Valencia, Calif.-based Sunkist a national display contest for its California Star Ruby grapefruit will run through July.
“We have learned a lot about grapefruit shoppers over the years, and according to a new Sunkist-commissioned study, grapefruit buyers continue to be loyal to the variety, with 50% making repeat purchases multiple times per month,” Cassie Howard, senior director of category management and marketing at Sunkist Growers, said in a news release. “When speaking with shoppers, we also know that pricing, promotions in-store, and a strengthened focus on health are the key takeaways to encourage more grapefruit purchases.”
Retail scan data from Circana shows citrus volume up 6% midway through April, outpacing total produce (up 1%) and total fruit (up 1%) compared with the same time last year.
To build on this momentum heading into the late-spring and summer months, Sunkist says it launched a grapefruit-specific study seeking insight into shoppers’ overall perception of the variety and the determining factors to making a purchase at the store level.
The new Sunkist-commissioned study revealed most shoppers are purchasing grapefruit for its health benefits, followed by taste, and that breakfast and snacking are the most common usages for consumption. These insights can help retailers better position health-focused breakfast options for grapefruit and introduce new ways to incorporate grapefruit into everyday life for shoppers, according to the release.
“A recent webinar from Circana focusing on The Snack Journey showed almost half of consumers snack more than three times per day, with over 70% of snacks being sourced from home,” Howard said. “We aim to be a shopper’s go-to resource for instilling healthy citrus-infused habits at home, and with snacks on the rise, our engaging social media campaigns and website content are great tools for shoppers to reference as they internally battle healthy eating versus indulgence at checkout.”
Sunkist’s shoppable recipe programs and merchandising toolkit feature interactive POS materials with scannable QR codes, providing shoppers with real-time recipe inspiration and utilization tips, according to the release. With bigger sizes this season, Sunkist says it has expanded offerings to fit the needs of its retail partners, providing multiple bag options and customizable merchandising to not negatively impact bulk purchases.
Sunkist’s National Display Contest will award prizes to the produce managers of the top three winning stores, the release said. Sunkist sales representatives have information about the rules and eligibility, as well as sampling opportunities to encourage trial and prompt purchase in-stores, according to the release.
