CMI gears up for Ambrosia promos

With smaller fruit sizing this season, CMI Orchards expects ample Ambrosia apples for two-pound pouch bag promotions.

CMI Orchards, Wenatchee, Wash., is getting ready for peak sales of its Ambrosia apple.

“Ambrosia is the 8th best-selling apple variety in the U.S., so it is one of the few new branded apples that have the sales power to lift overall category performance. Nielsen data shows that the 10-week period from late January to April 15 is among the strongest Ambrosia sales weeks of the entire year,” George Harter, vice president of marketing, said in a news release.

The company had a 20% increase in Ambrosia production this season, with excellent quality, Harter said in the release.

Smaller apple sizes from the Northwest should provide good promo opportunities for two-pound pouch bags, he said.

“With an abundance of smaller fruit perfect for bagging, I anticipate we will see a lot of retail promotions running with hot prices like two for $5,” Harter said in the release.

Ambrosia entered the top 10 best-selling apples in the U.S. in 2016, moving up to No. 8 last season. The variety is sold in 14,000 stores nationwide, according to the release.

Article by Amelia Freidline, The Packer