Make sales ring for those bell peppers

Bell peppers are an easy sell. These slightly sweet, mild, shiny beauties in red, yellow, orange and green ranked No. 4 among all fresh vegetables, according to USDA’s National Retail Report on specialty crops for the last week of 2022. This crowd-pleaser pepper was the only non-root in those top four vegetables, closing in on potatoes, onions and carrots.

In The Packer’s 2022 Fresh Trends report, bell peppers ranked No. 5 in all vegetables. Tomatoes were the only other non-root that did better. About 46% of shoppers had purchased a bell pepper in the last 12 months.

Handle and merchandise them well to make sure you’re getting the most out of their natural abilities.

These mainstream peppers like temperatures of 45 degrees to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure you don’t mist them too much; they like a light mist only. Typical shelf life is eight to 10 days, and avoid storing or transporting ethylene-sensitive bell peppers with other produce that emits ethylene.

Note: Green peppers produce odors that will be absorbed by pineapples.

Lastly, bell peppers are natural showstoppers for displays. Don’t miss the striking color-blocking and stacking opportunities they provide.

Show us your produce artistry

Show us your best bell pepper displays, and other displays, to enter the seasonal contest in PMG’s Produce Artist Award Series. Email six to 10 high-resolution photos of your winter, or even spring, produce displays to artists@producemarketguide.com. The deadline for the 2023 Winter Contest is March 4, and the contest includes best produce manager, best produce merchandiser, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, winter greens, citrus, mushrooms and Chilean produce. Include your name, role, company and location.

We’d love to send you prizes and showcase your produce artistry!

(Head photo: Benjamin Lee, a merchandiser at Weaver Street Market)

Brian Dey, senior merchandiser at Four Seasons Produce, won best merchandiser with photos including this winning bell pepper display (above). 

Commodity category winner Stephen Daly, produce specialist from Military Produce Group-Norfolk, entered this bell pepper and summer vegetable display photo.

Kay Kurtzweil Greenley, submitted this pepper display photo when she was produce manager at Piggly Wiggly, and she was a winning produce manager in one of PMG's Produce Artist Award Series contests.

Commodity category winner Mario DePalma of S. Katzman Produce submitted this photo in the contest.