All your grape needs in one placeBringing organic & conventional grower partnerships to market

Back-to-School Snackchat

Back-to-School Snackchat

Pack your backpacks and grab your brown paper bags! The bell is ringing, and these supply-side savants have just the study guides to make your produce aisles pass with flying colors. From the quintessential apple for the teacher to dippable cucumbers for the students, these selections are more than just the star pupils in the fresh produce department…


Brianna Shales,

Marketing Director, Stemilt

“Back-to-school time is full of excitement, and also trying to get back into routines. The produce department is poised for a back-to-school promotion focus because of all the fresh, ready-for-lunchbox snacks that fill it. We think the Rave® apple is a perfect fit for merchandising during this season. Not only is it fresh off the tree in the August and September timeframe, but this year it is THE apple to take back to school. The brand is teaming up to purchase school supply kits in several key United States markets, all while bringing awareness to consumers of the ease of packing the outrageously juicy and refreshing apple into lunchboxes. We’re excited to donate to schools while building little Rave fans one school lunch or snack at a time.”


Emily Murracas,

Director of Marketing, Mucci Farms

“Back-to-school means back to packing lunches every day! As a parent myself, I remember packing lunches for my kids and would always be on the lookout for nutritious, easy items that were convenient and perfectly sized for the lunchbox. Making food fun and exciting is key to getting the little ones to eat healthily and reinvent the wheel for lunch. Just like us, kids eat with their eyes first, so whether it’s using veggies to create animal characters or utilizing cut-outs to form shapes, there are always ways to make lunch fun and colorful! We have seen many trends posted on social media that show many ‘mom-fluencers’ building lunchboxes for their kids to provide inspiration to spruce up lunch offerings. It’s imperative that parents have options on store shelves when shopping for their kids’ lunches, which is why we have a full snacking lineup featuring our bite-sized CuteCumber Poppers that are perfect for back-to-school!”


Zanelle Hough,

Senior Director, Sales, Nature Fresh Farms

“Retailers can maximize their back-to-school earnings by following the trends and delivering on what consumers are seeking. Now more than ever, we are seeing consumers gravitate to healthy, convenient snacking options—this trend is also being carried over by parents and caregivers who are seeking these same, healthy, flavorful snacking options for children’s lunches as opposed to traditional sugary snacks. Nature Fresh Farms Snack Supplies are the perfect offerings for this back-to-school trend. Available in varieties including Medley Tomatoes, Tiny Cocktail Cucumbers, and Mini Sweet Peppers—all of which include collectible stickers and a game on each pack—these kid-friendly offerings make healthy snacking the go-to option for kids and parents alike.”


Steven Ware,

Vice President and General Manager of Value Added Fresh, Naturipe Farms

“Back-to-school is such an exciting time of year, and snacks should reflect that too! When it’s time to shop for lunches, parents and students will be looking for an easy grab-and-go snack that is both delicious and healthy. Products like Naturipe Snacks Boost and Bliss Bentos are a fantastic way to incorporate fresh fruit into anyone’s daily diet. They feature convenient packaging and are packed full of fruit, nuts, and other delicious snack foods with key nutrients. Retailers can capitalize on shopper demand for convenience by separating refrigerated snacks like this in a special back-to-school section that promotes their nutritional benefits and the delicious flavor combinations of the snacks.”