Fruitnet’s Chris White catches up with West Mathison, president of US supplier Stemilt, and finds out how the company is using a new pear rooted in pure enjoyment to tackle a worrying decline in consumption among younger consumers.
For Mathison, Happi represents a much-needed, modern alternative in a category where some varieties date back centuries, and sometimes innovation isn’t so evident. As he explains, it brings a combination of superior eating quality, contemporary branding, and a sense of fun that should chime with Gen Z and Millennials.
Plus, for growers it offers resistance to fire blight and psylla, as well as strong yields, excellent pack-outs, and greater scuff resistance – making it especially well-suited for organic farming and improved farm economics.
It’s just the latest example of Stemilt’s thirst for innovation, Mathison says, a strategy driven by curiosity and a commitment to developing the next generation of snacking fruit.
