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pomegranates merchandising review Finding Treasure Inside Poms
Six ways to beef up sales of pomegranates and attract rst-time buyers to the cate- gory.
merchandising and promotional tactics to take advantage of the fruit’s regal appear- ance, avor, nutritional pro le and versatility throughout the year as well as during its peak domestic season. Here’s how:
1. GIVE THEM A YEAR-ROUND HOME
Pomegranates are not seasonal anymore. Imported fruit has made them a daily staple for many of Gelson’s customers, says Savidan. “We align ourselves with partners and suppliers who can deliver quality product that we can capi- talize on. Having a year-round pomegranate program, and in particular fresh arils, is a commitment we are happy to provide.”
California produces more than 90 percent of the pomegranates grown in the United States, according to data from the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, in Ames, IA. A few other states have small growing regions in Arizona, Utah, Nevada and Georgia.
“Domestic fresh whole pomegranates from California’s Central Valley are available from mid-August through December/January,” says Ray England, vice president of marketing for the DJ Forry Co., in Pismo Beach, CA.
Approximately 30 percent of California’s crop — and virtually all of the initial fruit — are early-season varieties such as Granada and Foothill, according to Tom Tjerandsen, the Sonoma, CA-based manager of the Pome- granate Council. By early to mid-October, the sought-after Wonderful variety begins harvest.
“We will bring some pomegranates in prior to the Wonderful variety hitting the market but
will hold o on big promotions until these start shipping,” says Randy Bohaty, produce director for B&R Stores, an 18-location chain based in Lincoln, NE, which operates under the Russ’s Markets, Super Saver, Apple Market and Save Best Foods banners. “We do try to use large — not the largest size — in order to have a nice piece of fruit with a manageable price point.”
Whole pomegranates are generally sold in 20-, 24- and 36-count packs. Companies such as King Fresh Produce LLC, headquartered in Dinuba, CA, o er a variety of pack styles: 1-layer export club pack, 2-layer tri-wall bins, Euro packs and 20/3-count sleeves. e fruit is sometimes also sold in 2-layer, 6-pack trays or Euro trays.
Organic fruit is available, says Je Simonian, president of the Simonian Fruit Company, in Fowler, CA, “but it is fairly limited and devoted to stores that specialize in organics. Peak volume is in October and November.”
ere is a bit of a gap early in the year, until pomegranates start from Peru. “ e imported fruit sold in the United States during this time is from Chile, and perhaps some from Argen- tina, where irradiation isn’t required for the whole fruit’s entry,” says DJ Forry’s England. “ ese sources will take us to the August time period for domestic.”
In recent years, there have been many new varieties introduced and numerous countries now growing pomegranates. For this reason, says Rene Millburn, public relations director for King Fresh Produce, “there has been a signi - cant growth in both production and consump-
BT
Y CAROL BAREUTHER
he pomegranate, nicknamed the ‘king of fruits’ because of its crown-shaped stem, once ruled over a small space on U.S. supermarket shelves.
at place also proved highly seasonal. en, a savvy turn-of-the-century marketing cam- paign and research revealing pomegranates are full of disease-preventing nutrients pro- pelled this regal red fruit onto Americans’ radar. e rst product to hit the market in a big way was pomegranate juice. More re- cently, a greater availability of the whole fruit as well as grab-and-go forms of the seeds inside, have made the pomegranate a crowd favorite.
“Our customers know that pomegranates, and in particular the pomegranate arils, are classi ed as a super fruit and contain dietary antioxidants,” says John Savidan, senior director of produce and oral at Gelson’s Markets, a 27-store chain headquartered in Encino, CA. “ ey are taking advantage of these little gems by adding them to salads, smoothies and just as a daily snack item.”
e key to selling more pomegranates is to o er this fruit year-round in fresh and value- added forms. It’s also imperative to customize
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