Here are 5 reasons why fruit fundraisers continue to be the most effective of all high profit fundraisers:

1. Almost everyone eats fruit on a daily basis.  It is part of their existing grocery budget.

2. Fruit is healthy and is considered a requirement for a healthy diet by most experts.

3. Fruit is an enjoyable refreshing treat that appeals to almost everyone.

4. Fruit baskets and mixed gift boxes make excellent gifts for companies to give to employees and customers.

5. People who buy fruit appreciate your service and will look forward to buying from you year after year.  Many groups have sold fruit for over 25 years.  There is no better fundraiser for repeat business.

Why is a fruit sale so profitable at reasonable prices?

Because fruit is perishable, grocery stores have to charge a large percentage of profit to cover spoilage. This gives you the opportunity to make a very good profit margin and still be competitive.  We have a program that minimizes your risk.  Because you are preselling the fruit, you will deliver it quickly to your customers when it arrives, minimizing the spoilage.  We also reimburse you for any spoilage reported to us.  (See below for the details) 

Our program allows you to make a profit of $2,100.00 or more on a sale of 300 cartons. 

A sale of 500 cartons (1/4 truckload) earns you a profit of $4,000.00 or more.

A full truckload of 2,000 cartons earns you a profit of $20,000.00 or more.

We ship top quality fruit from the world’s best citrus growers.  Our citrus fruit is grown in Southern TX, Southern Florida and Southern California. These three regions produce the best quality navel oranges, red grapefruit, juice oranges and tangelos available. We also ship world famous apples from the state of Washington.

Schedules and Deadlines for March 2011 Delivery.

1. Call Rick or Laurie Stepp at (800) 277-5372 or email us at Rick@800apples2.com for sales materials, work sheets and pricing.

2. Make up sales kits for each salesperson as soon as possible.  Each kit should include two tally sheets and one brochure, with your selling prices listed on the brochures and on the tally sheets.  You can use our tally sheet document on the CD that we send you to print from your computer.

We can also email you this tally sheet. Encourage your salespeople to put their brochures into a loose-leaf notebook protected by see through sheet protectors that are available at office supply stores.  The tally sheet can also be inserted in the notebook.

3. Kick off the fruit sale no later than Monday February 14th.

4. End fruit sale no later than Monday March 2, 2011 and total your orders.

5. FAX OR E-MAIL ORDER NO LATER THAN 10:00 PM CENTRAL TIME

 MONDAY March 7, 2011.

6. Send payment as outlined below to arrive to us no later than Saturday March 12th.  You will receive up to a 3% discount for paying in advance.

7. Your fruit will arrive between March 24 and March 31, 2011.

Schedules and Deadlines for December 2010 Delivery. 

For most locations in the U.S. other schedules can be arranged to meet your needs from November 16 to December 21^st if you sell more than 500 - 20 pound carton equivalents (1/4 truckload).  Call us to arrange this.

If you are located in a convenient area for shipping, we can also accommodate other ship dates with the minimum 100 – 20 pound equivalents.  Call us to arrange this.

1. Call Rick or Laurie Stepp at (800) 277-5372 or email us at Rick@800apples2.com for sales materials, work sheets and pricing confirmation for your group at least two weeks in advance of your kickoff date, no later than October 22nd.

2. Make up sales kits for each salesperson between September 6^th and October 29^th at least 3 days before your kickoff date .  Each kit should include two tally sheets and one brochure, with your selling prices listed on the brochures and on the tally sheets.  You can use our tally sheet document on the CD that we send you to print from your computer.  We can also email these documents to you.

Encourage your salespeople to put their brochures into a loose-leaf notebook protected by see through sheet protectors that are available at office supply stores.  The tally sheet can also be inserted in the notebook.

3. Kick off Sale sometime between Monday September 13 and Monday November 1, 2010.

4. End Sale no later than Monday November 22, 2010 and total your orders.

5. FAX OR E-MAIL ORDER BY 10:00 PM central time November 22, 2010, the Monday before Thanksgiving.

6. Send payment to arrive to us by Saturday November 27, 2010.  You will receive up to a 3% discount for paying in advance.  See your price quote for details.

7. Your fruit will arrive between December 8 and December 16, 2010.

For most locations in the U.S. other schedules can be arranged to meet your needs from November 16 to December 21^st if you sell more than 500 - 20 pound carton equivalents (1/4 truckload).  Call us to arrange this.

If you are located in a convenient area for shipping, we can also accommodate other ship dates with the minimum 100 – 20 pound equivalents.  Call us to arrange this.

Even if you are planning a sale for December, a spring sale is an excellent way to earn additional  funds. Competition from other groups is very low this time of year and the fruit quality is excellent. Navel Oranges, Juice oranges, Red Grapefruit, Minneola Tangelos and Washington Apples are at their peak flavor in March.

Your delivered cost, suggested price and profit:

Following are the terms, delivered cost, suggested price and profit for your fruit fundraiser.  In order to receive this pricing, we must email, fax or mail you a confirmation specific to your group by Monday November 22, 2010.  All fruit orders must be placed with us by email or fax and confirmed by us no later than 10:00 PM March 8, 2010 for the March Delivery and by 10:00 PM on Monday November 22, 2010 for the December delivery.

Grocery stores sell quality navel oranges, grapefruit and apples at prices of .99 per pound to $1.99 per pound.  The prices we are suggesting that you sell at are approximately .99 to 1.25 per pound to your customers in the 20-pound carton and approximately .89 to .99 per pound in the 40-pound carton. Your prices will be competitive.

Prices are good for shipment from January 25, 2010 through December 17, 2010.  Payment in U.S. dollars. Prices may be lower on the day that you submit your order.  These prices are given so that you can pre-sell fruit. 

If market prices are lower, we will make the adjustment at that time, resulting in more profit to your group.   

Minimum Order:  No orders for less than 100 - 20-pound equivalent cartons (2,000 pounds or more) of fruit will be accepted or shipped.  Rising fuel costs have resulted in higher freight costs.  Because of this, we have a minimum order policy.  If you fall short of the 100 – 20 pound equivalents, you may want to order extra fruit and sell it after it arrives.  We do not recommend this, but this is an option you have rather than canceling your sale. 

Prices quoted below are based on a minimum order of 300 - 20-pound equivalent cartons of fruit per delivery location. (Any combination totaling 6,000 pounds of fruit or more) Payment in US Dollars

Examples: 1. Standard cartons count as 40 pounds, therefore a 150 standard carton order would fulfill the 300- 20 pound carton minimum.  2. An order of 100 - 20 pound cartons and 100 - 40 pound cartons would also fulfill the 300 – 20 pound minimum.  A 300 – 20 pound equivalent order results in no freight service charge.

If quantity delivered is between 200 and 300 - 20 pound carton equivalents, a $200.00 delivery fee will be added to your invoice.  (A 200 - 20 pound carton order would cost $2.00 per carton more than quoted below)

If quantity delivered is between 100 and 200 - 20 pound carton equivalents, a $300.00 delivery fee will be added to your invoice.  (A 100 – 20 pound carton order would cost $3.00 per carton more than quoted below.)

The following Quantity Discounts will be given per carton based on the total quantity of fruit delivered.  

Discounts are based on the quantity delivered to each separate delivery location on each separate delivery truck:

500-999 ½ carton equivalents	Deduct $1.00 per 20 pound carton
	Deduct $2.00 per 40 pound carton
A 500 - 20 pound carton order will result in a profit of approximately $4,000.00 for your group.
1,000-1,899 ½ carton equivalents	Deduct $2.00 per 20 pound carton
	Deduct $4.00 per 40 pound carton
A 1,000 - 20 pound carton order will result in a profit of approximately $9,000.00 for your group.
Full truckload (1,900 to 2,000 ½ carton equivalents)	Deduct $3.00 per 20 pound carton
	Deduct $6.00 per 40 pound carton
A 2,000 - 20 pound carton order will result in a profit of approximately $20,000.00 for your group.

Prices quoted also include full credit to your invoice for all actual spoilage reported to us by fax, phone or email within 7 days of your delivery date.  If total spoilage exceeds 3% of any given item, it must be reported within 48 hours.  This makes it possible for us to make a claim with the grower of the fruit.  Any major problems (10% spoilage or damage of any given item) must be reported to us before accepting the fruit delivery. If any item shipped on the truck is short or damaged, you must note it on the bill of lading before signing for the merchandise and notify us within 48 hours.

Delivered cost in US dollars, recommended selling prices and profit per carton for 300 – 20 pound equivalents:

Citrus: Sold by volume not weight. Weight is approximate. 20 pound boxes are called ½ cartons. 40 pound boxes are called standard cartons.	Your delivered cost   per carton	Recommended selling price per carton	Your profit per carton
20 pound carton navel oranges 28 to 44 count	$13.00	$20.00	$7.00
20 pound red grapefruit 20 to 24 count	$13.00	$20.00	$7.00
20 pound juice oranges 28 to 66 count	$13.00	$20.00	$7.00
20 pound tangelos 40 to 70 count	$13.00	$20.00	$7.00
40 pound navel oranges 56 to 88 count	$25.00	$35.00	$10.00
40 pound carton red grapefruit 40 to 48 count	$25.00	$35.00	$10.00
40 pound carton juice oranges 56 to 138 count	$25.00	$35.00	$10.00
40 pound carton tangelos 80 to 138 count	$25.00	$35.00	$10.00

Price to your customers for citrus is approximately .99 per pound for 20 pound cartons and .89/lb. for 40 pound cartons.

Apples From Washington State	Your delivered cost per carton	Recommended selling price per carton			Your profit per carton
20 pound carton red delicious, golden delicious, granny smith.  40 to 44 apples per box.	$18.00	$25.00			$7.00
40 pound carton red delicious, golden delicious, granny smith. 80 to 88 apples per box.	$32.00	$40.00			$8.00

 Price to your customers for apples: 1.25 per pound for 20 pound cartons and .99 per pound for 40 pound cartons.  On average, apples are priced higher in the grocery stores than citrus.

Gift Fruit Program

We now ship the mixed gift boxes already packed.  If you prefer to pack mixed gift boxes yourself, you will need to call us to make special arrangements.

The brochure has a picture of our mixed gift box and gift basket.  The gift baskets are packed fresh by your group when the fruit arrives to you.  Empty gift basket kits will be shipped to you ahead of time.   

We will send you the worksheet for packing gift baskets after you have confirmed your sale with us.   The cost below is based on an order between 300 and 500 - 20 pound equivalents.  Larger orders will generate more profit per box.

Profit on mixed gift boxes & gift baskets: Following is the minimum profit you should make if you order 300 – 20 pound cartons or more. Profit will be higher if you order 500 - 20 pound cartons or more since you receive a quantity discount. Profit will be less on smaller orders.	Your cost per unit	Recommended selling price per unit	Your profit per unit
1 layer mixed gift box (approximately 10 pounds)	$12.00	$20.00	$8.00
2 layer mixed gift box (approximately 20 pounds)	$17.00	$25.00	$8.00
Mixed gift basket (approximately 10 pounds)	$15.00 to $17.00	$25.00	$8.00 to $10.00
Mixed gift basket profit will vary depending on the quantity sold.
Case of 24 wicker basket kits, includes 24 wicker baskets, 24 bows, 24 shrink wraps, 24 small packs of tissue paper.  If ordering 12 baskets or more, this will be the most economical quantity since they are shipped directly from the distributor.				$144.00  ($6.00 per basket kit)
Custom shipment of 1 to 12 basket kits can shipped at a higher cost.  This is to cover extra shipping and handling. It is much better to order full cases of 24 and save the extras for later use or make extra gift baskets and sell them after the fruit arrives.				($11.00 per basket kit)

 Payment Terms

Payment must arrive to us by cashier’s check, credit card or money order 7 days prior to your delivery date.  This may require collecting your money in advance from your customers. You will receive a 3% discount for paying on time, in advance by cashier’s check or money order. Payment in U.S. Dollars.

You will be given a 1% discount for paying on time, in advance by credit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard and Discover Card.

After placing your order with us, we will calculate the total amount due and fax or email your invoice.  You can then express mail the cashier’s check or money order.  We will reimburse you for express mail charges from your local post office.  You can also call us to request payment by credit card.

Paying in advance enables the fruit growers to give us their best quality at a competitive price, knowing they will receive prompt payment.    If you need credit terms, it can be arranged by submitting a credit application.  Credit will need to be approved four weeks in advance of your delivery date.

Please call us at 800-277-5372 if you need to make credit arrangements and we will email or fax you a credit application.  Our credit terms if approved are:  Net 21 days from delivery date.  Payments not received by our office within 30 days of delivery will be assessed a 1% service charge per 30 days until payment is received.

Fruit prices quoted are based on crop and shipping conditions remaining favorable.  In the event of a natural disaster such as a freeze, transportation crisis or a hurricane, prices or supplies are not guaranteed.  Weights are approximate.  Citrus is sold by volume; it is not sold by weight.  (1/2 carton approximately 20 lbs, Standard Carton approximately 40 lbs.)

LATE ORDERS

Each year we get late orders that are past the deadline.  We always do our best to accommodate late orders if there is still time to do so.  However, the Washington apples must be shipped to Texas and Florida in order to make the connection with the citrus trucks. 

We need the orders by these deadlines to schedule harvesting, packing, shipping and transportation for the fruit.  Late orders will be considered based on fruit availability and extra space on the delivery trucks.  If you submit your order after our deadline, a higher price than quoted may apply. 

Delivery Dates

Your delivery time and day cannot be confirmed until we make arrangements with a trucking company to deliver the fruit.   If you have not heard from the trucking company or us within 4 days of your requested delivery, it is crucial that you call us for an update.

“Just in time” arrival is the goal we strive to achieve.  It is not possible for us to guarantee that the truck will come precisely on time since any number of things could happen to cause a delay.  We may also have to ship your order for arrival on an earlier date than you have requested.  The larger your order, the better we can accommodate your requested date and time of delivery. 

It is important for you to have a backup plan in place in the event that the truck comes earlier than requested, breaks down, encounters bad weather, an accident, etc. (See instructions to trucker on order form.)

In order to prevent your fruit sale from becoming an inconvenience to your volunteers, it is crucial that you establish a team captain calling system.  We suggest that you have no more than ten sales people per team.  Have team captains who are in charge of calling everyone on their team to update them on the arrival time of the truck.  Have each team captain establish a calling list of all team members well in advance of your delivery date.

Approximately four days before your scheduled delivery we should know the delivery schedule.  At this time call us for your delivery time and activate your team captain calling system to inform team members of the scheduled delivery.  Tell them that unless they get a message regarding a potential delay, arrive to pick up their fruit approximately 1 to 2 hours after the scheduled delivery.  This will allow you time to have the unloading crew show up on time, unload the fruit, count it and prepare it for distribution.  Also, if the truck is delayed for some reason, there will be time to activate the calling system and inform your team members to come later.

We look forward to serving you this year.  Please feel free to call us at your convenience if you have questions. 

Sincerely Yours,

Rick and Laurie Stepp

Phone us toll free at: 800-277-5372 (1-800-apples-2)

Email: Rick@800apples2.com          Visit our website at: www.800apples2.com