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sistent, saying one thing and acting completely differently. In the 2017 Inter- national Food Information Council (IFIC) Survey on consumers and health, respon- dents described being healthy as having few or no health problems, followed by eating a healthy diet with foods rich in nutrients and free from artificial ingredients. But when asked about purchase drivers, consumers name taste, price and familiarity as more influential than health. The takeaway for retailers? Appealing displays, attractive
pricing and opportunities for shoppers to taste new fruits and vegetables.
“Now more than ever, it’s important to market fruits and vegetables for sensory appeal and health together,” observes RJ Harvey, RDN, global marketing manager, Potatoes USA, Denver. “We did ourselves a disservice by marketing them separately because it led consumers to believe that nutritious food is not tasty. We need to get buy-in with the senses and then tell the healthy message.”
‘Don’t make produce medicine. Provide great tasting fruits and vegetables at respectable prices. Top it off by offering healthy solutions, including recipes and convenience.’
Mike O’Brien Monterey Mushrooms
Monterey Mushrooms’ O’Brien agrees. “Don’t make produce medicine,” he says. “Provide great tasting fruits and vegetables at respectable prices. Top it off by offering healthy solutions, including recipes and convenience.”
MARKET FOR ALL MEALS
If produce consumption trends are to grow in any meaningful way, all eating occa- sions must be in the marketers’ bulls-eye. Breakfast commonly is referred to as the most important meal of the day, but only 18 percent of breakfasts include fruit and less than 6 percent include vegetables, according to the Produce for Better Health Foundation’s State of the Plate 2015 Study on America’s Consumption of Fruit and Vegetables. Shoppers know that health means fruit at breakfast. “In our 2018 SmartFood Choices study, shoppers name increased fresh produce consumption as the No. 1 way to eat a better-for-you break- fast,” says United Fresh’s Coppola.
Coppola notes the report also names fresh fruit, followed by fresh vegetables, as the top way to improve snacking. “When promoting snacking, be sure to consider convenience and portability in terms of fresh produce items that can be eaten on the go. Also, look for creative pairings with other foods, such as proteins or nuts.”
Beverages present a significant oppor- tunity, particularly refrigerated cold-pressed juices and fruit and vegetable smoothies sold in produce. “We found 80 percent of consumers aim to reduce their intake of sugary beverages, while 45 percent make their own fruit or veggie smoothies, and 41 percent buy bottled produce-based drinks,” says Coppola.
Keep in mind that dinner still matters, particularly for families. “I encourage people to add one more family meal in per week,
56 / OCTOBER 2018 / PRODUCE BUSINESS