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manager with Parker Farms, which is head- quartered in Oak Grove, VA. “Sweet corn is a draw for the stores via effective marketing in print ads and placement in the produce department.”
Retailers value stocking it. “Sweet corn is a big part of our business plan,” says Jay Schneider, produce director for Acme Markets/SuperValu. “We will run it on a full dedicated permanent endcap starting in April until Labor Day, so it continues to be an important category for us.” Acme stores husk the corn and position it in six-count trays along with fresh corn.
“The interesting part about this is that over the years, packaged corn accounts for almost 55 percent to 60 percent of our total corn sales, showing that convenience takes precedence over price,” says Schneider.
Consumers like Florida sweet corn for a variety of reasons, says Jackie Moalli, director of the Division of Marketing and Develop- ment for the Florida Department of Agricul- ture and Consumer Services. “The extra sweet varieties bring connotations of springtime, barbecues and spending time with friends and family,” she says. “Consumers love that it is a great side to serve kids and is safely and consistently grown in the Sunshine State.”
The Sunshine Sweet Corn Farmers of Florida (SSCFF), a coordinated group of 22 sweet corn growers and 12 shippers distributing November to May, advertise and promote most of their product through the Fresh from Florida program. This year, SSCFF’s sweet corn will be promoted through retailers in 32 states and Canada. The group plans a media campaign with digital, social media and in-store components. Consumers can look for sweet corn coupons and promo- tions through smartphone apps and through their local retailer ads.
Sweet corn has grown considerably compared to other vegetables, explains Moalli, because of the partnership that farmers have as members of SSCFF and the Fresh from Florida program. “These programs have increased availability of Sunshine Sweet Corn to the retail segment but also have increased consumer awareness of sweet corn as an option nearly year-round,” she says.
FAVORABLE TRENDS
Research supports such growth. Nielsen Fresh’s February 2019 report, Fresh Trends: Tracking the Four Trends Driving Growth Across the Fresh Section, called-out sweet corn in its “What Could Be Next” segment. “Sweet corn could be another unique option
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like cauliflower, with its lightly sweet flavor,” the report stated. “It’s already seen 5 percent CAGR (compound annual growth rate), similar to cauliflower’s trajectory before it took the main stage.”
Along with peaches and tomatoes, the family of Bob Sickles, the third-generation owner of Sickles Market in Little Silver, NJ, survived on sweet corn. He credits sweet corn with putting all his siblings and himself through college. “It is a favorite vegetable of mine, and I love them all,” says Sickles. Sometimes on a summer Saturday, the family business would sell 250 bushels, about 90 wholesale and the rest retail. “From June to the end of September, [sweet corn] dominated our sales, with peaches and tomatoes soon chiming in as July progressed,” he says. “Needless to say, sweet corn was and is a big part of my life.”
Sickles recommends retailers develop effec- tive displays. “For sweet corn, you need to have good-looking fresh product and be in it to win it with big displays,” says Sickles. “There are
many more recipes for corn available these days, and I think people appreciate fresh and local more than they have in the past.”
Pre-husking saves time. Experts say retailers should always sell Super Sweet vari- eties and tell growers to never grow non-Super Sweet varieties, with the exception of Silver Queen, a popular late-season variety.
ERECT SIZEABLE DISPLAYS
Wanless of SM Jones says retailers should consider the way they display sweet corn. “Put sweet corn in full, fresh and refrigerated displays which will produce the most move- ment and sales for the category.”
Bulk displays work well by giving consumers “a sense of summer feeling,” says Sean McFadden, business development for Parker Farms. Retailers should be careful to remove “old, dry corn” and make good use of bins and/or tabletops. McFadden recommends tray packing on and off the cob.
Although competition for space is intense,