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health, recipe concepts and meal kit options,” advises Bill Litvin, vice president of sales at Giorgio Fresh in Temple, PA. “However, the key to variety in the retail space is balance. You want to have enough of a selection as to appeal to those looking to try new things, but you do not want to overwhelm the consumer with too many choices,” he advises.
It is also important to make sure displays are always stocked with fresh-looking mush- rooms, meaning produce departments need to be diligent about removing tired-looking mushrooms that could prevent customers from purchasing. “Consumers buy with their eyes, which means constantly stocking fresh mushrooms is extremely important. This will keep sales going and avoid the problem of losing a customer who doesn’t purchase because of old product on the shelf,” says Rhyno of Highline Mushrooms.
Maintaining proper temperatures is equally important since temperature vari- ations also have a negative effect on mush- room quality and sales. Retailers should ensure mushrooms are kept cold in the backrooms and on the shelves and displays. “Temperature variations can have a negative effect on mushroom quality, so maintaining the cold chain is crucial,” says Wilder. “To-Jo provides a variety of training materials, such as best practices and storage and handling POS that is distributed throughout the year to all produce managers.”
Mushrooms are one of the most perish- able categories in the produce department. Therefore, produce departments must main- tain the cold chain from farm to retail shelf. Also, stay in stock. Out of stocks lead to lost sales, disappointed customers and really plays havoc with your scan data.”
ONCE MUSHROOMS LEAVE THE STORE
Educating the consumer on proper storage so mushrooms stay fresh can go a long way in making sure a customer thinks mushrooms are a valuable purchase. “Produce managers should
“Mushrooms are one of the most perishable categories in the
produce department. Therefore, produce departments must
maintain the cold chain from farm to retail shelf.” — Mike O’Brien, Monterey Mushrooms
give their teams more information to pass on to consumers about usage and storage,” says Reyes. “This can also be done by providing consumers with signage and recipe cards.”
Packaging can also inform consumers that the fridge is the best place to store mush- rooms. “Packaged mushrooms are wrapped with specially designed film that allows for
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