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merchandising review onions
are going to have just the opposite — reds, yellows and a very small o ering of white onions.”
EDUCATION IS ‘PARAMOUNT’
Although his Committee doesn’t have speci c data on the popularity of speci c varieties of onions, Haun points out, “We do know that in order to increase onion sales, it is paramount retailers do their best to educate consumers on what varieties and colors work best for certain dishes. White onions are
nTHE CASE FOR HEALTHY Much of the case for onions as a healthy food already has been made,
which gives retailers a solid head start. “Onions have a lot of flavonoids, a lot of antioxidants,” says Ralph Schwartz, vice president sales, category management for Potandon Produce LLC in Idaho Falls, ID. “It’s not a secret message; it’s been pub- lished by the National Onion Association for years.” Additional store signage can only help, “but I don’t think it will make a difference. Most people know that onions are healthy; I’ve never heard anyone say the opposite. We went through a similar situation years ago with potatoes. Onions don’t have any real negatives, any draw-
back that would turn people off.” Indeed, onions’ health benefits are turning American consumers on. They not only provide flavor, they also provide important nutrients and health-promoting phytochemicals. They are high in vitamin C, and they are a good source of dietary fiber and folic acid. Onions also contain calcium and iron; have a high protein quality (ratio of mg amino acid/gram pro- tein); and are low in sodium and contain
no fat.
When it comes to touting the healthy
attributes of onions, retailers should nev- er take anything for granted. As Herb Haun, chairman of the Idaho-Eastern On- ion Committee has found, “Sometimes the assumption is that everyone already knows that onions are healthy, so why bother. Yet, it doesn’t hurt to provide quick reminders that onions are a good source of Vitamin C — as documented by the FDA — and have a whole host of other healthy properties.”
The bottom line, Haun insists, is that when an item for purchase is deemed healthy, retailers should use it to sell more.”
“Onions, indeed, are incredibly nutri- tious and beneficial to your health,” says René Hardwick, the National Onion Asso- ciation’s director of public and industry re- lations. “Younger generations today may not know just how much,” she adds.
To that end, the National Onion Asso- ciation has a dietitian’s toolkit, which is a turnkey resource that explains all health benefits and provides recipes, as well as social media tweets, cooking classes, dem- os and media scripts for dietitians. pb
46 / AUGUST 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS