Delivering on what the consumer wants key focus of GOPEX panel

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - While growth in organic produce has been steadily climbing for decades, panelists at The Packer's 2022 Global Organic Produce Expo said that progress can’t be taken for granted. 

While younger consumers are fueling organic growth now, panelists said continued research and development are needed to meet the needs of future consumers.

In a Feb. 1 education GOPEX session looking at advances in organic farming, moderator Mary Coppola Heslep, senior vice president of creative for Ten Acre Marketing, asked panelists how they deliver what the consumer wants.

“Over time we have shifted (more) of our production over to organics, and the category continues to grow,” said Suzette Overgaag, vice president of North Shore Greenhouses Inc., Thermal, Calif. Millennial consumers are driving demand for healthy and organic food, she said. 

Marliese McWherter, marketing director for Lakeside Organic Gardens, Watsonville, Calif., said the company began growing organic 26 years ago and has found increasing demand through the years.

Consumers really care about the environment, protecting soil and mitigating effects of climate change, McWherter said. The COVID-19 pandemic further spurred demand, she said.

“During the pandemic, we couldn't keep produce in our warehouse,” she said, adding that consumers even now are cooking more and demanding healthy foods.

Freek Knol, regional manager for North American greenhouse business Enza Zaden Canada/Vitalis Seeds, said the organic seed brand has found increasing demand for its products, first in Europe and now in the U.S.

Sustainability and the goal of reducing food waste resonate with consumers, panelists said.

With organic farming, McWherter said Lakeside Organic Gardens works to build up the soil and reduce waste by marketing second-quality produce to customers such as Imperfect Foods and Misfits Market.

Grower communication with retailers is frequent, and buyers are invited to farms to meet with growers and learn about the challenges in growing organic produce, she said. 

“On the packaging side, there’s a huge demand for sustainable packaging,” McWherter said.

Research and innovation

Panelists said research and innovation will bring benefits to organic farming.

Overgaag said North Shore Greenhouses Inc. has a culture of innovation that leads to better ways of growing organic produce, whether that means less water or more effective biological controls.

“We just keep coming up with new innovations to do a better job all the time,” she said.

Knol said Enza Zaden Canada/Vitalis Seeds’ research is looking at disease resistance and yield and even how specific varieties may vary in terms of potential packaging requirements. 

McWherter said Lakeside Organic Gardens is working with robotics and global positioning satellite technology to become more efficient in the company’s operations.