03/09/06 Grapples in Wal Mart

The Washington Extra Fancy Fuji enhanced with a grape flavoring, better known by its trade name, the Grapple, has becoming more prominent in the retail realm over the last year. Several prominent grocery chains have been carrying Grapples in their single, four pack clam-shell, and full box packaging. And a promotion connection to Disney films such as "National Treasure" and "Chicken Little" have also raised the Grapple's awareness to the consumers minds. But according to Blair McHaney of the Grapple's marketing company, Get-Fit-Foods, his company is just awaiting word on when its product will be rolled out in what may be its largest commercial opportunity yet. MCHANEY: Wal-Mart is going to be introducing the product at 1,500 stores, ten boxes per store. And their intention is to put it in "action alley", or the walk way that's so busy right as you get past the check out counters as you're coming into the store. The placement, according to McHaney, is to test the consumer's response to the Grapple, and in turn, determine the type of future the Grapple has in Wal-Mart stores. MCHANEY: Then at that point, what we expect is that they'll measure the velocity of how it moved, and maybe it ends up in all their stores, maybe it ends up in a third of them, we're sure hoping it ends up in all of them though. McHaney also admits that parent company C and O Nursery is conducting research and development on other potential flavors of Grapples, but stops short of saying what flavors are next, and how soon those new products would be introduced. MCHANEY: We bought Grapples, my kids love them, and since then, we have tried five different apple varieties, so that kind of really underscored for us, one of the great benefits of a product like this..