Walmart Apple Fest Showcases Commitment to Local Produce

In a bid to make it easy to enjoy this fall’s harvest, Walmart is hosting a celebration of all things apple in 2,000 stores nationwide via an Apple Fest that will run throughout the month of October.

Participating stores are featuring in-store events on four special days -- Oct. 2, Oct. 4, Oct. 10 and Oct. 11 -- which will include special savings on apples and apple products, recipes, and samples of exclusive Paula Deen branded baked goods. In addition, the Bentonville, Ark.-based global retailer is also highlighting produce from its network of over 200 local growers, which the chain says supplies more than 5,000 pounds of apples in each store nationwide. Walmart helps customers easily identify locally grown fruits and vegetables through signs that include official state-grown marks, indicating approval by their state’s agriculture department.

As the largest purchaser of local produce in the country and the top customer of American-grown agriculture, Walmart will purchase more than $430 million in locally grown produce from across the United States.

DeDe Priest, SVP of Walmart’s Perishable Foods Division, said the sampling aspect of the Apple Fest celebration helps familiarize shoppers with the many different apple varieties it offers, “so they can try something new and take home what they need. Research shows a regular consumption of fruits and vegetables is an important part of a balanced diet and lowers the risk of certain types of diseases,” continued Priest, adding, “Apples are also a tasty and convenient option when you have the urge to snack.”

During Apple Fest, Walmart will also offer samples of such Paula Deen baked goods as Apple Crunch Top Pie. The product line is affordably priced between $3 and $7.50.

But Apple Fest offers more than just nutrition and good taste, noted Priest, citing the specific products that will offer “real savings to shoppers.” Fresh apple varieties, including Honeycrisp, Gold Delicious, Fuji, Jonagold and Cortland, will be priced at $1 to $1.98 per pound; three-pack candy/caramel apples, will go for $2.50; and 3-pound bags of apple varieties, including Gala, Red Delicious, Granny Smith will cost $2.50 to $2.77; 1-gallon apple cider will retail for $3.98; while over in the Walmart bakery, apple fritter breakfast bread and apple caramel lava cake will be $2.50 each.
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