Why messaging matters with greenhouse-grown produce

From higher crop yields that use less water than field farming, to quick turnaround times from harvest to retail shelves, to the ability to grow year-round, the benefits of greenhouse growing are many.

But while the selling points of greenhouse-grown fruit and vegetables are compelling, consumers may not have all the facts they need to make an informed purchasing decision, say some greenhouse growers, such as Nature Fresh Farms.

“There are definite benefits to greenhouse-grown produce. However, not every consumer understands these benefits,” Matt Quiring, Nature Fresh Farms director of sales, told The Packer.

“I feel we have a lot of work to do in better educating consumers on the benefits of greenhouse-grown product versus field grown product; but this is going to take time and commitment from both the vendor and retailer sides,” he added.

A grower and marketer of greenhouse-grown strawberries, peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers in Leamington, Ontario, Nature Fresh Farms has seen a jump in cucumber sales, which Quiring attributes to the industry coming together to boost consumer education and sampling.

“This past year, we experienced double-digit growth across the U.S.A. for cucumbers. We have made tremendous efforts — as an industry — to increase the exposure of greenhouse-grown cucumbers and finally, we are starting to see the fruits of our labor. 

“Stronger merchandising and ongoing sampling efforts have created more awareness for these not-so-new cucumber SKUs and we are excited to see the category finally gaining some traction, [which] we see as just the start of the shift from slicer cucumbers to greenhouse grown,” Quiring continued. 

The people and places behind the brand

Increasingly, consumers want to know the story behind the fresh produce they consume — they want to know where and how it was grown as well as feel an emotional connection with the people who made the produce on their plate possible.

Last June, NatureSweet of San Antonio Texas re-launched its “Tomatoes Raised Right” campaign, which tells the story of the contributions made by different NatureSweet employees throughout each season in the planting, nurturing, hand-picking and packaging of each tomato.

“Our proud associates are our biggest competitive advantage” and the inspiration behind our “Tomatoes Raised Right” campaign, said Lori Castillo, vice president marketing for NatureSweet, San Antonio, Texas. “The ‘Tomatoes Raised Right’ campaign is focused on opening our greenhouse doors to share our story with the world by giving consumers a detailed, authentic look into the lives of our associates.”

After years of consumer research, Castillo said the campaign features an entirely new look and style that includes an updated website, television spots and digital advertisements. 

“Over the past year, our priority was taking care of our more than 5,000 associates who are the heart of our brand,” Castillo said. “While they work to provide us with fresh produce when it is needed most, our mission remains unchanged — improve their lives and their family’s lives.”

A greener lifestyle

The produce brands that tell a stronger, consumer-focused brand story will ultimately capture a larger share of the market for greenhouse-grown produce, says Chris Veillon, chief marketing officer for Pure Flavor, a registered trademark of the Leamington, Ontario-based greenhouse grower Pure Hothouse Foods.

“We need to inform consumers about the various features and benefits of products,” he said. “It’s all about talking to the right people at the right time with the right message on the right channel.”

Brand messaging needs to accomplish three things, continued Veillon, pointing to the importance of informing, connecting and educating.

Raising awareness about the brand and what it stands for; explaining how products fit into a lifestyle, creating content that sparks connection and inspires emotion-based purchases; and educating consumers about product characteristics, how to use it in the kitchen and how to pair it with other food and beverages are all key, Veillon explained.

Expansion makes for bountiful backyards

For Gotham Greens of Brooklyn, N.Y., its story is increasingly local. The greenhouse grower recently announced new expansion projects that will double its greenhouse footprint from 600,000 square feet to over 1.2 million square feet across eight states including New York, Illinois, Rhode Island, Maryland, Colorado, California, Georgia and Texas.

“Our expansion into the South with new greenhouses in Texas and Georgia, along with the expansions of our existing greenhouse footprints in Colorado, Illinois and Rhode Island, illustrates a huge step forward in achieving our ultimate goal of growing fresh produce that can be delivered within less than a day’s drive for most U.S. consumers,” Viraj Puri, Gotham Greens co-founder and CEO, told The Packer.

Gotham Greens chose Texas and Georgia as locations for new greenhouse sites, as the states represent two of the largest and fastest-growing populations, said Puri.

Doubling its greenhouse footprint will also allow Gotham Greens to sell its products as locally grown in major grocery chains across the country.

“Gotham Greens’ new, state-of-the-art greenhouses will enable us to significantly increase store count while continuing to serve several of the country’s largest grocery retailers on a national and regional scale, including Whole Foods Market, The Kroger Co., Albertsons Companies, Sprouts Farmers Market, and many more,” Puri added.