LOS ANGELES, CA - During just two seasons in the market, Wonderful Halos have achieved 81% brand awareness, motivating the company behind the program to continue to build their marketing portfolio and 2016 initiatives.
“It has been exciting time, getting our program off the ground and to the front of the pack in terms of brand recognition and growth,” Adam Cooper, VP of Marketing for Wonderful Citrus, tells me as he shares how the company will continue investing in the Halos brand. “What has really worked for us is having a sound integrated marketing campaign that reaches consumers at different touchpoints throughout the year. For example, building cart-stopping displays that disrupt consumers at the point of purchase, and tie back to our overall marketing campaign is a great way to reinforce our consumer marketing activities.”
In addition, Wonderful Citrus has been reaching a broader audience outside the store before consumers make their purchase decision, which is motivating the company to focus heavily on TV advertisements, PR and digital. Wonderful Halos is backed by a season-long marketing campaign that reaches consumers through various media.
“We recommend that retailers take advantage of the marketing activity by building in-store displays that follow key marketing dates, such as TV and FSIs,” Adam adds when I ask him what advice he has for retailers. “Halos is under the Wonderful Company umbrella, with sister brands such as POM Wonderful, FIJI Water, Wonderful Pistachios and Wonderful Almonds. These iconic household brands are backed by our strong Wonderful Sales team whose job is to achieve success for both parties.”
To support the retail community, Wonderful Citrus also offers plenty of in-store signage and POS to support retailers at various points of times throughout the year.
Citrus has continued to grow as a year-round player and not just a staple of warmer weather dishes, appetizers and treats. Wonderful Halos believe that kids can be the catalyst for change in the household, and can influence their families to make healthy changes. Kids and parents love Wonderful Halos mandarins because they are sweet, seedless, and easy-to-peel, making them the perfect snack time treat, Adam notes.
“Wonderful Halos make a great substitution for sugary snacks because they are fat-free and packed with Vitamin C. As mandarins become more prevalent in the marketplace, consumers are starting to experiment with their bright flavor by adding them in recipes,” he says. “Wonderful Halos are easily incorporated into family friendly meals that are not only healthy, but can be enjoyed on a daily basis.”
The demand for seedless varieties has also become a trend that amplifies the sweet flavor of Wonderful Halos mandarins. One of the reasons why Wonderful Halos are so popular with families is because parents do not have to worry about seeds being consumed by their little ones. Halos are also palm-sized, sweet and seedless, filled with great flavor for both kids and adults.
Currently, Adam tells me that the citrus season has been great so far as the team at Wonderful Citrus are constantly monitoring their crops to ensure they deliver the sweet mandarins that consumers know Wonderful for.
“The mandarin market has been growing exponentially year-after-year, so we not only have to think about the current crop year we are in, but also how our trees, both adult and new seedlings, are going to reach the consumer demand five to ten years from now,” Adam adds. “It’s an exciting and positive challenge to have.”
Wonderful Halos’ California mandarins are processed in one of the world’s largest citrus packinghouses at the company’s headquarters in Delano, California. The company will have two billion servings of fruit to sell throughout this season and the company is confident that with the right mix of quality, California grown product, consumer awareness, and engagement, Wonderful Citrus will continue as a leading mandarin brand in the country for the third year in a row.
When I ask Adam what the key citrus programs are that Wonderful Citrus will be highlighting this year, Adam tells me, “One of the initiatives Wonderful Halos is pursuing is teaching America’s youth healthy habits at an early age. A great example of this initiative is our partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. In 2015, we donated $100,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of America to support healthy programming that provides opportunities for club kids to get active and educate themselves to make smart choices that impact their health like snacking.”
This year, Wonderful Citrus also worked with actress, designer, and mother Kristin Cavallari to celebrate the second year of its partnership, donating an additional $100,000 benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s more than 4,000 clubs nationwide. Recently, Kristin led a fitness activity and delivered Halos and other nutritious snacks to a local New York City club.
As the company’s brand recognition continues to grow along with the popularity of citrus, stay tuned as we bring you more on the company’s 2016 evolution.
