Produce marketers enlist a slew of social media platforms as part of their efforts to provide consumers with health messages, convenient meal solutions, recipe inspiration and more.
“Social media plays a large role in helping us reach parents,” said Andy Kimbrel, vice president of sales and marketing for Cashmere, Wash.-based Crunch Pak. “We find many are looking to social media for lifestyle solutions (or) hacks such as what foods to buy, new recipes to make and new workouts to try. Two of our most important social media platforms are Instagram and Facebook, where social influencers create the content and drive engagement.
“Health and fitness as well as safety and convenience-related content resonates with consumers,” Kimbrel said. “People are looking to others online, from the convenience of their own home, for tips and tricks on how to prepare quick, nutritious meals and snacks. Parents also love seeing influencers post ‘grocery hauls’ on social media for inspiration the next time they place a grocery delivery or pickup order.”
Christina Ward, senior director of global marketing for Valencia, Calif.-based Sunkist Growers, also noted that health continues to be an area of high interest among consumers.
“We continue to look directly to citrus shoppers to understand what is driving them towards a path of purchase,” Ward said. “Over the past 18 months, the most significant trend was shoppers prioritizing immune-boosting foods. According to the Citrus Consumer Study, about 40% of citrus shoppers viewed eating fresh fruit as more critical now, and more than 1/3 purchase citrus to have a healthy snack on hand at home.
“We continue to use shopper behavior insights to understand the platform preferences of our consumers by variety, and we do a lot on YouTube and Instagram and work with nutrition experts on TikTok,” Ward said. “Overall, our digital and social media promotions celebrate the good-for-you nature of citrus, along with its snackable quality, and quick-cooking tips and recipe tutorials to further drive purchase intent.”
Salinas, Calif.-based Naturipe Farms also reported health as a continuing area of interest for consumers, not only related to nutrition but also self-care – “content that feels more personal and intentional.”
Brianna Shales, marketing director of Wenatchee, Wash.-based Stemilt Growers, said part of the company’s social strategy is creating a community with busy parents.
“Even with the rise in paid advertising on social, it’s still an effective way to reach consumers – and especially target specific demographics, geographies or interests among consumer groups,” Shales said. “We like to use social channels like Instagram and Pinterest with this audience to show them ways to use our fruits and educate them about the process and people behind how these fruits are grown.
“We’ve tested the waters with Instagram Reels and love how this platform and TikTok help simple things like recipes or hacks go viral,” Shales said. “This will be a fun area to continue to explore, especially as it relates to making parents lives’ easier through wholesome snacks like Lil Snappers.”
