Shopper interest fuels early excitement for strong medjool date sales

Yuma, Ariz.-based Bard Valley Natural Delights is primed to spotlight the many uses of medjool dates in 2023, thanks to Whole Foods Market’s newest trend report, 2022 year-end IRI data and consumer focus group results.

Whole Foods Market recently named medjool dates one of their Top Food Trends for 2023, saying “with a classic caramel note we can all get behind, dates are having their moment.” Natural Delights has observed a consistent uptick in the category over the last five years, along with the use of medjool dates in trending social media posts, according to a news release.

Natural Delights is outpacing category volume growth by 61%, according to IRI scan data of the last 52 weeks ending Jan. 1, 2023. The brand also had the highest repeat purchases by a 20% margin among all other medjool date brands, according to IRI panel data over the same period.

“One of the most valuable data points to share with our retail partners is repeat purchases,” Natural Delights Director of Marketing David Baxter said in the release. “Brand loyalty is something we’ve worked on diligently, and it is what we believe sets us apart and encourages higher consumption within the category.”

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A recent focus group conducted in November by a third-party, Moms Meet market research group, demonstrated the popularity of the Natural Delights brand, with respondents selecting it as their preferred brand for overall quality, packaging and eating experience, according to the release. The brand received praise in each of the focus groups.

Other key details from the Moms Meet focus group included the value of Natural Delights packaging. Respondents shared that not only was it the most ideal for resealing and locking in freshness, but they also noted the importance of the brand’s 100% recyclable packaging from previously used plastic bottles, according to the release.

“We have been extremely intentional in creating sustainable packaging that also keeps the integrity of the product intact, so these comments reinforce that we’re doing the right thing,” Baxter said in the release.

With a favorable start to the year for the date category and with date-centric holidays on the horizon — National Medjool Date Day on Feb. 4, Heart Health Month in February, National Nutrition Month in March, and Ramadan in March and April — Natural Delights anticipates exciting promotions and consumer demand during peak purchasing times.