Wolcott, N.Y., February 9, 2017 – Crunch Time Apple Growers’ popular SnapDragon apples have successfully ended their season with retail partners selling out of the last of the 2016 harvest.
Crunch Time’s marketing plan focused on raising consumer awareness of SnapDragon by making it available for consumers to taste. “We know that when we get this apple in consumers’ hands and mouths, they sell themselves,” said Robin Leous, Crunch Time’s business manager.
The variety’s season launch included a partnership with the Tri-State Tough Mudder event, where samples were handed out to race participants and spectators and met with enthusiastic reviews. Crunch Time’s Leous worked the event. She commented that she’d hand passersby’s a sample and watch them walk away to take their first bite. “They would stop dead in their tracks, turn around and rave about how crunchy and tasty the apple was. Often, they’d ask for another!”
In addition to sampling at the Tough Mudder, Crunch Time also partnered with retailers to offer digital coupons and in-store sampling to their consumers. In-store demo reports and retail orders confirm that consumers love the taste and “monster crunch” that SnapDragon delivers.
Crunch Time grower and marketing director Mark Russell reports that the 2016 SnapDragon crop was slightly more than twice the size of 2015, and still sold out quickly. “The larger crop offered us the opportunity to expand our reach to more retailers, ultimately increasing our consumer reach and fan base throughout the country,” he said. Russell also commented that, “Our crop quality was excellent! The fruit was very colorful and offered a superb eating quality.” Per Russell, “we promise ‘monster crunch’ and boy does this apple deliver!.”
Created by the apple experts at Cornell University, SnapDragon is grown only by Crunch Time Apple Growers to exacting standards to ensure consumers have a great eating experience. Crunch Time’s 145 apple growers located throughout New York state began planting their orchards in 2011; with the first SnapDragon arriving in supermarkets in 2014. Production has been increasing rapidly from year to year, as new orchards mature and bear more fruit. For more information, visit crunchtimeapplegrowers.com