Russia is the largest country in the world. It spans 11 time zones. That means that our USA Pears office in St. Petersburg (on the Baltic Sea) is 7 hours behind our office in Vladivostok (on the Pacific Ocean)! Last year we sent over 12 million pounds of USA Pears to the Russian markets.
On special promotion days at the grocery store, Russian shoppers are greeted at the USA Pears display by babushkas, which is the Russian word for a grandmother. Because who better than your sweet and trustworthy Grandma to teach you about delicious USA Pears? And is there a grandmother in the world that isn’t a wonderful cook that can share her recipes with you?
Many Russian shoppers are women with children, so the idea is that a kind-hearted babushka invites them to try USA Pears during sampling and learn how to incorporate pears into cooking for their families. Many of the recommended dishes are served hot – notice the shoppers in parkas and fur coats. Russian winters are cold! Based on my experience with my own grandma and the responses in Jenny’s November blog, pears can fill your kitchen (and your heart!) with love and warmth. Cheesy-sounding but true!
