One of the chief initiatives at Yakima, Wash.-based Sage Fruit Co. in 2020 pertained to sustainability, said Chuck Sinks, president of sales and marketing.

Though COVID-19 has taken away the opportunities for in-person sampling and other strategies, retailers have plenty of apple promotion options, marketers say.

A black pickup truck emerged from the dawn fog on a chilly December morning, pulling into the hotel driveway in upstate New York. In the driver’s seat was Jim Allen, vice president marketing at New York Apple Sales.

For apple marketers, “buy local” isn’t just a quaint trend; it’s a key to success, even if the definition of “local” varies from market to market.

U.S. fresh market apple holdings on Jan. 1 totaled 103.97 million (42-pound) bushels, according to the U.S. Apple Association.

Apple marketers say they love social media, but they note there’s a problem: overcrowding.

Sales weren’t the problem for organic apples in 2019, but markets were, said Addie Pobst, organic integrity and logistics coordinator with Mount Vernon, Wash.-based Viva Tierra Organic Inc.

Apple marketers see the Cosmic Crisp as not only a new star on the business horizon, but also as a variety with other-worldly profit potential.

Fresh apple holdings on Dec. 1, 2019 totaled 118.3 million bushels, or 15% higher than a year earlier.

It’s not very often that you come across a “game-changing” product that actually delivers everything it promises.