The American Heart Association's Heart-Check logo is now certified for all 10 varieties of pears under the USA Pears brand. (Courtesy Pear Bureau Northwest)

The American Heart Association’s Heart-Check logo is now certified for all 10 varieties of pears under the USA Pears brand. (Courtesy Pear Bureau Northwest)

Pear Bureau Northwest announced the expansion of the American Heart Association’s heart-healthy branding to all 10 varieties of pears from the Northwest.

“We have received positive feedback from retailers and nutritionists throughout the industry since launching the heart-healthy certification of Anjou, Bartlett and Bosc pears, and we are pleased to expand the program to all of the varieties available under the USA Pears brand,” said Kathy Stephenson, marketing communications director of Pear Bureau Northwest, in a news release.

The additional varieties now certified as heart-healthy include Comice, Concorde, Forelle, Seckel, and Starkrimson pears.

Including the Heart-Check logo on all pear varieties in the program allows retailers easier use of the logo in store displays and additional opportunities to educate consumers about the heart-healthy benefits of adding pears to their diet.

“Our partnership with the American Heart Association’s heart-healthy program allows us to further promote the nutritional benefits of all 10 varieties of pears from Oregon and Washington, providing extra incentive for consumers to add pears into their shopping cart,” Stephenson said.

All USA Pears with the Heart-Check logo will be featured in promotions for American Heart Month in February and National Nutrition Month in March.

—by Jonelle Mejica