News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
DATE:
 February 14, 2018
CONTACT: Kathy Romanowski
7166355577

   
NO MORE TEARS, SUNIONS™ ARE HERE
First Tearless & Sweet Onion Grown in the US is Now Available in Buffalo, Rochester, & Syracuse

(Parma, ID) February 14, 2018 – Wipe your eyes and hang up your goggles – Sunions, America’s first tearless and sweet onion is available at Tops grocery stores across New York State.

A breakthrough product, Sunions are a game-changer in the kitchen offering an onion that is not only tearless, but sweet with a great crunch and consistently delicious flavor. Just how important is a tearless onion? “How can you cut an onion without crying?” is the most commonly asked question of the National Onion Association. In fact, the question produces more than 1.1 million Google search results and related how-to videos currently total more than six million views on YouTube.

Sunions are not a genetically modified product and were grown through an all-natural cross-breeding program over the course of three decades. Unlike all other onions, Sunions become sweeter every day. Volatile compounds in onions are responsible for tearing and pungent flavor and the amounts of those compounds in other onions remain the same or increase over time. In Sunions, these compounds do the exact opposite and decrease to create a tearless, sweet and mild onion.

“This onion is the product of more than 30 years of research and development to grow an onion that actually decreased in pungency during storage,” said Sunions breeder Rick Watson.

Sunions are currently grown only in Nevada and Washington. Their tearless quality and incredible flavor profile that is consistently sweet, mild and crunchy is all thanks to a tightly-controlled brand promise that Sunions must be certified to be both tearless and sweet before shipping to grocery stores. This certification process is unique to Sunions and sets them apart from all other onions on the market. Sunions are available now in select markets, including Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse, New York and will be available until March or April, depending on supply.

“We’re dedicated to providing the best onion experience, which is why we’ve established such strict rules with Sunions growers,” said Lyndon Johnson, crop manager for onions at Bayer Vegetable Seeds. “We want to differentiate Sunions from all other onions and be sure we maintain our brand promise to deliver an onion that is truly tearless and sweet.”

Sunions were put to the test last year at trials where they were chopped and compared to a leading onion variety by consumers pre-disposed to tearing when cutting onions. Sunions were preferred five to one and rated significantly less irritating to the eyes compared to the other onion.

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“Surprisingly I did not tear up as I’d expected to,” said one participant. “How could it not make me cry and still smell like a real onion?” asked another. “Hmm… No tears,” stated a third. “Usually I have to wear sunglasses to cut onions.”

"Tops is excited to be the exclusive provider of Sunions in the Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse markets," said Scott Tyo, category business manager for vegetables for Tops Friendly Markets. "Because sweet onions are such a commonly used type of onion for cooking, we anticipate that our customers will be eager to try Sunions, tear free."

Sunions are not only tearless and sweet, but crunchy and more consistently delicious from bulb to bulb than other onions. The best way to store Sunions is to place them in a dry, cool place and away from light. If stored correctly, Sunions will retain their eating quality for up to six weeks. They are ideal eaten raw with dips and on burgers and can replace any onion in recipes to add a unique sweetness to dishes – no tears required.

For more information, please visit www.iheartsunions.com.

About Sunions: Sunions, America’s first tearless and sweet onion, are a game-changer in the kitchen – no goggles or crazy hacks are needed to keep from crying. These groundbreaking onions didn’t happen by accident. In fact, Sunions are a product of more than three decades of farming, research and development. Created through natural cross-breeding, Sunions are consistently mild and crunchy with an incredible sweet flavor profile. Grown in Nevada and Washington, Sunions follow a tightly-controlled brand promise that must certify them both tearless and sweet. Then and only then, are Sunions allowed to ship to grocery stores. There are plenty of reasons to cry in this world and now onions don’t have to be one of them. For more information, visit www.iheartsunions.com.

About Tops Markets: Tops Markets, LLC, is headquartered in Williamsville, NY and operates 169 full-service supermarkets with five additional by franchisees under the Tops banner. Tops employs more than 14,000 associates and is a leading full-service grocery retailer in New York, northern Pennsylvania, and western Vermont. For more information about Tops Markets, visit the company's website at www.topsmarkets.com.

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