Sunkist Celebrates New Citrus Season at 2016 PMA Fresh Summit Convention + Expo

October 10, 2016, Orlando, FL With consumers focused on fresh, bold flavors, demand for citrus continues to grow.  According to IRI Worldwide Data, citrus category growth out-performed fruit and produce category growth in both volume and dollar sales over the past year, so the opportunity is ripe for Sunkist to preview this year’s Sunkist® citrus crop at the 2016 PMA Fresh Summit Convention + Expo.

“PMA marks the beginning of a new citrus season, so this is a great time for us to connect with our customers and discuss opportunities to capitalize on demand,” says Joan Wickham, Director of Communications for Sunkist Growers. “We are excited to kick off the season and showcase trends and marketing initiatives.”

Sunkist Navel orange season begins in mid-October. Navel oranges, refreshingly sweet and juicy, are the most popular and widely known citrus fruit in the world. Seedless and easy to peel, Navel oranges make for a tasty and nutritious snack, while also serving as a wonderful ingredient for fresh, seasonal recipes.

Additionally, Sunkist Satsuma mandarins will be showcased at Sunkist’s booth. These easy-peel mandarins are sweet, seedless and bursting with flavor, making them a consumer favorite. They are also packed full of Vitamin C— with just one Satsuma mandarin providing you with a full day’s supply!

Thought to be a cross between a regular lemon and a mandarin, Meyer lemons will also be showcased by Sunkist at PMA Fresh Summit. Sweeter and less acidic than conventional lemons with a refreshing herbal scent, Meyer lemons are perfect for cooking, baking, and beverages. Sunkist offers quality, fresh lemons year-round as well as a portfolio of specialty lemons with seasonal availability including Seedless and Zebra® brand (pink variegated) to meet growing demand for this versatile household staple.

As consumer demand for organic citrus continues to increase, Sunkist growers are increasing production of organic citrus varieties. The cooperative currently offers a broad portfolio of organics including Navel, Cara Cara Navel and Valencia oranges, mandarins, Minneola tangelos, grapefruit, lemons and limes.

“Consumers are looking for seasonal items in the produce department,” said Sunkist Director of Retail Marketing, Julie DeWolf. “Retailers can generate excitement around citrus season by leveraging point of sale materials such as posters and secondary display units, coupled with sampling, to educate consumers about seasonality, nutrition information and flavor profiles of seasonal varieties.”

For retailers looking to capitalize on seasonal citrus varieties, Sunkist will preview specialties that come into season during the winter months including Cara Cara Navel oranges, blood oranges and Minneola tangelos – unique specialty items that respond favorably to promotion.

Showcasing how delicious and versatile Sunkist citrus is as an ingredient, Sunkist will be sampling citrus recipes courtesy of Chef Jill Davie, including an Orange Chorizo-Spiced Burger Bowl and a Lemon-Coconut Soup with Butternut Squash, Tomatoes and Basil Shrimp. Additionally, refreshing beverages will be served courtesy of Chef Kathy Casey including a Lemon Lavender Soda in the morning and a California Mai Tai, made with freshly squeezed oranges, lemons and limes, in the afternoon.

To learn more about Sunkist citrus, visit booth 2643 or www.sunkist.com.

###

Sunkist Growers is a citrus marketing cooperative, founded in 1893, which is owned by and operated for thousands of family farmers growing citrus in California and Arizona.

SUNKIST and ZEBRA are registered trademarks of Sunkist Growers, Inc., USA. ©2016

Download PDF