Conversations at United — Michael Castagnetto with Robinson Fresh

Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Robinson Fresh had been laying the groundwork to help customers handle more e-commerce business since before the pandemic, and at the United Fresh Live! virtual trade show they talked with booth visitors about their findings and programs in that area, among other topics.

“We were on the forefront of prioritizing omnichannel and e-comm programs prior to the COVID outbreak, and really we’re seeing the benefits of that work and our research and data and analytics around that aspect of the industry,” said president Michael Castagnetto.

“It’s a topic that retailers are both being forced to confront based on the environment, but also embracing as they identify what the shopper of the future wants,” Castagnetto said. “Most commonly (what) we hear from them is how do you manage multiple inventories, how do you manage things that you don’t think about in day-to-day operations — you can’t weigh bulk product online, (for example), how do you have the right SKU rationalization, how do you manage branding, what’s the pricing mechanisms or promotion processes you want to go through.”

Robinson Fresh has also conducted research to better understand what features consumers are seeking in an online grocery shopping experience.

“We put some work in maybe before people were ready to talk to us about it, and now we’re excited that customers are seeing the need to really up their game, if you ask me, in terms of how they provide access to fresh produce online,” Castagnetto said.

He noted that Robinson Fresh has been happy to support United Fresh in its work with the virtual trade show. While the in-person nature of traditional events is hard to replicate, there have been some benefits to the new format, Castagnetto said.

“Personally I’ve enjoyed being able to get to a lot of different booths. With my role it’s difficult at physical shows to always walk the floor and see as many vendors or customers of ours, and so being able to jump around and visit with folks, I found it very easy to strike up conversations, very easy to find who from that company is working the booth at that time, and actually I’ve been able to kind of on my own time watch videos or download content from different booths that normally, in an in-person show, I wouldn’t probably have the time to do, so there are subtle things that I think are certainly opportunities for us to take advantage of in this format,” Castagnetto said May 16. “It certainly is different not to be able to physically share the event with those customers and growers and suppliers, but I think we’re finding our way.”