with everyone, including Cosmic Crisp, organic pears and apples, and our cherries coming in next year.”

With the season transitioning here in the United States, Autumn Glory is making its much-anticipated return as harvest is on its way. The grower is seeing chin-dripping juices in its crops with bright and buttery caramel and cinnamon notes. Volume is projected to be up 20 percent over last year, and Superfresh is currently picking and packing toward November promotions. Nielsen data shows Autumn Glory was up 54 percent in dollars and volume for the 52 weeks ending 9-10-22, so we can expect this season to also be a delicious uptick amongst shoppers.

And speaking of a delicious uptick, Cosmic Crisp is heading into its fourth year of commercial sales.

“This summer, we saw unprecedented growth, up 40 times in dollars, and up 50 times in volume in the last 4 weeks ending 9-10-22,” continues Catherine. “Over 52 weeks, Cosmic Crisp is up 101 percent in dollars and up 130 percent in volume.”

About 20 percent of what Superfresh grows is organic, with the producer being one of the largest organic pear growers in the Northwest.

Catherine tells me red pears are the fourth most preferred pear variety, and heavy users are very loyal to red pears while the majority of non-red pear shoppers are open to purchasing red pears.

As for cherries, a lucrative summer category, Superfresh is ready to meet the hype. The grower expects a big year for cherries in 2023, anticipating a fantastic bounce-back volume and a longer-than-ever season extending all the way through August.

Exciting times are ahead, much like this year’s show. As many in Superfresh are on committees, advocating and pushing advancements forward for everyone involved in fresh produce, Catherine and the team can’t wait to see everyone’s faces once more.

“Riding off the shirttails of IFPA’s March on Washington, industry issues will be a passionate topic for us,” Catherine shares. “We look forward to continuing to brainstorm and move forward with our industry peers.”

One industry issue the team is anticipating discussing is weather and its impact on labor. Catherine further explains that a lack of reliable and affordable labor, cost spikes on critical inputs, and excessive and unnecessary regulations contribute to major issues for farmers. As a result, orchard acreage has been reduced over the years. At IFPA this year, Catherine and the team are eager to discuss and bring about potential solutions to protect family farm livelihood.

Be sure to stop by booth #4071 to expand the conversation—and snag some Autumn Glory samples!—and follow ANUK as we continue reporting in the lead-up to IFPA.

Superfresh Growers®