What Are Conditioned Pears?
Conditioned pears are those that have been brought to the "just starting to ripen" state, termed "breaking" point. This is not to be confused with pre-ripened pears.
The conditioning process is a completely natural one. It consists of placing boxes of pears in an environmentally controlled room where humidity and temperature are closely regulated. The conditioning takes place with the introduction of ethylene gas, a naturally occurring gas that pears and other fruits (like bananas or citrus) produce during the ripening process.
Why Condition?
Some customers resist purchasing fresh produce items that they cannot take home and eat immediately, or very soon. This applies to both Bartletts and other winter pears even though Bartletts are more familiar to shoppers, and it is generally understood that they will turn yellow (or dark red for the red varieties) when they ripen.
Winter pears present an additional obstacle to consumer understanding because there is little discernible color change to indicate ripeness. Anjou pears will remain green even when they are perfectly ripe, traditionally a fruit color that conveys a lack of ripeness. So if a consumer can count on their pears being ripe a few days from purchase, they will be more likely to add pears to their regular shopping list
Anjous can be shipped pre-conditioned by your shipper or warehouse, or can be conditioned at your stores. If you plan to condition them yourself, download a copy of the complete USA Pear Conditioning Guidelines, or contact the Regional Manager in your area for more information.
Conditioned Anjous
Once Bartletts start to ripen the process can't be stopped. Winter pears on the other hand, can be brought close to the breaking point, or conditioned, and then chilled back to 30 degrees F (-1 degree C) where they will then have about as much storage life as non-conditioned pears.
So what's the benefit? Once brought out of chilled storage, conditioned pears will take only 2 to 4 days to become fully ripe, instead of the 7 to 10 days typically needed for non-conditioned pears.
Faster Selling Anjous
With conditioned pears, your shoppers can purchase pears very nearly ripened and ready to eat. They will come back sooner for their next purchase because they are spending less time waiting for pears to ripen.
Minimized Shrinkage
Your conditioned pears will turn far more rapidly as shoppers become confident of purchasing nearly ready-to-eat USA Pears. Work your displays of conditioned pears just as you do your supplies of regular pears, keeping the riper pears to the top and front.
Increase Volume Sales
Conditioning pears broadens the consumer's "window-of-use" opportunity, advancing it forward several days closer to the time of purchase. Shoppers will select pears having a range of ripeness levels; they'll have the option of buying pears for both more immediate uses as well as a supply for later uses.
Getting Started
Discuss the program with your shipper, or contact your Pear Bureau Regional Manager for more information. The Pear Bureau can provide you with display material and complete program information.
Download a copy of the USA Pear Conditioning Guidelines.
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