Melissa’s exclusive Waterloupe melon drives double-digit growth
The premium melon category is getting a boost from an increasingly popular newcomer. Melissa’s Produce reports a successful launch for its exclusive Waterloupe melon since the variety’s debut this month.
The Los Angeles-based company said the variety is creating opportunities for both growers and retailers by extending the marketing window and driving strong shopper interest.
Waterloupes combine the appearance of a cantaloupe with the texture of a watermelon, helping them stand out in a crowded produce department, the firm stressed.
“Consumer response has been very positive as a result of overall consumer demand for this more unique variety,” Robert Schueller, Director of Public Relations at Melissa’s, told FreshFruitPortal.com. “We have seen double-digit growth on this variety since its introduction to the consumer marketplace nationally”.
The positive results come as specialty melons attract increased attention from shoppers looking beyond traditional offerings within the category. According to Melissa’s Circana retail scan data, there are strong velocity gains among emerging varieties of the fruit.
Against this backdrop, the company’s melon program recorded sales increases of 68 percent in the second quarter and 66 percent in the third quarter last year.
Waterloupes making a melon splash
Melissa’s is positioning its Waterloupes as a differentiated option within the premium melon segment, Schueller explained. The company introduced the fruit in a one-count vexar bag with a scannable UPC (barcode) to improve merchandising and checkout accuracy while reinforcing its premium positioning.
Schueller attributed the variety’s appeal to its eating characteristics.
“Sweetness, its flavor, especially its watermelon-like texture and overall desirable taste,” he noted of the product’s key features.
The melon features a green rind with dense cream netting and bright orange-yellow flesh. Melissa’s sources the product from domestic growers and expects availability from June through October.
A longer season, bigger opportunities
The company believes the variety can help retailers extend premium melon promotions through the summer and early fall, thanks to the product's expanded production window.
Melissa’s said the extended season provides retailers with an opportunity to maintain momentum in the melon category while offering shoppers a differentiated product during peak summer demand.
Along with the Tiara and Orange Candy melons, the Waterloupe is one of the firm’s several newer melon varieties entering the market as suppliers look to capitalize on growing consumer interest in premium produce with distinctive flavor and texture profiles.
*All photos courtesy of Melissa's Produce.
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