ORLANDO, Fla. — This year’s Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure event highlighted a strategic industry shift toward value-added items, such as stuffed mushrooms and snack-ready cucumbers, as brands leverage specific consumer data to boost consumption and efficiency at the retail level.
Highline Mushrooms is launching a line of stuffed mushrooms with fresh, gourmet flavors without the prep for the younger generation.
“We want to keep those dollars in fresh,” says Kelsey Coon, Highline Mushrooms’ sales and marketing manager.
Coon says Highline plans to expand its value-added line, as the company has had great feedback from retailers on the products available currently.
Highline has also launched its Grillmate line to pair with grilled meats. Coon says retailers also have responded well to this line and have asked for more pairings with produce.
Rochelle Bohm, vice president of CMI Orchards, says the company is learning ways to drive consumption and using its Apple Crush tool to connect consumers to new apple varieties.
This broader campaign aims to build consumer interest in these new varieties and boost sales. With more than 78% of consumers purchasing apples, the industry just needs to drive slight upticks in consumption to reap rewards.
“All we really need to do is get consumers to pick up another extra pouch bag,” she says.
Spicing up recipes with new mushroom varieties is one of the talking points at the Phillips Mushroom Farms’ Southern Exposure booth — varieties such as chestnut, pioppino and wood ear.
Organics are also of interest with specialty mushrooms, says Sean Steller, director of business development for Phillips Mushroom Farms. He says the company plans to roll out value-added packs, including vegan Buffalo-stuffed oyster mushrooms.
Steller says he’s seeing demand for larger packs, as consumers are looking for value. They are also seeking sliced mushrooms for convenience.
Snacking is a major trend, says Jeff Richardson, vice president of sales with Great Lakes Greenhouses.
“We’re seeing explosive growth in that category,” he says.
Richardson points to Great Lakes Greenhouses’ Persian cucumbers, which continue to grow in popularity. He says this is likely due not only to consumers’ interest in eating healthy but also snacking healthy.
“It’s gotten to a place where convenience is key,” he says.
Great Lakes Greenhouses has also offered unique pack sizes to add value at retail. Foodservice has taken a keen interest in mini cucumbers, too, he says.
Organic peppers are also popular.
“There’s that segment of the population that just wants to eat healthy,” Richardson says of the growth in the organics category.
Organics was a major talking point at the To-Jo booth, says Johnny Kampes IV, director of sales.
Kampes says another thing retailers have been asking about is smaller pack sizes, which To-Jo offers in a 6-ounce pack.
To-Jo plans to tap into more value-added stuffed specialty mushrooms to appeal to the younger generation’s interest in convenience. Kampes also says To-Jo is looking at its presence on retailers’ e-commerce sites.
A major trend with retailer visits to Mastronardi Produce’s booth was snacking and high-flavor items, says Wesley Emerson, account manager.
Mastronardi showed off its new packaging for Pop-Its, which offer consumers a quick and healthy snack with good flavor.
“We want the consumer to be happy with what they buy,” Emerson says.
Mastronardi also showcased its berry line with blueberries and its Wow Berries Dreamberry.
Health and convenience are themes that are top of mind for the Giorgio Fresh team, says Bryan Shelton, vice president of sales and marketing. He says Giorgio is looking at adding new products that can help bring consumers into the mushroom category.
Shelton says Giorgio is also looking to optimize exotics.
“We’re looking at engaging the young consumer,” he says.
Shelton says Giorgio has started to deploy data to help refresh stores’ inventories, which he says will increase efficiencies for retailers.
