Quality blazes the trail, brand identity maintains sales
My sweet silver-haired mother is still plugging away in her kitchen at 86 years old.
She still routinely bakes bread, pies and cakes. The occasional visitor can’t leave without being served a hot cup of coffee and a heapin’ helping of whatever was prepared that day. And she swears by Gold Medal flour and Crisco shortening.
The produce aisle and its multitude of customers share the same level of brand loyalty when it comes to fresh produce.
Brands have earned such a strong reputation that many have become household names. One only need turn a few pages of this agribusiness publication to see a few of the names that your customers have come to know and love: Driscoll’s, Tanimura & Antle, Dole, Sunkist, Calavo, Andy Boy, Frieda’s, Giumarra, Melissa’s and more.
The same applies for growing regions: Washington, Michigan and New York apples; Texas grapefruit; Florida citrus; Idaho potatoes; Vidalia and Walla Walla onions; Salinas and Yuma vegetables; California oranges, lemons and other citrus, tree fruit and row crops. Hood River, Ore., pears; Northwest cherries; Georgia peaches; California grapes; New Mexico Hatch chiles.
I missed a lot in that short list, I admit. And most states have wildly popular local and regional deals with brand names that resonate with shoppers. The point is that when customers see a familiar label, a popular growing region known for the elevated quality of fresh produce grown, they slow down, and they buy.
The best fresh produce sales occur when an item is peak season and aggressively promoted, as well as executed well at store level with prominent displays, signed well, sampled, and priced to move.
The name brand on these packages? They help drive sales too.
Are you marketing these items as such, and calling attention to the brands that have built their reputation over many decades? Telling their story? Are the brands called out in your ads, on your signs?
Or is it like I see in some chains, top quality produce offered with timid, minimal effort, even with the brand’s name stocked face-down? If so, you’re not taking advantage of the powerful primary partners in the produce industry – the very grower-shippers who provide what ends up on your shelves.
This came to mind this week as I walked through a beautiful produce department. The clerk was stocking stunning SSS (Symms) label peaches from Caldwell, Idaho. Nicely sized, full blush, amazing quality.
Years ago, the 33-strong southern California chain I bought for placed this same brand of late-season fruit on ad during the first week of October.
Since it was not exactly the heart of stone fruit season, our produce managers projected a meager 3 loads for the ad. To everyone’s surprise, we moved over 15 straight loads. Quality paved the way.
The following year, the ad was repeated. Same everything, except advertised and marketed with the brand name front and center. Customers remembered, and we moved even more. Like mom’s Gold Medal flour, brand identity, and the associated top quality, drives sales.
Armand Lobato works for the Idaho Potato Commission. His 40 years’ experience in the produce business span a range of foodservice and retail positions.
More from Armand Lobato:
The produce training chain: advice, advise, approval
The ideal ‘normal’ produce manager work week
Crackle …“All Department Managers to the Conference Room, Please”
