Local produce marketing efforts fresher than ever

With shoppers often willing to pay more for locally grown products, retailers and produce companies are also reaping the benefits.
With shoppers often willing to pay more for locally grown products, retailers and produce companies are also reaping the benefits.
(Photo courtesy of California Avocado Commission)

From a consumer perspective, there are many compelling reasons to buy local produce, from supporting community growers to lessening environmental impacts from cross-country transport. With shoppers often willing to pay more for locally grown products, retailers and produce companies are also reaping the benefits.

“Consumers care about locally grown produce,” says Jan DeLyser, vice president of marketing at the California Avocado Commission in Irvine, Calif. “Research we conducted in 2021 among avocado shoppers in the United States indicated that 82% are willing to pay slightly higher prices for locally grown avocados.”

Reducing carbon footprints is another selling point, notes Joe Atchison III, assistant secretary and marketing director for the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

“With fuel prices continuing at record levels, sourcing produce from overseas or across the country doesn’t make sense when it can be sourced from hours away and on store shelves, often within a day of being harvested,” he said. “Reducing fuel usage, transportation costs and carbon footprints is crucial for all of us.”

Shortening the distance between grower and retailer also results in better quality, said Kim Kuusela, merchandising specialist at Maine-based Hannaford Supermarkets, because the product gets into consumers’ hands more quickly. “It means the eating experience is better,” she says. “It's fresher and has a longer shelf life, so the value is there.”

In response to rising demand for local fruits and vegetables, agricultural marketing commissions, retailers and produce suppliers across the country are ramping up their “buy local” marketing efforts.

Agricultural marketing boards step up

Agricultural marketing boards have long promoted the virtues of buying local produce. In recent years, they have expanded their efforts to bring that message to both retailers and consumers.

This year, the New York Apple Association launched two new television commercials designed to raise consumer awareness of the superior flavor and diverse varieties of the state’s apples. The first ad promoted apple picking at New York orchards — a major local sales driver during harvest season — while the second, the winner of a bronze Telly award, featured New York apple growers and their orchards, along with apple slices and cider. Both ads ran in local and out-of-state markets through YouTube and other social media platforms.

The organization also engaged a registered dietitian as a spokesperson to appear in TV segments, informing viewers about the nutritional value of New York apples. She also posted nutritional information and usage ideas on social media platforms.

“Promoting New York apples on Facebook and Instagram put apple varieties, recipe ideas, nutritional information and usage ideas in front of nearly 13 million consumers,” says NYAA president and CEO Cynthia Haskins. This year, the association plans to add more retailers to its social media partnerships in an effort to let consumers know where they can find New York-grown apples.

NYAA staff created 20 new “how-to” recipe videos in 2022 for placement on the association’s website and social media platforms. This content is also made available to the association’s retail partners.

“Our New York retailers have always been big supporters of New York apples,” says Haskins. “Through New York apple shippers, we will continue to make available our display shippers and tri-wall orchard bins to assist retailers in building large displays of New York apples.”

At the California Avocado Commission, DeLyser and her colleagues are promoting California as the dominant domestic producer of avocados and the only U.S. source of the Haas variety, which is native to California. The association also makes a big push to promote the state’s seasonality when it comes to avocados.   

“Since California avocado season usually runs from spring through summer, there are times of the year when domestic supply is not a choice,” she says. “We believe this adds to the demand for California avocados when they are available.”

The commission works with California retailers and foodservice operators each year to build custom promotions and in-store displays that feature the state’s avocados. To help consumers find them, the association’s website includes a store locator that works with the Waze app to direct drivers to purchasing destinations.

In New Jersey, NDJA’s “Jersey Fresh” marketing program is making a direct appeal to the state’s retailers this year, emphasizing the availability of the state’s produce in a time of continuing supply chain challenges.

“The message is that Jersey Fresh producers are within hours of 20 million consumers looking for the finest fruits and vegetables,” says Atchison, adding that the state produces more than 100 varieties of produce and ranks in the top 10 of the country’s production of sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, peaches, blueberries and many other crops.

To help spread the word, the Jersey Fresh campaign uses radio ads and billboards to highlight local, seasonal produce. A weekly social media contest encourages consumers to show off their Jersey Fresh produce using the hashtag #JerseyFreshisBest. Each week’s winner receives a gift certificate from their favorite Jersey Fresh retailer. Aerial banners flying over the famous Jersey Shore promote local produce to throngs of beachgoers.  

The department also offers Jersey Fresh point-of-purchase materials to retailers, including banners, price cards, bin wraps, hats and aprons.

“We’ve also had interest from retailers seeking to host Jersey Fresh weeks and create a farmers market feel in their produce sections for the locally grown produce they offer,” Atchison said. “We are working with those retailers to make these events a success.”

How retailers promote local

Retailers across the country have recognized the power of “local” and are going the extra mile to promote regional, farm-fresh produce in their stores. Many use in-store signage and shelf talkers to call out local products, or display photos of local farmers in the produce sections. Retailer websites let shoppers know when local produce items are at the peak of ripeness and offer recipes.

As part of its 40th anniversary promotions, The Fresh Market, based in Greensboro, N.C., is highlighting local farmers in store displays, as well as in its free print magazine, which is distributed to customers in all of its retail outlets.

Likewise, the website for Hannaford Supermarkets features a “Shop Local” page that profiles farmers in its operating states, which include Maine, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire and Vermont. The retailer also uses social media platforms to tell the stories of local produce growers, and runs profiles in Hannaford’s bimonthly digital and print magazine. Store signage identifies locally grown produce in stores, while printed and digital fliers promote local items.

“Consumers are more regularly seeking local products, so carrying them and making them easier to find goes a long way in driving consumer loyalty,” says Kuusela. “That translates into increased sales in the long run.”

Closing the distributor-retailer gap

Produce companies are also making efforts to promote local products through retailer engagement and education.

Educating retailers is especially important for grower-distributor J&C Tropicals in Doral, Fla., which specializes in tropical produce varieties such as Florida-grown dragon fruit. The company recently launched a farm tour program as part of its “Locally Grown” campaign, which invites retailers to come and learn about the culinary uses and health benefits of tropical produce.

“We don't just give you a tour of the farm to show you what grows on the trees and comes out of the ground,” says Christian Hosford, founder and creative director at Rocketdog Creative Studio, the marketing agency for J&C. “We’re conducting cooking demonstrations at each of the farms that we partner with, and that is transformational because it's no longer selling a commodity, it's creating an experience. What we're trying to do is close the gap between the distributor and the retailer.”

Retailers can also download a booklet from the J&C website that includes 60 recipes created by an award-winning chef, as well as family recipes that showcase the founders’ Cuban heritage. The idea, says Hosford, is to help grocers develop stronger tropical produce awareness programs for their customers.

“We're showing them how the ‘Locally Grown’ program here in Florida can truly elevate their business,” he said. “We've already started to see a lot of extremely positive feedback from our biggest retail partners.”

 

 

 

 

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