In the apple arena, the Cosmic Crisp variety is poised to become the next Honeycrisp.
Garden-Variety Favorites and New Bloomers
Familiar favorites dominate fresh fruit sales, with per capita eating occasions led by bananas, apples, strawberries and oranges, according to the PBF findings.
However, even as consumers enjoy the classics, buzzworthy new varieties often gain traction on social media and spill over into real demand at grocery. Over the past few years, interesting varieties and hybrids like Cotton Candy grapes, Tangelos and Meyer lemons have caught consumers’ attention.
What kind of new or interesting fruits should retailers be looking for this summer, at the height of fruit production in many parts of the United States?
Tropical fruits should be hot, aligning with tropical fruit flavors that are trending in other types of food and beverage categories. In addition to tropical fruit stalwarts like pineapple, mango and grapefruit, grocers can look to reinvigorate their produce sections with tropical items that have grown in popularity, like guava, passion fruit, persimmon, papaya and lychee, among others.
Growers are working on innovative varieties in these segments. For instance, Frieda’s Specialty Produce, of Los Alamitos, Calif., has recently launched new Honey and Snow Dragon lychee and Rambas rambutan at retail.
“I’m excited to be making up for lost time with my grandkids, and whether we’re lounging by the poolside or picnicking in the backyard, you can be sure I’m always introducing them to new fruits,” notes Allen DeMo, Frieda’s director of grower relations and business development. “This year I’m excited to introduce them to lychees and rambutan, by far the freshest and juiciest, I’ve ever seen.”
In the apple arena, the Cosmic Crisp variety is poised to become the next Honeycrisp. A cross between the Honeycrisp and Enterprise varieties, the Cosmic Crisp will be the focus of a summer retail campaign highlighting its versatility as an ingredient in apple “burgers,” as well as drinks, potato salad and pies.
“It took over 20 years of classic breeding, research and development through Washington State University to perfect the Cosmic Crisp apple, and it’s only been on retail shelves for a total of 12 months,” remarks Kathryn Grandy, chief marketing officer for Proprietary Variety Management, the Yakima, Wash.-based company leading marketing efforts for the brand. “Our strong performance in the category is a testament to consumer reception of this new apple. With higher volumes and additional secondary products coming, the Cosmic Crisp will continue to differentiate the retailers that merchandise and promote the brand.”
Meanwhile, following the success of Cotton Candy grapes, grocers can keep an eye on novelty table grape varieties, such as new Julep grapes boasting a spicy flavor, and Kokomo grapes offering a tropical taste. “There was a dramatic increase in patented table grape varieties from 27% in 2014 to 52%,” observes Heidi de Villiers, commercial manager for table grapes Africa and Middle-East at Bakersfield, Calif.-based International Fruit Genetics (IFG).
On another front, as plant-based alternatives gain a firm foothold in the meat category, jackfruit can be merchandised as a substitute in dishes meant to resemble pulled pork or gyros. Summer is a good time to promote jackfruit, both as a meat alternative that can be grilled or as a fruit that can be added to a light salad.