Page 102 - 0619

merchandising review grapes
maintaining and communicating freshness. Supply-side requirements include picking, precooling and quickly shipping grapes across the border and directly to local retailers. The emphasis on freshness benefits retailers by enabling them to store and market adequate supply during promotional periods.
“Refrigeration throughout the supply chain, including in the store, is important especially for specialty varieties,” says Grapery’s Beagle. “Many are picked ripe and don’t have a long shelf life. That can be particularly challenging for imports with long transit times.”
SEEK OUT PROMOTION PARTNERS
Commodity groups and grower/shippers serve as ideal promotion partners to retailers for materials and marketing strategies. The California Table Grape Commission is actively sharing health messaging pertaining to grapes in consumer media, highlighting the health benefits of their antioxidants and natural plant polyphenols. It also is promoting the heart, brain and digestive benefits of grapes. On the retail side, the Commission suggests displaying cheese or crackers in the grape display, creating picnic-friendly packages of grapes and other fruit, and adding grapes to ready-cut vegetable salads.
“Our usage ads for this year will focus on the portability and ease of incorporating California grapes as the perfect snack at home or on the go,” says Jeff Cardinale, vice president communications.
Brux points out: “The Chilean Fruit Asso- ciation has three amazing merchandisers who work with retailers big and small throughout the United States and Canada to develop unique, integrated promotions.
“We offer numerous point-of-sale cards, danglers, recipe cards and photos/usage videos for retailers to use on their social media channels, but that’s just where it starts. For some retailers, that might mean a digital coupon with accompanying Facebook posts about grapes. For others, it might be kids cooking classes accompanied by a hot ad, or a March Madness basketball-themed online and in-store promotion encouraging shoppers to “score big” with Chilean grapes.”
“I use a lot of POS and promo materials that organizations and vendors send me, such as signs, banners, posters, and recipe cards,” says Super Foodtown’s Selletto. “The mate- rials look good, and they attract business. I also do a lot of promos with children. Give- aways such as coloring books create excite- ment among kids, and their parents who are buying the grapes. Keep them coming.” pb
102 / JUNE 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS
DECEMBER 10-13, 2019
ONLY IN NEW YORK
A WORLD CLASS EVENT IN A WORLD CLASS CITY
212-426-2218
www.producebusiness.com
www.nyproduceshow.com • register@nyproduceshow.com