VALENCIA, CALIF. — To celebrate the beginning of its California Star Ruby Grapefruit season, Sunkist Growers is bringing back its national display contest.

Through July, retail produce managers can enter for a chance to win one of three prizes by contacting their Sunkist sales representatives.

Citing data from Circana, Sunkist said citrus volume is up 6% mid-April compared to the same time in 2023, while total produce and total fruit are up 1% from last year.

In Sunkist’s own grapefruit-specific study, the company found that most shoppers are purchasing grapefruit for its health benefits first, followed by taste.

Source: Sunkist Growers

“We have learned a lot about grapefruit shoppers over the years, and according to a new Sunkist-commissioned study, grapefruit buyers continue to be loyal to the variety, with 50% making repeat purchases multiple times per month,” said Cassie Howard, senior director of category management and marketing at Sunkist Growers. “When speaking with shoppers, we also know that pricing, promotions in-store, and a strengthened focus on health are the key takeaways to encourage more grapefruit purchases.”

Sunkist’s study also found that the majority of grapefruit consumption is breakfast and snacking, which means retailers can focus on promoting healthy breakfast choices and different ways grapefruit can be included in a snack.

“A recent webinar from Circana focusing on The Snack Journey showed almost half of consumers snack more than three times per day, with over 70% of snacks being sourced from home,” Howard said. “We aim to be a shopper’s go-to resource for instilling healthy citrus-infused habits at home, and with snacks on the rise, our engaging social media campaigns and website content are great tools for shoppers to reference as they internally battle healthy eating versus indulgence at checkout.”

Using these insights, Sunkist has designed several tools to help retailers boost grapefruit sales.

“Sunkist’s shoppable recipe programs and merchandising toolkit feature interactive point-of-sale materials with scannable QR codes, providing shoppers with real-time recipe inspiration and utilization tips,” the company said. “With bigger sizes this season, Sunkist has expanded offerings to fit the needs of its retail partners, providing multiple bag options and customizable merchandising to not negatively impact bulk purchases.”

Source: Sunkist Growers