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n REFRIGERATION REQUIREMENTS
Although more stores want to add refrigerated displays, DOE rules make displaying produce in refriger- ated displays more challenging. “We are seeing more and more require- ments on refrigeration,” says Troy White, vice president of retail store equipment supplier H.A. Hammer, Inc., Chesterfield MO. “Cases have to possess certain energy efficiencies. It’s a battle to use existing DOE-approved equipment. With sightlines low, it’s challenging to come up with solu- tions. They’re getting product closer and closer to the floor. One can design anything, but not everyone has the money to pay for energy and time.”
Efficiency is an important consider- ation produce merchandisers should keep in mind when recommending display and refrigerated equipment to operations. “Make sure they are cost-effective for the operators and very practical and easy to use,” says Gaines Chamberlain, business devel- opment manager for Blanc Display Group, Dover, NJ.
merchandising, the specialty cases that retailers can move around or create destination points,” says White. “Because they are on casters, we are seeing them moving around the depart- ment. Instead of having the same shopping pattern, retailers are coming up with different shopping patterns. With refrigerated spot merchandising, where they can move the displays around from place to place within the department, they can promote different prod- ucts in different ways.”
New designs can prompt existing shop- pers to consider purchasing higher-margin items. “Our displays can be made mobile and come in a wide range of sizes, so they’re good for filling gaps and taking advantage of selling opportunities on the produce floor,” says Structural Plastics’ Newton. “Mobile tilt-top displays are used to promote special seasonal produce, and can be used to cross merchandise produce with companion prod- ucts.” For example, fresh seasonal strawber- ries can be merchandised with shortcake and whipped cream and positioned within the produce department, or entry or vestibule areas.
Mobile displays offer more flexibility.
“Flexible fixtures that can be moved around, allowing the department to have flexibility and mobility so they can quickly refresh the department’s look and layout on the fly, create a differentiated and updated experi- ence for shoppers on a more regular basis,” says Merchandise Food’s Raduns. “That’s why people are using more of the bins and bin types. They can be oriented in different ways and shopped 360 degrees.”
The flexibility provided by mobile displays can help merchandising. “Smaller mobile units
reduce product shrink but also ‘interrupt the customer’ and encourage sales,” says Cayuga Display’s Schotsman. “Cross-merchandising and incorporating multi-tier shelves is also popular. As stores become smaller, vertical merchandising becomes more important. Displays are important from a sales presentation standpoint.That’s why angled displays and various pod designs are popular to create a nice visual effect.”
LIGHTING
Lighting assists with maintaining product
PRODUCE BUSINESS / MAY 2019 / 51