Page 70 - January_2019
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merchandising review  tropicals
cation can be a useful tool. “Online is an important communication mode, certainly,” says Allan Acosta, tropical general manager for Robinson Fresh, Eden Prairie, MN, “But when shoppers are in a brick-and-mortar store, packaging is a great way to communi- cate. Our mango bin is a great example. We know that picking and cutting mangos is a barrier to some shoppers, so we created a bin that shows shoppers how to overcome these barriers.”
Melissa Hartmann De Barros, director of communications, HLB Specialties, Fort Lauderdale, FL, says the fruit can speak for itself through taste testing. “Tastings always improve sales,” she says. “For example, we just recently did a demo in a club store where we o ered rambutan, and the success was tremendous.  ere were long lines to try the fruit, and the stores sold almost 100 percent of the inventory we supplied.”
Another simple, yet e ective, way to reach customers directly in the aisles is e ective signage. “POS signage is a huge opportunity to educate consumers,” says Jackson Berkley. “Even for retailers who may have a no-sig- nage or limited signage policy, the specialty tropical should be an exception as consumers will buy the product if they know what it is, what it tastes like and what to do with it.“
Garcia at Fy es recommends retailers “collaborate with suppliers to develop in-store initiatives to drive sales and promote consump- tion through live in-store sampling demos, print recipe cards, cross-promote with complemen- tary products, and add secondary displays when possible to encourage impulse purchases.”
When to buy tropicals is also useful and important information for consumers. Matthew Clark, president of Los Angeles Produce Distributors and LA Produce Fresh, Los Angeles, points out that because tropical produce usually contains a lot more water than produce grown in a Mediterranean climate, it tends to ripen faster. “At the same time in many cases, commodities must be distributed greener than desirable because they need to withstand the handling required to get to the shelves, including many temperatures breaks along the way,” says Clark.
Clark thinks education on how to purchase ripe tropicals would be bene cial to consumers, but notes that due to the supply chain concerns, many distribution centers would rather not risk the product condi- tion. “Mangos are a clear example of how consumption could increase signi cantly if the supply chain could work with retailers to ripen the fruit before it hits the shelves.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF FRIEDA’S SPECIALTY PRODUCE
STAY ON THE HEALTH MESSAGE
Promoting the health message is another key selling point as consumers continue to be interested in healthfull o erings. According to Berkley, “As volume on tropical produce items becomes more available, consumers need to start understanding the health bene ts, and that is our job as marketers. Our websites, point-of-sale in the store and educating the produce managers is crucial to making this happen.“
“Tropicals, on the whole, have a nutri- tional power punch,” says Del Monte’s Christou. “ ink of papayas with their diges- tive enzyme papain. Perfect for healthy eaters who may have indulged too much over the holidays and folks who are watching their weight.”
Robinson’s Acosta says helpful health information isn’t often marketed by retailers, and knowing fruit is healthy doesn’t neces- sarily change buying behavior. “What does make them change is ease of use and recipes, so they can incorporate healthy foods more easily and frequently in their diets,” he says.
Hartmann De Barros says some retailers could do better with their messaging. “When I think of papayas and the tremendous health bene ts, especially its very high vitamin C content, I know that most shoppers are not aware of that. We always include it in the POP materials that we provide to our retail customers, but as a shopper myself, I don’t see enough information at the store level.”
WATCHING THE TRENDS
As tropical sales continue to grow, much of the category may go mainstream. “More and more tropical fruits are appearing more
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