Merchandising Corner

Seasonal Changeover: Apple Displays

Fall is approaching, and it’s time to switch from your seasonal summer displays to more fall focused items like new crop California-grown apples. Try some of these merchandising suggestions to keep your apple displays fun and eye-catching.

• Decorative baskets help create displays with multiple levels. This allows you to merchandise and clearly label several varieties of apples. Consider adding a small display to your larger set of the more popular new crop apples like Gala, Fuji, and Granny Smith.
• Cheese pairs well with apples and is easy to work into displays. Dry cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano and aged Gouda can sit out of refrigeration for short periods of time, which makes them a perfect cross-merchandising item in any display.
• Contrasting color breaks will draw attention to heirloom varieties and make the whole display pop. Retail signage also helps customers get to know a new or lesser-known variety.
• As Halloween nears, consider building a caramel apple endcap to keep apple excitement going. Merchandise with ingredients like condensed milk, wooden popsicle sticks, caramels, and Maldon salt for salted caramel apples!
• Cull and check daily for bruised and non-desirable fruit. The goal is to keep your displays fresh and fully stocked.