WENATCHEE, WA - What doesn’t pair well with a pear? As dessert and fruit-forward charcuterie awareness has risen, so have the opportunities for this once-unsung tree gem. Now, Stemilt is ensuring its pear customers get the support needed to further foster the steady growth the category has seen over recent years.

“Pears are a fun culinary food with big entertainment value, but it has been a while since they have been spotlighted with a specific brand. So, we are very excited to have the second season of our new Happi Pear^® variety in the books, with branding and support that is helping it stand out in the department,” Brianna Shales, Marketing Director, recently shared with me.

Already seeing strong demand, the grower is working hard to expand volume for next winter and beyond.

“We are selling out of our second-ever crop and are excited to grow our Happi Pear volume,” Brianna added. “In fact, with our new pear facility opening next year with a dedicated state-of-the-art packing line specifically for pears, we’ll be able to efficiently and effectively support all our pear customers with the flexibility they need.”

It is a strong investment in a category Stemilt has shown it believes deserves more attention. Now, with December being National Pear Month, it is the perfect time to revisit and re-up your fresh department’s ap-“pear”-el as the winter varieties give you peak range in offerings.

“December is a great time for pear quality, but also for consumers to have their pick of varieties. A time when we see retailers get behind bigger displays, promotions, and pushes,” Brianna reflected, adding bulk pear promos, especially on Bosc, will be key this National Pear Month. “Stemilt will help our retail partners with a plan to execute as needed, including kid-size Lil Snappers^® pouches or larger bag sizes that will move bigger volumes.”

2023 marks six years since Stemilt began its “falling in love with pears again” focus, the perfect window for looking back and realizing how much change has truly been affected.

“The falling in love with pear movement was specifically helpful in that retailers began participating in pre-ripened D'anjou pears. This really boosts awareness of pear readiness, re-adjusting flavor perceptions in pears and therefore growing pear popularity,” Brianna pointed out.

When it came to final advice for retailers, she shared how promotion to drive impulse purchases with signage and messaging is very important—to have pears in ads as well as e-commerce and digital platforms can mean all the difference in capturing pear sales.

With clean, nice-looking pears, particularly D'anjou, Red D'anjou, and Bosc winter varieties, welcome shoppers with stunning bouquets of this fashionable fruit option for the holiday season and beyond.

Stemilt