Page 47 - December2018
P. 47

nA SWEET CAUSE
Shuman Produce, Reidsville, GA, has its highest sales months
for sweet onions in November and December. “Because sweet onions are mild, and there is great recognition from the summer and fall, they are a holiday favorite,” says Trish James, Vice Pres- ident of Produce for Kids, a subsidiary company of Shuman Produce. In 2002, the company founded Produce for Kids, which raises funds for children’s charities. Since its inception, the program has raised more than $5.5 million.
This is also the time of year when Shuman runs its premier
giving campaign program with Feeding
America. During November and December,
Shuman provides its Real-Sweet Peruvian
onions in bags with the Feeding America
logo on them. “We provide 50,000 meals
through Feeding America. One in eight children struggle with hunger in the U.S. today,” explains James. “During the holidays, consumers are looking for a way to give back. Knowing they are able to help in this area is important to retailers,” says James.
end displays can help to build incremental sales before consumers even get to the back of the produce department.”
CATEGORY MANAGEMENT OR CATCH PHRASE
Kleenex is to tissues as category manage- ment is to promotions. In its simplest terms, category management is data-driven deci- sion making that entails devising a strategic plan for the highest maximum sales. So what exactly goes into category management? In a nutshell, it is price and assortment analysis, promotion scheduling and analysis, and state- of-the-art trending and forecasting.
Original category management models have evolved over the years, and many suppliers and retailers mention Nielsen’s streamlined  ve-step model: review the cate- gory, target consumers, plan merchandising, implement strategy and evaluate results.
Potandan’s Schwartz says not a lot of retailers want detailed Nielsen information available to them on potato category manage- ment. “We track quarterly data where the breakdown goes across the category, and have the best practices, merchandising and correct tra c- ow information,” he says. Potandan uses data to analyze and understand tra c  ow in order to upsell. “Consumers  nd
potatoes. Place them at the end of the tra c  ow. Understanding placement is key.  ink destination vs. showcase,” he adds.
On category management, Schwartz admits that ad plans meet the lion’s share of a customer’s needs. “Promotions are part of category management, and they’re a required part of doing business with our customers.” To get down to the nitty-gritty of category management, however, is another thing entirely, according to Schwartz. “ ere’s a high level of partnership between supplier and customer. Scanner data shrink and pro t margins are shared information, which are all taken into account and analyzed.”
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