Page 72 - February2019

dried fruits & nuts packaged nuts
With A Little Help — Packaged
Nuts Should Prompt Impulse Buy
A plethora of sizes, varieties and coatings add excitement and choice.
CBY HOWARD RIELL
onsumers search out packaged nuts for a variety of reasons, and savvy retailers are work- ing hard to make the most of each and every one of them.
Americans love to munch nuts at year- round parties, holiday gatherings, for sporting events, for cooking and for everyday snacking. Half of all eating occasions include snacking, and Americans eat, according to some esti- mates, an average of 2.7 snacks per day.
Shoppers are also increasingly looking for ways to be healthy without giving up great taste, and packaged nuts fall neatly into the category of healthier choices. Nuts are good sources of fat, ber and protein. Repeated studies have shown nuts provide a number of health bene ts, including reducing heart disease risk factors. Most of the fat they contain is monounsaturated, as well as omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fat. ey also o er a variety of vitamins and minerals, including magnesium and vitamin E.
In general, packaged nuts are considered an impulse item. Since the primary usage is snacking, a great pairing at retail can be fresh and dried fruits that provide consumers some- thing closer to, but not quite, a meal. Pista- chios, for instance, are popular as an ingredient for recipes, ranging from baked items to salads. Retailers can motivate consumers’ purchase decisions by displaying them next to other common cooking ingredients.
Consumers also love newness in nearly every category, and a host of new and di erent nut products — such as chocolate, fruit-glazed or yogurt-covered nuts, Asian dried rice mixes and nuts incorporated in snack mixes, combined with dried fruit and other crunchies — are fueling much of the category’s growth.
Grocery shoppers are nding fewer middle-sized packages and more grab- and-go single-serve and “family” packs. Pricing for these sizes are typically in the
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$1.99-or-less range for grab-and-go, and $6.99 to $9.99 for the family packs. Perim- eter displays, holiday displays, front end-caps and grab-and-go at the register all work great for increasing packaged nut sales.
December remains the top consumption period for nuts, leading retailers to play up seasonal occasions as much as possible.
‘LEADING THIS CHARGE’
Adam Cooper, vice president of marketing for e Wonderful Company in Los Angeles, says the success of his Wonderful Pistachios brand “shows healthy eating extends beyond nuts, and pistachios are leading this charge as a healthy snacking favorite.”
In fact, people buy pistachios “for di erent reasons — from holiday gatherings, parties, watchingsports,healthreasons,forcookingand everyday snacking,” notes Cooper. “ is is why we provide a myriad of displays that address
the various needs shoppers have top-of-mind as they navigate the aisles. ese displays are excellent reminders of advertising they would have seen before their shopping trip.”
Wonderful’s stand-up packaging enables it to reach new locations and consumers that it would not otherwise. “Because it stands on its own, the stand-up bag can be placed on shelves throughout the store and in areas where bin use is limited or not allowed,” says Cooper. “It provides a clean, easily-merchandized shelf.” To maximize merchandising, the company provides retail customers with high-graphic POS, including bin bases, posters and balloons.
is summer, Wonderful will be supporting the launch of the No Shells avors with a multimillion-dollar dedicated campaign.
BETTERUNDERSTANDING
“ e biggest factor fueling the pack- aged nuts category is overall consumption
PHOTOS COURTESY OF HAMMONS PRODUCTS COMPANY, THE WONDERFUL COMPANY AND ORCHARD VALLEY HARVEST