CMI Orchards reports Juici selling season off to a strong start

Wenatchee, Wash.-based CMI Orchards has reported a strong start to the Juici apple season.

Sales performance so far is already showing almost double the gains over last year, according to a news release.

“Juici blends perfectly balanced sweetness and acidity, with a light Honeycrisp-like texture,” CMI’s Vice President of Business Strategy Loren Foss said in the release.

Retailers adding Juici to their apple assortment can capture incremental sales by delivering on quality, flavor and the excitement that comes with a limited availability item, Foss said.

“It’s no surprise the apple stands out, with parents like Honeycrisp and braeburn — two solid apples with huge consumer followings,” Foss said. “Juici combines the very best attributes of both varieties.”

Retailers will benefit from another four months of the variety’s availability, with Juici deliveries expected through May, according to the release.

Senior Marketing Manager Danelle Huber said in the release that Juici continues to grow market share.

“The latest NielsenIQ 52-week report ending on [Dec. 30, 2023,] shows a 94.2% increase in sales and an 83.7% increase in volume year over year across the U.S,” Huber said. “Introducing Juici presents an opportunity to revitalize category sales lost to deflation, offering consumers a high-quality alternative while safeguarding the market’s premium apple segment."

Originating from Washington state, Juici apples were developed two decades ago. In 2017, under Jim Thomas’s leadership, Starr Ranch Growers introduced the variety to the market, and today, Juici apples are exclusively available through CMI Orchards, the release said.

“Washington state’s superior harvest and CMI’s rigorous standards means only the best fruit are going to be hitting the shelves,” Foss said. “When you have an apple like Juici in the produce department — hitting every mark on flavor and quality — you’ll no doubt see that reflected back at the register in dollar gains.”