“Pear growers are in full harvest mode right now, hand picking a new crop of beautiful, tasty pears starting with Bartletts and Starkrimson,” stated Kevin Moffitt, president and CEO of PBNW. “There will be a full range of sizes available, including popular large-sized fruit as well as smaller sizes to fill the popular pouch bags as well as sizes to fulfill export market demand. Our team has been working hard to initiate innovative and effective promotions to get the season off to a good start. Retailers are engaged and optimistic about the pear season, as is our team and the sales organizations we have coordinated with during recent strategy calls.”

Across all regions, harvest started in mid-August for summer varieties like Starkrimson and Bartletts, with growers beginning to pick Bosc, Green and Red Anjou in early- to mid- September. Specialty pears like Comice, Seckel, Forelle and Concorde pears will also be available in September, to provide an exceptional assortment of unique and flavorful pear choices for shoppers.

The organic pear estimate is expected to come in at 1,823,000 million standard boxes equivalents, or 11% of the total projected Northwest crop.

“Our growers and shippers understand that consumers buy with their eyes, but flavor is what bring them back for more. The industry is passionate about providing consumers with the best possible eating experience,” stated Moffitt. “To meet consumer demands for sweet and juicy pears to enjoy one to three days from purchase, the industry continues to expand and promote the conditioning program, which is proven to increase retail sales and enhance the consumer eating experience,” Moffitt continued.

Bob Catinella, PBNW Director of Merchandising added, “As we emerge from pandemic restrictions, the Pear Bureau has been successful with in-person planning meetings with retailers nationwide.”

“The produce industry values personal relationships,” he said. “Some of this was lost the last couple of years, so we are working hard to reconnect and to develop creative programs that continue increasing consumption of the northwest pear crop.”

DOMESTIC PROMOTIONS

Capitalizing on the latest trends and innovations in digital marketing as well as in-store, PBNW is initiating fresh promotions across the U.S. and Canada. The 2022-23 season has kicked off with the launch of a new augmented reality experience, inspiring consumers to simply add pears to their every day meals, a new social campaign designed to continue elevating pears with a fresh perspective, all while leading up to Halloween promotions that include spooky snack boards. PBNW will also continue to expand online shopping programs at retail with banner ads and other shopper marketing promotions.

Updated display bins with bright, attractive graphics will be distributed to retailers across the U.S. These bins feature QR codes, which lead shoppers to short videos introducing the growers of USA Pears and to our online collection of more than 400 recipes.

“Consumers continue to be very interested in knowing where their food comes from and who grows it. These videos bring them right into the beautiful orchards of the Pacific Northwest to meet the growers who take such great care and pride to bring fresh Pears to the marketplace,” said Moffitt.

“While pears are incredibly versatile and can be used in a wide variety of cooking applications, we are focusing on showcasing the simple application of pears to everyday dishes as a way to enhance recipes for any meal,” said Jim Morris, Marketing Communications Manager. Special promotions will include our annual celebration of Pear Pizza during October for National Pizza Month, World Pear Day on December 3rd, and baking and entertaining during the holidays.

INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS

The PBNW export team continues to look for new, innovative ways to reach consumers and to build on the success of the past season with its digital consumer outreach activities in markets around the world.

The Northwest pear industry will rely heavily on key exports markets like Mexico, Canada and the Central American region to once again successfully move the 2022 NW Pear crop. “PBNW has bolstered the promotion budgets in these top export markets to continue to reach consumers in new and innovative ways through digital consumer outreach activities,” said Jeff Correa, International Marketing Director, adding, “As Covid restrictions are lessening in many countries, PBNW will also look to return to more in-person promotion activities, like in-store sampling promotions, which are very effective promotions for encouraging purchase.”

ABOUT PEAR BUREAU NORTHWEST

Pear Bureau Northwest is a non-profit marketing organization established in 1931 to promote the fresh pears grown in Washington and Oregon , home to 84% of the US commercial fresh pear crop. The Bureau represents over 700 grower families and partners with outlets throughout the world in an effort to increase overall success with the pear category. The organization provides marketing and merchandising expertise that is customized specifically for each retail organization, using its pear consumer research findings as well as individual store analysis using an in-house data system that measures pear category performance nationwide and third-party research to show retailers how they perform versus their competition. Retailers who are interested in partnering with Pear Bureau Northwest should contact them at info@usapears.com or 1 (800) 547-4610, as well as visit the retail trade site Trade.USAPears.org or consumer site, USAPears.org

Pear Bureau Northwest prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, political beliefs, or disability. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the Pear Bureau at (503) 652-9720.

To file a complaint of discrimination, write the USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 9410, Washington, DC, 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay).

The post Northwest Fresh Pear Industry Announces 2022 Crop Estimate and Promotions appeared first on USA Pears.

PORTLAND, Ore. – September 30, 2021 – Just in time for National Pizza Month, USA Pears is bringing back its pear pizza takeover campaign. Following a successful execution the past two seasons, resulting in greater consumer awareness of pears on pizza, the organization is bringing the campaign back for its third year. The latest iteration of the campaign includes a consumer contest on social media, influencers and bloggers creating and sharing their pear pizza recipes, and major retailers posting pear pizza content for their shoppers.

The natural sweetness and soft texture of pears is a perfect complement to the savory flavors of pizza, and USA Pears is committed to showing consumers across North America how delicious and accessible this combination can be. With many consumers still staying home and looking for simple recipes, and many others venturing out to restaurants, pizza continues to be a popular meal option.

This season’s #pearpizza campaign kicks off October 1 with a consumer social media contest, where entrants are required to share a picture of their own pear pizza creations or their orders at restaurants. The campaign also includes influencers and brand ambassadors sharing pear pizza content on the USA Pears social media channels and retailers promoting the usage of pears as a topping.

“Every year we see more and more consumers and restaurants using pears as a pizza topping in their personal kitchens and on menus. Adding fruit on pizza can still be a hot button issue for many people, but the approachable sweetness of pears, especially the 10 varieties that come from the Northwest, makes them ideal for using in savory dishes such as pizza,” said USA Pears Creative Marketing Manager Neil Ferguson. “The application of pears to the dishes we eat every day can elevate them from simple and basic to flavorful and sophisticated, not to mention adding nutritional value. There are so many delicious flavor possibilities when it comes to using pears as a pizza topping, all of which have the ability to present this classic dish in a new light.”

Though they are sometimes overlooked in savory dishes, pears are a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of recipes. The multi-faceted campaign is an effective way to engage consumers with pear content and offer an easy and delicious way to eat more pears and add more healthy produce to their pizza.

The post #PearPizza Campaign Generates Pear Excitement During National Pizza Month appeared first on USA Pears.

Celebrate National Pizza Month with our #pearpizza contest!

Watch out pineapple, pears are once again taking over as the ultimate fruit topping and you can join in to make it happen!

Enter this year’s contest and you could win your very own Ooni Pro 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven!

The post CONTEST: Take Part in the 2021 #PearPizza Takeover! appeared first on USA Pears.

“Pear growers are reporting an excellent quality crop this season with some saying it is the best they have seen in a decade,” stated Kevin Moffitt, President and CEO of Pear Bureau Northwest (PBNW). “The fruit finish for this year’s pear crop is outstanding with beautiful shape and high sugars. These attributes make for remarkable eating quality leading to a high level of consumer satisfaction. There will be a full range of sizes available, including popular large-sized fruit, smaller sizes to fill the trendy pouch bags, as well as sizes to fulfill export market demand. Our team has been working hard to get good, effective promotions up and running to get the season off to a strong start. Retailers are engaged and optimistic about the pear season, as is our team and the sales organizations we have coordinated with during recent strategy calls.”

Harvest started in early August for summer varieties like Starkrimson and Bartletts across all regions, with growers beginning to pick Bosc, Green and Red Anjou within the next two weeks. Specialty pears like Comice, Seckel, Forelle and Concorde pears will be available in September to add an array of unique and flavorful pear choices for shoppers.

The organic pear estimate is expected to come in at 1.94 million standard boxes, which is nearly 12% of the total projected Northwest crop.

“The industry is passionate about providing consumers with the best possible eating experience,” stated Moffitt. “To meet consumer demands for sweet and juicy pears to enjoy 1 to 3 days from purchase, the industry continues to expand and promote the conditioning program, which is proven to increase retail sales and enhance the consumer eating experience.” Moffitt continued.

PBNW Lead Regional Marketing Manager Bob Catinella added, “With strong momentum out of the gate, this season is off to a great start. We have a strong promotion plan in place and retailers have shown initial enthusiasm towards implementing pear promotions in-store and online.”

DOMESTIC PROMOTIONS

Making use of the latest trends and innovations in digital marketing as well as inside stores, PBNW has launched fresh promotions across the U.S. and Canada. The 2021-22 season has started with an emphasis on generating excitement around summer varieties like Bartlett and bright red Starkrimsons, using pears for back-to-school snacks, leading up to Halloween promotions. PBNW has greatly expanded its online shopping programs at retail sites over the past season and will continue to do so throughout 2021-22 with banner ads and other shopper marketing promotions. Display bins with bright, attractive graphics are beginning to be distributed to retailers around the U.S. These bins feature a QR code leading shoppers to short videos introducing the growers of USA Pears.

“Consumers continue to be very interested in knowing where their food comes from. These videos bring them right into the beautiful orchards of the Pacific Northwest to meet the growers who take such great care to bring fresh USA Pears to the marketplace,” said Moffitt.

Consumer advertising on social media channels will inspire consumers to add pears to their favorite recipes such as salads, hot cereal and even pizza with the theme that “Pears elevate everyday life.”

“While pears are incredibly versatile and can be used in a ton of recipes, we are focused on showcasing the simple application of pears to everyday dishes as a way to elevate flavor, nutrition and sense of well-being,” said PBNW Creative Marketing Manager Neil Ferguson. “Consumers want food that is easy to make and fits into the rhythm of life, and pears make a delicious addition. As always, we will continue reinforcing pear storage and ripening, providing education to consumers so they can have the best possible eating experience with pears.”

Promotions that follow will include a #PearPizza takeover in October for National Pizza Month, World Pear Day on December 5th, and baking and entertaining during the holidays.

INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS

The PBNW export team continues to look for new innovative ways to reach consumers and build on the success of the past season with its digital consumer outreach activities.

“PBNW has shifted its marketing focus to more digital consumer outreach last season and will continue that promotional pivot into the upcoming season. PBNW will have a good promotional presence in twenty export markets, with more promotional focus and priority to the close-proximity export markets – Mexico, Canada and the Central America region – which have been the leading export markets for the industry,” stated Jeff Correa, Director of Export Promotions.

The post Northwest Fresh Pear Industry Announces Exceptional Quality Harvest for 2021 appeared first on USA Pears.