Pear Ripening Pt 1

Pear Ripening Pt 1

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
With Today's Fruit Grower Report, I'm Bob Larson. Northwest Pears are a delicious treat that's great for you! But, getting your favorite pear to ripe perfection usually takes some time, which is sometimes an issue for consumers with an eat-it-now mentality.

But, Pear Bureau Northwest's Kathy Stephenson says putting them in a bowl and allowing them to ripen for a few days is SO worth the wait ...

STEPHENSON ... "Absolutely worth the wait. The problem comes in if people don't know that they have to wait, and then they eat a pear that isn't perfect, it might keep them from buying in the future."

Stephenson says it's that first purchase is necessary, but ...

STEPHENSON ... "We spend a lot of time in our organization thinking about, how do we create a repeat purchase? How do we get pear lovers to have a great experience and then come back and buy more? So, we have to get into their shopping cart and then we have to, at home, help them to create a really enjoyable experience."

She says pears ripeness can vary ...

STEPHENSON ... "That does vary by different retailers. Some folks are bringing in pears that are closer to ripe and they're putting them on the shelves. But, then again, how do consumers know that these pears are closer to ripe versus when they go up the street and they buy at another grocery store where the pears have been in that cold storage religiously, all the way through, and come to us in this firm, easy-to-ship form? We've got to get that pear into a lovely tasting, sweet, juicy pear, and that falls into the consumer's hands. A lot of our education's around that."

Listen tomorrow for more on why ripening pears shouldn't prevent you from enjoying them.

Previous ReportWashington Apple Commission Newsletter Pt 2
Next ReportPear Ripening Pt 2