12/19/05 Pear promotions in Mexico, Part two

"Check the neck for ripeness" is U.S.A. Pears catch phrase for consumers to make sure they have a ripe pear for eating. But having ripened ready pears, and the means to ripen at even the retail level, has really been an emphasis for both the domestic fresh pear and retail industries in recent years. But according to U.S.A. Pears' Jeff Correia, retailers and wholesalers from their largest export market, Mexico, are asking to have ripening training programs. CORREIA: Some Mexican wholesalers and retailers have expressed an interest in ripening Anjou's in Mexico for the retail market. And so the plan is to host training seminars with those interested parties on how to properly ripen Anjou's in Mexico. The ripening training seminars are a continuation of work started last season in Mexico by U.S.A. Pears. The seminars are a component of U.S.A. Pears trade education program. It is a program that led last season to seventy-seven seminars with nine retail chains in Mexico, and resulted in a greater knowledge of pears and ability to display pears from a sales standpoint. Correia believes that the work in the U.S. and Mexico is only the beginning for the pear ripening training program. CORREIA: And based on the success of the ripe program in the U.S., the Pear Bureau thinks this program could be very successful in Mexico, and eventually in other export markets. More on pear promotions in Mexico will be discussed in future programs.