Big watermelon production and promotions are just ahead, the National Watermelon Promotion Board reports.
“Initial domestic harvest and shipping is underway in Florida and Texas,” Mark Arney, executive director and CEO of the National Watermelon Promotion Board, said in a news release. “Overall watermelon shipments are slightly below the previous five-year average for this time of the year, but that is subject to change as other areas around the country begin to ship and ramp up for what promises to be an excellent year for watermelons.”
The board’s promotions engage consumers, retailers and foodservice operators.
“It’s important that as watermelon hits the market, we reinforce our commitment to core audiences,” Stephanie Barlow, senior director of communications for the board, said in the release. “That means continued education on the health benefits and ways to use watermelon and helping partners market during peak season.”
Targeted campaigns
Most watermelon is consumed as a snack, and the board is introducing a “Watermelon On the Go” campaign theme this summer. The campaign will premiere on www.watermelon.org and feature a series of videos with simple, snackable and portable recipe ideas, according to the release. The board is also taking on one of the biggest challenges consumers have with watermelons: handling their size.
National Watermelon Promotion Board staff will visit editors at Time Inc. Food Studios for a watermelon butchery demo to showcase the numerous ways to carve and use a whole watermelon, according to the release.
For retailers, the board is stressing merchandising the nutritional benefits of watermelon. It is working with NutriSavings, a digital nutrition wellness program that helps employers, retailers, health plans and food companies to get employees and their families to shop and eat healthier, according to the release.
The board’s retail display contest, which is marking its 10th anniversary and offers total winnings of more than $10,000, is open to all retailers and commissaries in July and August. The board is offering merchandising kits and point-of-sales materials for retailers from June 15 to August 15 at www.watermelon.org/Retailers, according to the release.
The board said foodservice use of watermelon has risen by 27% in the past four years, according to 2017 Datassential MenuTrends Research. To continue that trend, the board plans to plans to partner with more hotel/entertainment foodservice establishments.
“The campaigns and promotions we’re launching will build demand for the increased watermelon volume available to consumers and provide support to our partners in the retailer and foodservice industries,” Barlow said in the release.
