NEW YORK CITY, NY - There’s no escaping the snacking craze that’s sweeping through every grocery store aisle. Consumers have a hankering for smaller, convenient, on-the-go items and many across our industry are rising to the occasion with offerings galore that tap into this trend—because, after all, there’s no better snack than fresh produce. Since its launch in 2016, Hudson River Fruit Distributors’ Lil Chief line has captured the high-quality flavor consumers expect from New York apples, but in an easy-to-bite, easy-to-take-anywhere size.

“We wanted to offer a different size apple to be sold at retail and we thought the packaging along with the size of the apple would stand out in the produce department,” Alisha Albinder, Owner/Operator, tells me. “Market response has been great! Its attractive pricing and packaging made it a success since it launched. We constantly get feedback from consumers that they love this product and love learning about the grower story.”

Featuring the likes of Gala, Fuji, McIntosh, Red Delicious, and Empire apples, the Lil Chief branded apples are the perfect back-to-school goodie thanks to their snackable size and bright colors. The Lil Chief line is available in 2 lb bags from September through June, with packaging that connects shoppers to the farmers behind the operations.

“We wanted to bring the farm to the stores, so the packaging highlights that Lil Chief apples are family-farmed and tells the story of the four generations of farmers involved in our business. The bag itself is also meant to emulate apples sitting in a bin in an orchard,” Alisha explains. “We even offer a free New York Grown pop-up bin that can be used to display the Lil Chief apples or any of our other products, like trays, totes, and 3 lb bags.”

Lil Chief apples are available at retail now and are one sure way to get your consumers excited about healthy snacks.

To stay in-the-know on what’s circulating the produce aisles of late, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

Hudson River Fruit Distributors