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merchandising review sweet onions
case of onions. “As sweet onions are perish- able, more so than traditional yellow onions, displays should only be as large as what a retailer can sell through in a couple of days.”
Shuman recommends retail produce managers pay attention to the times of the year. “We like to recommend retailers focus on the importance of seasonality, holidays and consumer trends during Vidalia season,” he says. “For example, we are seeing the topic of meal planning driving search inquiries and purchases just as much as the spring holidays.”
For proper merchandising, retailers should distinguish sweet onions from other onions. “Utilizing retail display cases and/or attractive consumer packaging separate from the general onion category creates a greater opportunity to catch the attention of consumers and
increase sales,” says Lauren Dees, marketing manager of Generation Farms, based in Lake Park, GA. “Key factors for Millennials when purchasing produce is attractive displays and signage, innovative packaging as well as useful tips and recipes. Sweet onions pair well with other produce and can quickly lead consumers to purchase in one area of the store a conve- nient vegetarian meal or side dish.”
Careful thought should be placed into developing displays, says J&D’s Brechler. “Organized and neat displays are important,” he says. “They need to be constantly refilled and worked by the people in the stores.” While display size is important, they don’t need to be gigantic. “You don’t have to have a mountain of them to move them,” explains Brechler. “Calling attention to them is No. 1. For No. 2., make
sure the displays are always stocked and full, that they don’t look like they’ve been picked through with only three or so onions in the bin. It’s important to maintain them.”
PROPER POSITIONING
A key piece of advice is proper placement. “Make sure they are easily found, not in the corner and by no means a small display,” says Onions Etc.’s Kelso. “Always remember that when you sell an onion to someone, you’re selling to a consumer who is going to cook. This consumer is not just an onion buyer. They are going to buy more than just an onion. A consumer buying a piece of fruit, they don’t have to buy anything else. A consumer buying a bunch of asparagus, artichokes or strawber- ries may not buy anything else. But a consumer
68 / APRIL 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS