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merchandising review apples
them up, particularly when they’re priced higher than their tried-and-true favorites. Demos can be the key to unlocking those sales.
All Fresh GPS is among the companies that fund demos – sta ed and passive – for retailers. “If you pay $2.99 a pound and up for an apple, you want to make sure your money is going to a great piece of eating fruit,” says Mascari.
Cady says in-store demos are essen- tial when rolling out new varieties. “With Honeycrisp, people know – the name gives you what the texture is, and what it tastes like.” When that’s not the case, “you’d better put some demo money or sampling money behind it. Or go really cheap in retails so we can put it in their cart that way,” he says.
Signs are another important tool for di er- entiating apple varieties and promoting sales. “Even with the legacy varieties, you want
great signage, because as apples all sort of start to mesh together, you want them to be able to nd their favorite apples,” Mascari says. “If you have 50 apples out there, you want to make it easy on the consumer. Any more, it’s all about time. ey don’t want to waste time looking for what they want.”
“We’re big on descriptors; you have to tell people what the varieties are,” says Pepperl. “It’s really a barrier to purchase when you don’t know what an apple’s going to be. e expense can be a challenge. If you’re o ering a $1.59-a-pound Gala or a $2.99-a-pound SweeTango, you’d better give them a good reason to buy the SweeTango.”
CELEBRATING LOCAL
Apples from nearby orchards – across town or across state – create promotional opportuni- ties for retailers in the 32 states where apples are commercially grown, and especially in the Big 10: Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, Virginia, North Carolina, Oregon, Ohio and Idaho.
“In the Northwest, you will de nitely see an emphasis on ‘local,’ given the proximity to orchards, and you’ll likely nd that in New York, Michigan and Minnesota, as well,” says Sage Fruit Company’s Sinks. “However, one common theme that doesn’t stray too far from ‘local’ that you can see in various markets is ‘farm fresh.’ ”
Making a farm-to-table connection with consumers is one of the strategies Michi- gan-based All Fresh GPS employs on behalf
of retailers. “We put ‘meet the grower’ pieces together. We’ve even done demos where the farmer’s there. People want to know where their food comes from ... We can make that connection between the farmer and the consumer,” Mascari says.
“We’re sitting in middle of Apple Country in New York,” says Cady. “Apples always have a forward-facing home category display 365 days a year for us.”
CROSS MERCHANDISING
Cross-merchandising is a reliable vehicle for increasing sales, and industry experts say apples present plenty of opportunities.
“Cheese is a gimme,” says Cady.
“New York apples and ciders pair well with nuts, cheese, dips, spreads and can be used in numerous ways, from baking, to cooking, in salads, in beverages, as snacks and even paired with a protein to make a satis- fying meal alternative that is convenient, tasty and satisfying,” says the NYAA’s Haskins.
“Cross-merchandising with caramel or ingredients for pies is great. But, for a healthier take, perhaps try merchandising with steel-cut oats for a breakfast idea, or with other items in the produce department for a avorful salad.
140 / OCTOBER 2018 / PRODUCE BUSINESS