New Grocery Merchandising Tools & Promos
Goldenberry Farms develops new fruit marketing & merchandising tools to help support grocers & retailers sell exotic fruit
NEW YORK, NY - Grocers and retailers face the reoccurring questions every year, how to increase sales, through alternative channels or products. Although exotic produce is frequently eye-catching and colorful, getting customers to stop and try new flavors isn’t easy.
Thankfully, the science of merchandising, and providers such as POM, Dole®, Del Monte®, and Goldenberry Farms, work to design the retail experience as part of the product development cycle.
Not just another orange.
In the fast-paced world of commodities, adding value via brand design is easier said than done, however, once a branded produce item catches the attention of consumers, it is often a perennial favorite.
Smart labeling allows retailers to make the most of precious retail space.
Take, for example, the vast difference in not only the sales volume, but also the sale price of Halos™, a branded mandarin fruit, vs the commodity item.
Clever marketing and professional product design will naturally lead clients toward the education process which drives the initial purchase. A combination of digital tools, shelf talkers, bins, and POP (point of purchase) tools all play their part in driving the sale. Produce quality and seasonal promotions help to drive the reoccurring sale.
Berry smart.
In helping to drive consumer awareness toward the goldenberry, a new tropical fruit, Goldenberry Farms™ has adopted its “Mother Nature’s Sweet Tart” campaign, which helps to connect the unique sweet-and-sour flavor experience of the goldenberry to a beloved candy, the SweeTart®, this (and importantly) setting the customer’s flavor expectation in advance.
Tastes like TANG®.
These small orange “berries” have a subtly sweet- tart flavor like that of a pineapple or strawberry. The fruit is merchandised in produce, and frequently inside the berry section. The challenge for the grower in this case is to pre-educate consumers that not all berries are similarly sweet. At the same time, the merchandising goes on to tout the benefits of the slightly sour twist, most importantly incredible potential health benefits, which claim to include uplifting immunity, improving eyesight, and lowering inflammation in the body.
In this case, the flavor expectation has been set.
Excitement has been created (to try a new food or flavor experience, reminscent of a candy), and awareness / education has happened, informing the client that this was a healthy and smart purchase for their families health.
Color is key:
Sometimes, the product will help to merchandise itself. In the case of goldenberries, the brilliant
Subtlely-designed shelf talkers can help “upscale” grocers deliver important messaging to clients without causing visual headaches.
orange color really helps to draw attention into the entire berry cooler, but it is visually clear which fruit stands out - the bright orange berry. Winning visually is a very important first step to creating a sale - the second (sometimes equally important) step, is to refresh or “voice” to the consumer, as GBF (Goldenberry Farms™) does with its variety of point of sale tools, such as signage and shelf talkers.
The customer takes the product.
And the Process Continues.
Reinforcing the sale with newer tools such as QR codes really helps to achieve the purpose of offering the most interested consumer more information than a label alone can provide.
In the case of our goldenberry example, all clamshells have a QR code that links to a site offering nutritional facts (reinforcing the healthy and wise buying choice), recipe inspiration (which helps to drive consumption), and interactive tools such as links to social media to allow the client to interact at their own pace and even leave feedback.
When a process such as this is already part of the product, it really helps to do the “heavy lifting” for the retailer, as the client can search for the product, study it in advance, and then can easily find the product in-store with the point of sale tools.
Customers are demanding healthier options:
It’s 2023, and the customer is (more than ever) king. Educated customers receive information and product suggestions via social media, and have an expectation that they will be able to find whatever ingredient Instagram is offering at their local grocer.
In terms of timing, it’s an ideal year to focus on the growth of tropical and exotic fruit sales. The post-covid consumer is different in several key aspects, one being their awareness of the health content of their food. Market studies show that 32% of consumers and 41% of parents in 2021 have specifically commented that they are more focused on adding fresh fruit and produce to their family table, as well as being more attentive to the overall vitamin and nutritional content of the products they consume.
This consumer trend has paved the way for the entry of many newer tropical fruits to enter the grocery realm, and smart grocers work with growers who know the product and can help to sell it with a robust in-store and consumer experience.
Where Good Things Grow™
Goldenberry Farms™ is a grower, packer, and leading exporter of high quality goldenberries and physalis, with growing regions near both Medellin and Bogota Colombia, and exporting via air and sea to distributors and retailers in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. The company, known for its “Where Good Things Grow” approach to regenerative farming, focuses on soil health to commercially grow fruit naturally with longer shelf life and ideal taste profile.
Goldenberry Farms™ has been designated a “ZOMAC” company in Colombia, for its commitment to rebuild communities and areas with the development of sustainable tropical fruit and produce.