The Northwest pear crop is experiencing a rebound year, with volumes returning to average levels after a lackluster 2024. "A milder winter supported a healthy dormancy period, which led to a favorable bloom and strong fruit set," says Julieta Castillo of Superfresh Growers. "As far as organic pears, we are seeing the same positive trend as with the entire commodity, with estimated volumes up 41 percent from last year."
© Domex Superfresh Growers
It's a marked difference from last year at this time when the state was struggling with the pear supply following a harsh freeze that hit in January 2024. In turn, that caused extensive damage to the fruit and supply dropped by approximately 31 percent from its five-year average. This year, the trees have rebounded thanks to favorable weather conditions during the winter months and springtime.
As far as the timing of the crop, picking and packing Bartletts began in early August, which is similar to generally historic timing for the crop. "We are mostly picked in some districts, while still moving through the crop in other districts," says Castillo, adding that the company grows pears from the Canadian border in Washington down to Hood River, Oregon.
Update on packing operations
To help move all that fruit, this season Superfresh Growers has a new pear packing line. The state-of-the-art pre-size line was a strategic investment made in partnership with another pear packer at the company's Peshastin facility, and is designed to handle fruit more gently, significantly reducing scuffing and improving overall pack quality. "The line also offers advanced automation and flexibility, allowing us to adapt to evolving packaging types and deliver a more consistent eating experience. Most importantly, this efficiency reduces input costs—savings that go directly back to our growers," says Castillo. "As packing costs have increasingly outpaced market returns, we are focused on every opportunity to improve operational efficiency. This investment is one of many steps we're taking to bring more value back to the land and support long-term grower sustainability."
© Domex Superfresh Growers
As for the demand for those pears, it's steady with dollars up seven percent year over year on volume during the four weeks ending on August 10th, 2025. With the new crop coming in and strong volumes, the company expects this to continue moving up over the next few months. "We are putting in a lot of effort on reminding consumers how delicious and versatile pears can be, while also highlighting the nutrition benefits of enjoying a pear a day and providing education on how to identify peak ripeness to match their preferences," says Castillo.
She does add that pear marketing remains a work in progress requiring effort from packers, marketers, sales desks, and retailers alike. "Retailer data services reveal a significant gap: consumers under 30 are largely missing from the pear category," she says. "They are simply not buying pears. This insight gives us a clear direction for growth."
Connecting pears and young shoppers
So even though younger shoppers value convenience, reliability, healthy eating, and quick results, all of which pears offer, the awareness around pears is low. "Many young consumers don't know the nutritional benefits, how versatile pears can be in both savory and sweet dishes, or even how to tell when a pear is ripe and how to ripen it to their preference," she says, noting this is where the industry needs to put work in on educating younger consumers and making pears more visible to shift buying behavior. That may come in the form of front-and-center displays, just like cherries in summer, paired with in-store demos, signage that explains ripening tips, recipes, and variety spotlights, all of which will help bridge the gap and drive consumption among this crucial demographic.
© Domex Superfresh Growers
Linking pears to health trends on social media, such as "fibermaxxing" which is making the rounds on platforms such as TikTok, is another strategy worth pursuing. This movement is centered on increasing fiber intake to promote gut health, smoother digestion, and overall vitality and this puts pears in the position of being a daily source of fiber rather than supplements and powders. "Since the majority of fiber is concentrated in the skin, eating pears whole adds flavor, crunch, and extra nutrients—all while supporting a healthy gut," adds Castillo, noting that one medium pear has six grams of fiber.
Meanwhile, retail pricing for pears is stronger–Circana data from the last four weeks through 8-10-25 shows that the average retail price for the pear category is up 10 percent to $2.19/lb. "Most varieties are up year-over-year, driving this increase. Most notably, the top three varieties in volume and dollars are all up. Bartlett was up 11 percent to $2.20/lb, Anjou was up 10 percent to $2.14/lb. Bosc was up 17 percent to $2.56/lb," says Castillo.
For more information:
Julieta Castillo
Superfresh Growers
Tel: +1 (509) 966-1814
[email protected]
www.superfreshgrowers.com