Promoting Northwest Pears

Promoting Northwest Pears

Promoting Northwest Pears

I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

We had the chance to speak recently with the new marketing and communication director for Pear Bureau Northwest, Kathy Stephenson, at the NW Hort Expo. When asked how she plans on promoting pears here in the Northwest, where so often more attention is given to apples and cherries, Stephenson had this to say.

STEPHENSON: There's no question that's something that I'm exploring much more and asking questions. So if I have a shopping basket and I'm buying my different varieties of fruits, what will a pear replace in my basket; am going to decide on top, or is it going to replace the purchase of an apple. I'm really exploring that, because that is something I think that is very important - is that we certainly understand our position in the shoppers' basket. We do know that we've got heavy buyers and they do purchase most of our pears across the country, so we're always trying to increase their purchases, but we would love to be able to be a more frequent buy in everyone's basket.

Stephenson says that a continuing message that PBN works to convey to consumers is how to purchase the perfect pear.

STEPHENSON: We're always increasing our opportunity for communicating ripeness for pears. People need to understand how to enjoy their pear at the perfect, juicy, healthy, sweet point and for us to to be able to continue to communicate how to check the neck of the pear and if you press it just slightly and you can tell if that pear is ready to eat. That's always going to be the number one opportunity for the Pear Bureau, so that people are enjoying the pear when they do bring it home.

That's Washington Ag Today.

I'm Lacy Gray with the Ag Information Network of the West.

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