ONTARIO - There is a new promotion concept residing in Longo’s produce department, made with a promise that what consumers find there will set the bar for natural taste.
The Flavour Corner by Longo's, a collaborative idea between Longo’s Director of Produce and Floral Mimmo Franzone and Grapery’s CEO Jim Beagle, is a place in the store for customers to have a flavor experience like no other.
From the unique grape varieties like Witch Fingers, to Cotton Candy, to Moon Drops, the Flavour Corner is a flavor promise Longo’s and Grapery have teamed up to deliver directly to their customers.
“We’re just way out there in terms of our focus on flavor,” Jim tells me. “If you talk to any farmer about how they determine quality in grapes their answers will vary. Ours is flavor, and we are so passionate about it.”
This focus has a direct impact on the kind of company Grapery is, fitting into what Jim defines as a specialty branch of the grape category. “We’ve really built a reputation with consumers that we have consistently great flavor.”
But the focus on quality versus quantity necessitated a different approach in retail displays and sales for the company’s products. That is where Longo’s comes in.
“Mimmo came up with a great idea that we’ve never tried before to set up a semi-permanent display, which we can rotate with quality supply as they are available and will always be a place for consumers to get that premium flavor.”
And so the concept for the Flavour Corner was born.
“We met with Jim and the team in the off-season and wanted to find a way to communicate our objective of delivering a flavor experience to our customers like no other,” Mimmo tells me. “Between what Grapery can offer when it comes to variety and flavor and what we here at Longo’s can bring to the program, we figured if we create a destination in our stores with the proper messaging and execution, we would be able to satisfy all areas of the objective and, most importantly, our needs of the Longo’s customer.”
This dedicated location where customers can easily shop varieties that they can depend on for flavor incorporates custom POS highlighting the program, as well as promos and demo support throughout the fall.
“Working with Jim and Madeline has been a great experience,” Mimmo tells me. “It’s a relationship that has been getting stronger by the day and we are looking forward to continuing it for years to come.”
With the promise of a sensory eating experience, as well as the trending taste for specialty, quality seasonal produce, the Flavour Corner by Longo’s is sure to be a hit.
