Post-War Marketing of BC Apples
Marketing of British Columbia apples in the 1950s and 1960s took a new turn. Gone were the messages about patriotism and the dominant image became healthy, happy, rosy-cheeked children.
The B.C. Apple Recipe Book (circa 1960) was edited by Dorothy Britton, home economist at the Canada Experimental Farm in Summerland BC. It contained recipes for desserts, cakes, cookies, breads, salads, jams and relishes; and information on common varieties of apples.
Another strategy for marketing British Columbia fruit in the post-World War II era was to encourage home canning. See the article “Selling B. C.’s Fruit: Home Canning Recipes from B.C. Tree Fruits Ltd.” by Mary Leah de Zwart and Linda Peterat in the Research Papers section of this website. The article reviews four booklets developed by Dorothy Britton and Alice Stevens.
Usually the recipe booklets were provided complimentary by the retail outlet that sold the apples.
An apple and pear slicer was available from B.C. Tree Fruits about the same time since it also featured the same healthy, happy rosy-cheeked children on the box that held it. The slicer appears to have been a gift from retailers although the box for it explains that if you would like to have additional slicers for your friends that you should send 25 cents for each slicer required. They may have been free or have required a small fee for purchase.
The apple corer available for 25 cents.
Apple corer box
It’s likely that The B.C. Apple Recipe Book (circa 1960)was one of the last booklets that emphasized the marketing of apples alone. Sun-Rype was becoming the marketing arm of B.C. Tree Fruits and was interested in promoting a diverse range of fruits and fruit products. Marketing focused on apples alone began to decline.
