Crunch Pak, an innovative Washington apple processing company and advocate for healthy snacking, is introducing a new organic, kid-centric packaging option to its lineup, showcasing Bluey, the very popular animated television series character from Australia.

Expected to debut this spring at select Walmart and Sam’s Club locations, the initial rollout will include both a 12-ounce gusseted bag and a two-pound resealable tray of Organic Peeled Sweet Apple Slices.

Crunch Pak has long partnered with popular movie and television characters that appeal to kids to increase visibility on the shelf while also encouraging healthy snacking. Among some of the characters featured on Crunch Pak products are Toy Story's Woody and Buzz Lightyear as well as Mickey Mouse.

Founded more than two decades ago by longtime tree fruit growers in Washington’s apple country, Crunch Pak’s game-changing innovation involved offering apple slices in convenient packs that would appeal to kids, making healthy snacking fun. Since then, Crunch Pak has continued on its mission to innovate, expanding to new sizes and product offerings.

Andy Kimbrel, Crunch Pak’s vice president of sales and marketing, said becoming a Bluey licensee and extending the line to include organic products is a natural progression of the company’s marketing strategy. He said BBC's Bluey is the No. 1 most-streamed show in the four-year history of Nielsen’s streaming charts. Since BBC became a licensee in October and Crunch Pak started selling products featuring Bluey, the Bluey Crunch Pak quickly became the company’s fastest-growing licensed product. Kimbrel said statistics prove that shoppers are 78 percent more likely to buy the product when it includes a recognizable character such as Bluey.

Andy Kimbrel, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Crunch Pak

Mayra Barajas, a marketing specialist for Crunch Pak, explained the company’s value proposition for OPN Connect. “We’ve made it our mission to provide simple and healthy snacking options to our consumers that make healthy snacking convenient and fun.”

She added that Crunch Pak first changed the snacking industry by offering easy-to-eat, freshly sliced apples as a healthier way to snack. Now the company has taken that healthier-snacking strategy to the next level by pairing its apples with other fresh fruit, cheeses, meats, nuts, and more. This option is designed to appeal to a generation that wants easy-to-eat, good-for-you snack and meal options.

Mayra Barajas, Marketing Specialist, Crunch Pak

Kim Green, marketing and creative manager for the Wenatchee, Washington-based company, said the rollout of the organic Bluey products will be accompanied by social media and influencer campaigns to help create awareness and drive sales. "Unique to this product in addition to its adorable and recognizable character artwork, we integrated a QR code on the front of the 12-ounce bag to increase engagement beyond the purchase, offering fun and free downloadable content, like games and activities, for the entire family,” she said.

Kim Green, Marketing and Creative Manager, Crunch Pak

Kimbrel said Crunch Pak’s potential collaborations with licensees are well vetted to make sure the character aligns with the company’s values, and the products being licensed work well with the character’s image. While Kimbrel is confident that the Bluey products will enjoy success, he said these programs are constantly being evaluated to determine their value and possibility for expansion. He added that the Bluey promotion will include specific back-to-school messaging in late summer, which will offer an excellent opportunity to evaluate its effectiveness later in the year.

“We’ve made it our mission to provide simple and healthy snacking options to our consumers that make healthy snacking convenient and fun.” Mayra Barajas

He noted that the organic option creates an additional sales point that appeals to a segment of shoppers, especially moms with children, and perfectly conforms to Crunch Pak’s healthy snack reputation. Crunch Pak has been offering organic apple slices as part of its portfolio since the company was founded.