Below are some notes from Red Tomato’s work with apple growers in the North Eastern US. I thought that some of you may be interested to see how they’ve built sales since 2004. Also note the date that they require grower records be submitted — August 1st! (If you haven’t submitted your records yet for our project, pls do so ASAP.)For more information or to indicate your interest in working with Red Tomato, contact Tom Green directly – his contact information is on your project contact list and at the end of this post.
1. Red Tomato apple sales were 7000 cases in 2004, 16,000 in 2005 and 24,000 in 2006, an increase of more than 300%. Total Red Tomato 2006 apple sales were $625,000, 95% of which were ECO APPLES.
2. Red Tomato completed a trade show display and revised the consumer brochure and packaging. Aaron Clark was featured on the cover of American Fruit Grower. ECO APPLES also received mention in Edible Boston and the NY Apple Association’s monthly newsletter Core Report.
3. In 2007, the ECO APPLE project can accommodate participation by direct marketers who are willing to take responsibility for their own marketing. These growers will follow the protocol, undergo an on-site inspection towards the end of the growing season, pay the certification fee and if approved, will be able to use ECO APPLE packaging with a nominal fee to Red Tomato.
4. All growers have submitted required documentation for 2006 season and been approved for marketing ECO APPLES.
5. About 15 prospective growers have been identified to evaluate as potential new participants in 2007, including a dozen in NY, one in PA, one in ME and one in VT. Michael is contacting these growers by phone and expects to narrow down the list to a few key prospects to meet with in January.
6. Certification procedures to be revised to include first year on-site inspection and every third year thereafter. In intervening years, application and scouting records must be submitted by August 1 for review, or an inspector will be assigned for an on-site visit at additional cost to the grower. This will ensure we are not marketing fruit that have not met the protocol. In 2006, some records were not received until well after harvest.
7. Comparisons (CAR, SAI grants) will be made for baseline (prior year) vs. protocol (current year) for ECO APPLE growers that put entire orchard into program. Same year comparisons may also be developed for protocol vs. non-participating blocks in the same or nearby orchards where possible.
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Thomas A. Green, PhD, CCA, TSP
IPM Institute of North America Inc.
US EPA PESP National Champion 2004-2005
1914 Rowley Ave.
Madison WI 53726
608 232-1528
Fax 608 232-1530
www.ipminstitute.org
Red Tomato successes
