In this Tip of the Iceberg Podcast episode, learn about a greenhouse brand that expanded a program because of how many supermarket shoppers called the customer hotline about it.
The Equitable Food Initiative-partnered episode has to do with NatureSweet, which grows and sells tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.
Have you ever seen those little NatureSweet Cherubs tomatoes in the supermarket and peeled the top sticker label to see an employee photo? I have. Then I hovered my cell phone’s camera over the QR code on that label and watched a little video from that employee.
It’s part of NatureSweet’s Associates Under the Label program, which began in 2019 and expanded because of those consumer calls.
“Consumers are the reason that we’ve expanded this program. They have told us they want to see more by continuously engaging and having conversations with us on it,” said Marketing Director Amit Patel on the podcast episode.
When the program launched in 2019, there wasn’t a way for consumers to engage with NatureSweet.
“They’d call the company’s hotline and leave heartfelt thank-you’s directly to the associates — on the customer hotline usually used for product complaints or compliments. They’ve really pushed the initiative to where we expanded it digitally and get hundreds of comments on social media. We highlight it on our website and have an email program as well.”
Any shopper can discover who picks, cleans, grades, sorts and packs those little NatureSweet tomatoes within those clear plastic dome containers found in so many grocery stores nationwide. It’s a way to provide more transparency, share the grower story and connect with consumers on a more personal level.
