WENATCHEE, WA - I love a beautiful piece of fruit, especially when the colors remind me of a summer sunset. Ah, an ode to peaches and nectarines! At Stemilt Growers, the team loves its beautiful fruit too, and retailers even more. The company’s Artisan Organics™ program featuring peaches and nectarines is now entering its third week of harvest with peak shipping weeks ahead and excellent quality across its fruit offerings.

“It’s important for retailers to work on September ads for organic peaches and nectarines,” Communications Manager Brianna Shales said. “Artisan Organics is a great program for retailers to differentiate around. The everyday organic shopper loves and remembers the flavors of these fruits, while the qualities and appearance of our Artisan Organics peaches and nectarines also entice new shoppers to the organic category.”

When it comes to retail support, Stemilt has it all and is offering merchandising and digital resources to help retailers with their promotions including a new pop-up display bin. As you would expect with a harvest like this one, the display bin features vibrant peaches and nectarines alongside other fruit Stemilt grows organically and with a new bright green look for the Artisan Organics logo, according to a press release.

“Display bins are an effective merchandising tool, but especially helpful with organic fruit. Retailers can build larger displays of organic peaches and nectarines with these bins in order to drive impulse sales,” Shales shared.

It’s been a strong start to Stemilt's all-organic peach and nectarine season thanks to ideal temperatures in Southeastern Washington State, where the majority of Stemilt's organic stonefruit is grown, Shales added.

“Sunny days and cool nights are combining to help us achieve that tree-ripened flavor experience that make for strong stonefruit programs at retail, as well as delighted consumers,” she said.

Peak loading weeks for Stemilt’s Artisan Organics peaches and nectarines run now through mid-September. As Shales said, the weather has been playing nice and Stemilt is seeing an uptick in brix averages across its stonefruit. With temperatures in the low- to mid-90s, the fruit is allowed to reach maximum maturity while it still hangs on the tree, resulting in extra sweet peaches and nectarines.

For all of its organic peach and nectarine program, Stemilt partners with fourth-generation growers, the Douglas family.

“The move to organics was a move to produce fruits with complex flavors. We’re striving for tree-ripened fruit, that ideal sugar-to-acid ratio, and fruit with loads of juice,” said Shales. “Flavor is what consumers crave, and we’re confident that we’ll keep delivering on that promise with our Artisan Organics peaches until season’s end.”

Retailers, time to get your programs up to Stemilt-speed, and I will be sure to add a few peaches and nectarines to my own shopping list!

Stemilt Growers