Throughout February, in-store promotions and sampling serve as a delicious reminder of the importance of supporting local growers
This February, shoppers browsing the produce aisle of their local grocery store are in for a big treat – it’s Apple Month! It might be the dark days of winter for most Western Canadians, but naturally delicious B.C. Tree Fruits apples are still available fresh, giving consumers the opportunity to support local farmers while shopping for fruit for their families.
During Apple Month, shoppers will notice enticing displays of B.C. Tree Fruits apple varieties available at this time of year, including Ambrosia, Fuji, Granny Smith, McIntosh, Red Delicious, Royal Gala and Spartan. Consumers will be able to sample the Ambrosia variety in stores during the month. Ambrosia is a homegrown original, discovered in an orchard in British Columbia, which is becoming more and more popular each year. Ambrosia-inspired recipe cards will be available for consumers, with further recipes available on the BCTree.com site.
“At this time of year, it’s a bit more challenging for those of us who like to buy local produce where possible,” said Adrian Abbott, Director of Marketing & Industry Relations at B.C. Tree Fruits. “But choosing one of the many varieties of B.C. Tree Fruits apples available in the produce aisle gives you the chance to continue to support an important local industry.”
Not only are B.C. Tree Fruits apples still available fresh in supermarkets at this time of year, they offer the ultimate in delicious, portable, nutritious eating. With more fibre than a bowl of oatmeal and superb anti-oxidant properties, grabbing an apple or incorporating them into an easy recipe ensures that your family will benefit from the astonishing goodness of apples.
Apple Month promotional materials will reflect the brand’s new image – look for the organic colours and heritage photographs sourced from the B.C. Orchard Museum in Kelowna on the revitalized packaging. The refreshed brand identity, launched in November 2010, reflects the brand’s core values of quality and taste. Materials include everything from sturdy kraft paper bags for shoppers to fill with apples, through to shipping boxes, point of purchase displays, marketing materials and a redesigned website.
What makes apples bearing the BC Leaf sticker different from other apples in the produce aisle? They have undergone B.C. Tree Fruits’ strict quality control and grading to make sure that they are reliably of the highest standards. It starts out in the Okanagan orchards of the co-operative’s 800 growers, with standards for planting, pruning, fertilizing and picking, and continues through to the packinghouse with Food Safe handling procedures. B.C. Tree Fruits’ apples are the best and most trustworthy local apples that consumers can buy at their neighbourhood supermarket.
About B.C. Tree Fruits
In addition to being one of the largest apple shippers in North America, B.C. Tree Fruits markets many other fresh tree fruits including pears, cherries, apricots, peaches, prune plums and nectarines. The organization also markets and distributes other B.C.-grown fruit including table grapes and blueberries.
B.C. Tree Fruits’ head office is based in Kelowna, British Columbia. The organization also operates with an additional sales office in Toronto, Ontario, and has established international representatives to assist in exporting B.C.’s quality produce to countries around the world.
