Aug 20, 2024

Red Tomato rebrands apples, expands EcoCertified distribution

In time for the 2024 apple season, Red Tomato has rebranded and expanded distribution of its EcoCertified line of products.

In addition to the redesign of Red Tomato’s EcoCertified fruit totes and pouches, Red Tomato broadened the scope of the certification to include a variety of fruits and value-added agricultural products, providing a more cohesive and impactful brand for consumers and growers, according to a news release.

The redesigned packaging is timed for the 2024 apple season and includes paper totes, pouches, poly bags, and master cases. “The rebrand will help consumers choose EcoCertified fruit, which means they are investing in local and sustainable growing practices. EcoCertified is a promise of amazing fruit that is both local and ecologically grown,” according to the release.

EcoCertified is designed to be a grower brand, an integral part of their marketing stories, and to build a stronger, more recognizable certification that stands for sustainable, ecologically responsible farming practices.

The updated packaging will be available in stores making it easier for consumers to identify and purchase EcoCertified products. Insights from consumer research indicate a strong preference for clear, concise labeling that highlights the product’s sustainable attributes.

The most ecological farming practices differ by locale. More than 93% of U.S. certified organic apples are grown in eastern Washington. The climate in the Eastern U.S. is more rain, diseases and insects. The national organic standards do not offer viable treatments for eastern orchards
growing at a wholesale scale, according to the release.

“EcoCertified orchards are a powerful, resilient force in our region’s food system, combining the most ecological growing practices with the best of local foods,” said Angel Mendez, Red Tomato’s executive director, said in the release.

Red Tomato partnered with the Hartman Group, a marketing research firm specializing in the natural and organic grocery industry.

Keywords such as “sustainable growing practices,” “protect pollinators,” “promote tree and soil health,” and “growers care for the land, community, and earth” were instrumental in the design process. The packaging highlights the taste, ecological practices, and local sourcing that define EcoCertified. The front of the pouch proudly states, “Happy Bees. Healthy Trees. Amazing Apples.” while the back emphasizes the rigorous ecological practices that protect bees, ensure thriving orchards, and balance vital ecosystems, according to the release.

“It’s very hard for farmers to grow apples this way,” Diane Rast, Hartman’s creative director, said in the release. “I visit the farms. I have been designing for years and I know the challenge of communicating a complex idea dealing with sustainable growing practices with just a few words and a choice illustration.”

The EcoCertified program was launched in 2005, as a partnership of non-profit Red Tomato, the IPM Institute of North America and a network of farmers, scientists and fruit experts, to advance environmentally responsible growing practices for locally grown tree fruit in the Northeast.

The program’s goal is to support growers by bringing together the local and ecological growing practices, educating the public about their value, and building a market that keeps local orchards thriving and local apples abundant.

The program has certified more than 30 Northeast orchards, representing more than 2,000 acres. EcoCertified is actively expanding to new regional chapters east of the Rockies, with a focus on the Midwest (Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois), Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.

Based in Rhode Island, Red Tomato works with partners throughout the U.S., including scientists and farmer networks, regional and national grocery stores, K-12 schools, community-based nonprofits, and other vendors. In addition to apples, Red Tomato also works with tomatoes and other vegetables.