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squash in February, Florida maintains a strong marketplace reputation, says Lytch. “ ere is such a long production window, and Florida has peak production of many items during important holiday promotion periods, which makes it very important to retail sales,” he says. “People understand how important it is to source from Florida.”
e character of the state’s grower-shippers is also important, says McDonald. “ ere’s a better reputation of the people involved,” he says. Buyers have worked with Florida grow- er-shippers for years, so they know what they’re getting involved with, says McDonald of Sweet Life Farms.
Some Florida commodities, such as avocados and tropicals, ship throughout North America. Because of competition from other growing regions, other items, including straw- berries and tomatoes, generally ship to buyers east of the Mississippi River, say growers.
Vegetable grower-shippers distribute regionally into the Southeast and into the Northeast as well as the Midwest. Depending on the items and season, growers, including L&M, also ship some items further, all the way to the West Coast, says Lytch.
Although Florida growers ship product all over the United States, most of FDACS’ U.S. retail marketing campaigns focus on areas
east of the Mississippi River, says Lee. ose campaigns are presented to 64 participating retailers in 28 states, representing 8,400 indi- vidual stores, she says.
MARKETING TO SHOPPERS
e state- and grower-funded promo- tions help market Florida’s produce. is year, FDACS introduced a digital marketing campaign promoting coupons of blueber- ries and sweet corn to Florida shoppers. e promotion was successful and witnessed a 50 percent average coupon usage, higher than typical redemption rates, says Lee.
Florida produce is marketed in a variety of ways, including displays highlighting Fresh from Florida fruit and vegetables, sampling events, point-of-purchase signage, ad circulars, grocery cart signage, special events, direct mail and social media.
Fresh from Florida promotions are sometimes paired with other products during sampling events such as instances when Florida strawberries were dunked in Hershey’s chocolate or Florida grapefruit was paired with Dasani sparking water. Such promotions help increase sales of both prod- ucts and show the customer creative methods of preparing Florida commodities, says Lee.
e Fresh from Florida branding main- tains a strong in uence in Florida. Because of the high-quality products associated with the labeling, shoppers outside the state recognize the Fresh from Florida label and feel con dent when purchasing, observes Je rey Goodale, director of domestic sales for Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Inc., based in Oviedo, FL. As farming techniques are advancing, the quality of Florida vegetables is also improving, he notes.
“Products such as oranges and sweet corn are considered premium products since Florida consistently produces these products to high-quality standards,” says Goodale. “In-store displays are available for retailers and wholesalers to promote the Florida product line. By having these available at the retail level, it educates and encourages shop- pers to try the Fresh from Florida products.”
Harps’ stores source many Florida berries and vegetables. “It’s hugely important to try to source produce more locally as much as you can,” says Roberts. “ e closer it is to you, it shows in shelf life. e farther away it is, it takes away shelf life, and you end up losing shelf life. If you can get it a day or two days sooner, it is huge for us. When the same quality if not even better is coming out of the Southeast, it is very important to us in terms of pro ts and freshness.” pb
n DIVERSITY OF PRODUCTS SUPPORTS FLORIDA SALES
“Florida offers an advantage of offering many different commodities at the same time,” says Mark McDonald, manager and partner with Sweet Life Farms LLC, Plant City, FL. “The buyers won’t have to look elsewhere, like with two to three locations in the United States, California or Mexico.”
Another thing that makes Florida unique is that South Florida is one of only two sub-tropical growing regions in the continental U.S., says Mary Ostlund, director of marketing with Brooks Trop- icals LLC, based in Homestead, FL. The state’s produce can be mainstream items such as avocados, strawberries and toma- toes or tropicals that are less familiar to the general shopper. Fresh from Florida takes on a meaning beyond the normal connotation,” she says. “Fresh, in Florida’s case, also means new types of produce for the general public to try.”
Florida offers other benefits. “Florida connects two trends in consumer buying — the consumer push for domestic product, and the consumer drive to eat more fruits and vegetables,” says Ostlund. “Eating healthier has equated to eating more produce. Eating more produce equates to eating different produce. Florida tropicals fit the bill.”
The large catalog of products is provided by grower-funded research at the University of Florida for varieties specifically developed to be grown in Florida. Research is being conducted on new crops including vanilla beans, arti- chokes and sweet potatoes, which may
be available for commercial produc- tion, says Mindy Lee, Fresh from Florida bureau chief and media and commu- nications manager with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, based in Tallahassee, FL.
Asian vegetables such as bok choy, Napa and bitter melon, are still gaining in popularity. Brussels sprouts have become popular and, for broccoli, production and length of season are expanding, she says.
Cold-hardy citrus,
Satsuma Mandarins, is another crop that continues to expand. Other cole crops, including broccoli and Brussels sprouts, are being developed in North Florida, which extends the season into the warmer months. In South Florida, dragon fruit or pitaya production appears to have matured to the point of providing strong volume for retail, notes Lee.
Raleigh, NC-based L&M has long grown broccoli at its Palatka, FL-based, North Florida operation. However, production of newer crops, such as cauli- flower, is possible through grower coop- eration with seed breeding companies, says Adam Lytch, operations manager.
Seedless oranges, Mandarins and Tangerines are among new items being grown, says Jeffrey Goodale, director of domestic sales for Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Inc., based in Oviedo, FL. “Water manage- ment, including managing the inputs and utilization so that it’s environmentally friendly, is an area Florida growers are dedicated to improving,” he says. pb
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94 / OCTOBER 2018 / PRODUCE BUSINESS