It’s fruit basket season

In an office usually loaded with long-winded orators, President Calvin Coolidge was a man of few words.

One story goes that “Silent Cal” returned home from church one Sunday. The first lady, who hadn’t accompanied him, asked Coolidge what the sermon was about. “Sin,” he said. 

“Well, what about it?” The first lady persisted.

“Preacher’s against it,” he answered.

There’s probably a lot of people who wish our current commander-in-chief communicated with such marked brevity. 

It’s with this thought in mind I wish to touch upon — of all things — holiday fruit baskets. No, they haven’t gone out of style. And yes, fruit baskets are alive and well. If you promote them, that is.

I could simply say, yeah, I’m for fruit baskets. And leave it at that.

But I have more space to fill and thoughts to share. (Heck, White House journalists in 1925 must have been hard-pressed to fill copy space with old Cal at the helm). So I’ll elaborate.

If you build the baskets, they will buy.

Fruit baskets fill a certain sales niche. Certainly, if a chain has a set program, with various sizes and styles, there will always be a handful of customers who ask for the no-holds-barred gigantic fruit basket loaded with candy, nuts, cheeses and gourmet meats adorning the fruit creation. Typically these are special orders and are rarely on display for casual impulse buyers.

More often chosen from such a shopper is the medium-size and likewise-priced fruit basket.

These get purchased from a ready on-display selection. The closer to the holiday, the better odds these will sell. Especially if the baskets are made fresh on a daily basis. The likely recipients of fruit baskets are people who host an office gathering, a family get-together, or wherever a medium-size fruit basket is appreciated. 

In an age of eating healthy and promoting nutrition, anyone can see how a fruit basket still makes a welcomed gift. Especially if the wrap is neat, the basket and bow attractive, and the produce within is super-fresh.

But most popular of all, and so often overlooked, is the small fruit basket. You know, the single or double-layer, well-made and most reasonably-priced creation.

This small basket is perfect for one reason: The last-minute gift. Think of all the people that customers shop for: the mailman, the barber or hairdresser, the babysitter, a doorman, a teacher — you get the drift. If you build the baskets, they will buy.

Fruit baskets should be a part of your holiday merchandising and labor plan as any other commodity. These colorful baskets build sales and by nature are very profitable.

And unlike “Silent Cal,” a good fruit basket program definitely makes a statement.

Armand Lobato works for the Idaho Potato Commission. His 40 years’ experience in the produce business span a range of foodservice and retail positions. E-mail lobatoarmand@gmail.com.

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