Sunkist increases organic, conventional mandarin production

by Tim Linden | October 14, 2019

Sunkist is set to begin the 2019-20 mandarin season in November with an expected increase in production of both organic and conventional fruit.

“This year, Sunkist Delite (its easy-peel mandarin brand) will kick off in early November and will be available through May,” said Christina Ward, the co-op’s director of global brand marketing. “The 2020 citrus season is just around the corner, and we have better sizing for consumer demand and good quality crops. We are seeing an increase in the production of the organic category, including organic mandarins.”

She added that the specialty citrus category has also seen an increase in acreage for other varieties, such as Cara Caras and Blood oranges, lending to the increase in production for the entire sector.

Ward noted that mandarins, in general, are still leading the category among consumers, and last year, organic mandarin sales were up 39 percent. “Distribution of organic mandarins continues to increase, with more than 25 percent of stores offering two-pound organic mandarin bags, a 15 percent increase over the previous season. Organic mandarins saw some growth in 2019, and we expect to see the volume continue to increase year-over-year.”

Promoting mandarins and educating consumers about the entire specialty citrus category is an on-going effort by Sunkist that is producing dividends. “We worked with many of our retail partners last season to build strong, season-long promotional plans, generating great results. In fact, promoted activity has led to double-digit growth compared to non-promoted weeks,” Ward said, adding that the holidays are a great time for retailers to promote mandarins. “Sunkist mandarin messaging says it all: ‘instant gratification. Just peel, eat and repeat,’” she said.

The industry’s longest-standing citrus marketer attempts to reach consumers in many ways, including through in-store, point-of-sale material that reflects the high-quality, California-grown brand message, and provides retailers the ability to build awareness among consumers. “Engaging with consumers at the retail level is key, and creating sampling stations where consumers can interact with the product and ask questions, and learn about the health benefits and nutritional attributes of Sunkist mandarins will help encourage purchase intent,” she said.

Last season, Sunkist collaborated with retailers to execute Gold Nugget variety mandarin promotions consisting of sampling and coupons; consumers learned about the unique flavor, taste, and versatility of this mandarin variety available in spring. Ward said that with the promotion of Cassie Howard to director of category management, Sunkist has solidified its place as a leader in the citrus space in offering category management solutions.

“By keeping on top of consumer behavior and trends, Sunkist is able to provide retailers innovative solutions and opportunities to drive consumer demand and consumption throughout the entire mandarin season,” she added.

One of the merchandising tools used to convey the Sunkist message is the Fresh from the Grove high-capacity, secondary display bin, which made its nationwide debut last season. “With a true farmer’s market feel, this display bin can hold up to three cartons of two or three-pound Sunkist giro bags,” Ward said.

The company also offers customizable promotions to fit the evolving needs at the retail level, including the quarter and square classic black bins, and flavor-circle white secondary display bins to fit the storefront and varying size space requirements of its many retail partners. Sunkist offers a wide variety of bagged mandarins as the fruit come in two-pound, three-pound and five-pound options.

Sunkist also offers an assortment of mandarin varieties. “The Sunkist Delite mandarin family consists of Clementines and W. Murcott varieties,” Ward said. “Satsuma and Gold Nugget variety mandarins are promoted as specialty mandarin varieties due to their unique flavor profiles.”