Top 10 commodities of 2021

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Here are the top 10 commodities searched for on Produce Market Guide in 2021.

10. Okra

  • Okra is rarely eaten without being cooked in something so cross-merchandise it with bread crumbs, vegetable oil, pickling spices and canning jars.
  • Okra is available year-round, but its peak season is in the summer. Offer promotions to keep okra moving throughout the year.
  • Fall: Include okra in soup displays as it adds a distinct flavor to soups and stews. Include okra in canning promotions.
  • Winter: Promote fried okra as a hearty side dish for wintertime meals.
  • Spring: Okra shines during Mardi Gras, so be sure to have it on hand as it is a main ingredient in gumbo. Create a Mardi Gras themed-display that includes okra.
  • Summer: Okra has traditionally been a part of summertime meals in the South. Use this time of year to introduce it to new consumers.

9. Dragon Fruit

Also known as pitahaya, this 3-inch fruit is oblong with bright pink/red skin and large, leaf-like scales on its surface. Its flesh is white, juicy and filled with numerous tiny seeds. Another type is globe-shaped, 2½ inches in diameter, with skin covered in small clusters of spines that can be brushed off to reveal red, ripe fruit. There is also a yellow-skinned variety. The sweet fruit tastes similar to kiwifruit or pears; it's often juiced. The sweet flesh can be white or dark red to purple. White-fleshed fruit is available year-round, magenta-fleshed fruit is available June through October.

8. Mangoes

  • Mangoes pair well with other items, including fruit salad items, melons, bagged salads and salsa ingredients.
  • Mangoes are available in promotable quantities year-round. Keep them in front of consumers throughout the year.
  • Fall: Include mango in back-to-school promotions. Mangoes are a sweet, healthy addi-tion to sack lunches.
  • Winter: Mango can be made into chutneys and relishes that can be added to festive holiday meals. Include mangoes in winter holiday promotions. Add mangoes to Chinese New Year promotions as the fruit is popular with Asian consumers.
  • Spring: Promote mangoes as a tasty addition to green salads.
  • Summer: Include mangoes in summertime promotions as a refreshing, healthy snack for hot summer days.
  • Sampling is a great way to introduce mangoes to consumers and to educate them on how to choose and cut a mango.
  • Asian cultures often use unripe mangoes in chutney, relish and pickles. If you have a large Asian population that shops at your store consider carrying unripe fruit.

7. Watermelon

  • Cross-merchandise watermelon with berries, fruit salad ingredients, bagged salad and picnic baskets.
  • Watermelon is available year-round with peak season in the summer months. Create an appetite for watermelon by promoting it throughout the year.
  • Fall: Peak watermelon season is winding down, but keep it in consumers’ minds by including fresh-cut options in back-to-school promotions. Add cubed watermelon to party trays for fall football tailgates.
  • Winter: Include watermelon in holiday promotions as an addition to fruit salads.
  • Spring: Promote watermelon as a sweet addition to healthy green salads. Include watermelon in Mother’s Day and Easter promotions as a great addition to a holiday brunch.
  • Summer: Summer is when watermelon shines. Include it in summer holiday promotions. Consider a tent or truckload sale to move watermelon and other items near the summer holidays. Make watermelon a centerpiece of the sale.
  • Offer samples of watermelon, especially early in the season, to create an appetite for watermelon.

6. Manzano Bananas

Manzano bananas are short and chubby with thick yellow skins that turn completely black when ripe. They're sometimes called the apple banana because of their apple-like flavor when immature. When fully ripe, they have a more tropical, pineapple flavor. 

5. Strawberries

  • Use berries’ popularity to move other items as well, including shortcake, whipped cream, glaze ingredients, ice cream and chocolate dip.
  • Strawberries are available year-round with peak season in the spring and summer. Promote strawberries throughout the year.
  • Fall: Include strawberries in back-to-school promotions as a tasty addition to kids’ lunches. Add strawberries to fruit trays for football tailgates and parties.
  • Winter: Promote strawberries as an addition to green salads for the holidays. Their red color offers a festive touch.
  • Spring: Include strawberries in Easter and Mother’s Day promotions.
  • Summer: Promote strawberries as the perfect summertime snack. Include them in summer holiday promotions around Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day.
  • Offer strawberries as part of multi-berry promotions.

4. Apples

Apple saw a slight increase in sales in 2020, remaining a perennial favorite with consumers. The ever-growing number of apple varieties creates marketing opportunities. Be creative and fun in your promotions to encourage shoppers to try something new.

3. Lettuce

Lettuce is a staple item for many shoppers as it is the base for a variety of meals. Cross-promotion is the name of the game when it comes to boosting sales in your department as lettuce is rarely eaten alone. Market lettuce well and it can add profits to your bottom line.

2. Cucumbers

Cucumbers gained in popularity in 2020, with sales rising more than 2%. The versatile vegetable works well in sandwiches, salads and as a snack, so include it in year-round promotions to get the most sales.

1. Oranges

  • Cross-merchandise oranges with bagged salads, graters, peelers, zesters, juicers, and other citrus.
  • Oranges are available in promotable quantities when many other fruits are not. Take advantage of their peak season to promote them heavily.
  • Fall: Promote oranges as a great addition to back-to-school lunches. Whole oranges or orange wedges are a simple, easy snack that tickles kids’ taste buds.
  • Winter: Oranges and Christmas have a long history and plenty of tradition. Promote oranges around the holidays as an addition to fruit salads and holiday recipes. Remind consumers that oranges can be a part of their Christmas decorating, as well.
  • Spring: Include oranges in salad promotions to encourage consumers to think about adding them to a green, spring salad.
  • Summer: Promote oranges as an easy-to-transport snack that will satisfy a sweet tooth while offering plenty of nutrition.
  • Offer samples of oranges to appeal to kids.
  • Promote all types of citrus together for a single price. This allows consumers to mix and match, and you can move more of every type of citrus.

 

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