NEW YORK, NY - Bowery Farming’s Chief Revenue Officer Carmela Cugini recently peered into her crystal ball to predict some of the hottest fresh produce trends in 2021. Some of us may call it sorcery, but our industry’s most well-versed members hold the power to foresee sales opportunities before they arrive at our feet. I had the chance to get the inside scoop on Carmela’s predictions, and you certainly won’t want to miss them.
“Earlier this year, Bowery unveiled our brand evolution that ‘reimagined what a flavorful future tastes like,’” Carmela told me as we dove in. “Our brand evolution and recent brand refresh exemplifies our continued focus on simplicity, surety, and safety in the food supply chain, and showcases how our social impact has never been greater.”
Carmela predicts that produce will become a completely refreshed category, from new branding designs to physical product innovations. Transparency in terms of safety and accountability will also be a significant sales driver in 2021. Bowery’s smart indoor farms, for example, use the BoweryOS solution, a custom-built technology that powers agricultural innovation and meets consumer demand for transparency and traceability.
“Global events like the ongoing pandemic, coupled with recent climate events, whether it be the ongoing fires in California or droughts facing almost every state from the Great Plains to the West Coast, has only magnified the fragility of our food system,” Carmela continued, saying that trusted brands are more important to consumers now than ever before.
Bowery grows pesticide-free produce from non-GMO seeds in a completely controlled and contained environment. Customers are gravitating toward indoor farms like Bowery for its trusted, protected produce. Additionally, Bowery farms’ operations are close to its consumers, which contributes to the stability of regional food supply chains.
Another aspect of safe food supply chains that we’ve all seen develop this year lies in e-commerce.
“Bowery had experienced more than 600 percent sales growth with brick-and-mortar partners, and more than doubled sales with e-commerce partners in 2020, including Amazon Fresh, with no sign of slowing down,” Carmela said, noting that home cooking is another trend she expects to continue. “As an industry, 2021 will bring a continued move toward integrated omnichannel shopping and more personalized experiences.”
There you have it, folks! Consumers are looking to you to meet these demands in 2021, and Bowery Farming is one supplier who will deliver on those expectations. Keep an eye out for more reports from ANUK as we bring you the latest and greatest.
