Seald Sweet starting e-commerce this summer
Seald Sweet enjoyed strong citrus sales earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic when consumers were looking to boost their immunities with vitamin C-rich oranges and clementines. But sales have declined in recent months. The Vero Beach, Fla.-based company is eyeing ways to bolster sales this summer, however.
“We will be focusing on e-commerce. We’ve seen it increase exponentially after the pandemic. We are using retailer platforms and hoping to send more fruit that way,” said Helena Fernandez Irastorza, marketing coordinator at Seald Sweet.
Summer citrus is an important market to which the company caters. It sources, imports, distributes and sells produce from around the world to the U.S. market.
In the bigger picture, after coming off some good years of demand, this year looks to be down. That’s been the trend across the industry so far this year. USDA reports that more stores had oranges on ad last year than this year.
“For the most part, the citrus category as a whole was growing during the COVID-19 years,” said Peter Anderson, commodity manager at Seald Sweet. “The 2022 campaign may see a decrease in demand just as the domestic industry has seen over the last four to five months.”
While overall demand may wane, the company has had success with one particular variety.
“Varietal-wise, the cara cara orange has seen its star rise over the last three years, with some of the major retailers giving it extended shelf space and promotions,” Anderson said.
Sustainability and packaging
The company has added new sustainable packaging. This year, it is launching a new bag for clementines, which uses 75% less plastic in the film. In addition, Seald Sweet is transitioning to 100% recyclable film.
“As far as packaging, we developed a long-term focus on sustainability,” Irastorza added. “Our company has a sustainability roadmap for 2025. One of the goals is to have 100% recyclable packaging by 2025.”
Strategic distribution partner
The company has expanded by partnering with a shipping operation, because of its strategic location in the Northeast. This location allows Seald Sweet to import, pack and distribute in a key market area.
“Our sister company, Greenyard Logistics USA, has a logistics facility in Swedesboro, N.J., located close to northeastern ports,” Irastorza said.
