Applewood Fresh® Launches New Co-Branded Bags With The Produce Moms®
SPARTA, MI - I will never forget my kindergarten trip to an apple orchard, learning perhaps for the first time where my food came from by exploring beautiful orchards and dipping apples into a vat of caramel for my very own treat. With a new partnership and new packaging, fourth-generation grower Applewood Fresh® is ensuring the students of 2020 make fruitful memories of their very own despite extenuating circumstances.
“Right now, it’s obviously not possible to physically offer field trips to students to see the wonderful operations behind Applewood Fresh’s uniquely delicious Michigan apple crop. We were not going to let that stop us from giving them the same field trip experience virtually!” Antonia Mascari, Vice President of Marketing for Applewood Fresh, explained.
The grower has teamed up with known produce influencer The Produce Moms® to introduce co-branded apple packaging just in time for the holiday baking season.
In addition to being resealable for 3 and 5 lb increments, as well as featuring popular Applewood Fresh Michigan-grown apples riding in the back of The Produce Moms car filled with The Produce Moms’ characters, the new packaging features a way to bring virtual classrooms to the orchards via QR code.
“At The Produce Moms, we have a resounding increased demand for more virtual education content as well as virtual experiences focused on fresh produce. People of all ages, in any part of the country, where Applewood Fresh and The Produce Moms co-branded apples are sold, will be able to ‘travel’ to Michigan to learn more about how apples are grown. Our suite of downloadable lesson plans not only incorporates fresh produce into the virtual or in-school classroom, but also fulfills pre-kindergarten through third grade national academic standards,” Lori Taylor, CEO and Founder of The Produce Moms, pointed out. “With this new packaging we’re bringing the Michigan apple farm to the consumer with a unique educational tie-in!”
The QR code serves as a call to action, according to a press release, linking consumers to an online treasure trove of curriculum perfect for distance learning, including activity sheets and the grower’s pièce de résistance—a virtual online field trip to a Michigan apple farm and production facility.
“Educators and parents are looking for more ways to enrich the Zoom classroom, and virtual field trips are wildly popular right now,” Mascari concluded. “We believe visiting a Michigan apple orchard online through our packaging will appeal to everyone, not just students!”
Distribution kicks off in the Midwest next week as the new co-branded bags begin shipping Monday, November 9, with room to expand south following demand. As baking season sets in and the 2020 syllabus seeks freshening up, this seems a strong and innovative way to launch your produce into any classroom!
