ORLANDO, FL - Of any food category on the planet, fresh produce is by far the most versatile, colorful, and healthy, inspiring flavors and sensory experiences worldwide. Dates are one of those special niches of fresh produce that continue to inspire and aspire—providing retailers and foodservice companies with category lift, nutrient-dense benefits, and differentiation in the produce department. As we ramp up for the IFPA Global Produce & Floral Summit, Adam Cooper, Chief Executive Officer of Oasis Dates, joins me to discuss what the brand and transforming company is up to and what customers can look forward to from the category as the new year wraps and 2027 heats up.
Oasis is preparing to debut new messaging and content initiatives to the trade and consumer, timed around IFPA. What's the core message you want attendees and retailers to walk away with?
Adam Cooper, Chief Executive Officer, Oasis Dates: As one of North America's largest date growers and processors, Oasis Dates delivers the highest-quality Medjool dates to retail partners and is a collaborative partner in helping to introduce shoppers to dates’ health benefits.
Our marketing campaign, Earth’s Most Versatile Fruit™, will be history-making and will drive consumers specifically to the Oasis Dates brand. This will increase demand by highlighting our three pillars to consumers: Oasis Dates are a Healthy Sweet Treat, Natural Energy Boost, and Culinary Secret Weapon™. We want attendees to leave our booth seeing what the date category can become, with the Oasis Dates brand, product innovation, advertising, and in-store merchandising leading an acceleration of growth.
What challenges in the category is this messaging built to address?
AC: Our messaging highlights just how versatile and useful Medjool dates are. In our planning stage, we conducted the world's largest consumer research study on date consumption to learn how to reach shoppers where they are, and discovered that one of the biggest challenges for this industry is lack of awareness and education about dates. As a result, our campaign messaging, Earth’s Most Versatile Fruit™, is built around helping consumers see the versatility of the dates and multiple ways they can fit into their routines and lifestyles.
What does the product portfolio look like that you'll be highlighting at the show?
AC: We will debut our entire product portfolio of seven unique items at the show, ranging from organic and conventional, whole and pitted Medjool dates and our innovative Boosted items: Cinnamon Oat Gut Health Date Boost and Salted Caramel Energy Date Boost. We’ll also showcase our cart-stopping shipper displays for both the Medjool and Boost product lines, bringing the bold imagery of our Earth’s Most Versatile Fruit™ campaign into the store.
Retailers have reportedly been coming to you with their own ideas rather than the other way around; what's an example of that entrepreneurial back-and-forth?
AC: We’ve had a very collaborative relationship with our retailer launch partners, and many have been refreshed to see a leader finally enter this category with innovative merchandising and products.
For example, Kroger challenged us to create new merchandising solutions for the Oasis Dates launch, including new displays focused on our Date Boost innovation and large-scale displays to promote our high-ring, no-shrink, organic Medjool dates during the upcoming holiday season. This reflects a collaborative partnership and confidence in Oasis to execute a huge program.
You mentioned exploring the NFL playoffs/Super Bowl as a new occasion for dates, backed by consumer research. How central is that push to the 2026/2027 roadmap?
AC: Our team is always looking for cultural moments where Oasis Dates fit naturally. Our consumer research showed that football watch parties, especially Super Bowl watch parties, are a promising new occasion for consumption. Inspired by these insights, we will be showcasing the industry’s first-ever football date display to encourage shoppers at the point of sale to add bacon-wrapped dates to their football snacking menu in addition to adding a healthy sweet treat to their charcuterie boards.
This is another example of the versatility of our marketing program, which will expand to other new consumption occasions in the future.
Check out booth # 1301 at the show and meet with the Oasis Dates team. See you all in Orlando!
