WASHINGTON, DC - Changes are in the works for the United Fresh Produce Association. The organization’s Immediate Past Chairman Tony Freytag announced a new slate of officers and directors for the United Fresh Produce Association Board of Directors this week. The new appointments will come into effect April 17, 2018, at the Associations meeting in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
“Our organization thrives on the strength and diversity of the leadership on the United Fresh Board of Directors. This slate of new Board members, along with those returning to the Board, will provide a strong representation and leadership of our industry,” said President & CEO Tom Stenzel. “I’d like to extend a personal thanks to all of the Board members who are concluding their service at this upcoming meeting, including our Immediate Past Chairman Tony Freytag who provided exceptional leadership to our organization during his many years of service. With an industry as diverse and complex as ours, we are grateful to the dedicated members of our Board who have helped navigate the challenges in our industry and further advance our organization. We appreciate the time and service they have dedicated to United Fresh and the industry.”
At the organizations April 17th meeting, Cindy Jewell, Vice President of Marketing for California Giant Berry Farms, will assume the role of Chairman of the Board.
Greg Corrigan has been nominated as United Fresh’s Chairman-Elect. In addition to over 30 years of retail experience, United Fresh noted in its press release, Greg has served on many boards and committees for the produce and floral industry including the United Fresh Board from 2012-2016, PMA Retail Board, the Fresh Produce and Floral Council Board, and the United Fresh Retail-Foodservice Board. As Chairman-Elect, Greg will assume the Chairmanship of United Fresh in 2019.
Del Monte Fresh Produce Vice President N.A. Sales & Product Management Danny Dumas will continue to serve in an ongoing term as Secretary-Treasurer. And current United Chairman of the Board, Susan Reimer-Sifford, of the Castellini Group of Companies in Newport, KY, will move to the position of Immediate Past Chairman and remain on the Board and the Executive Committee.
“I’d also like to personally thank Tony and Board Development Committee members Susan Reimer-Sifford, Cindy Jewell, Danny Dumas, John Jackson, Raina Nelson, Tom Brugato, and Jeff Cady for their work this year in nominating an impressive slate of officers and Board members,” Stenzel added. “Their job was to help develop a strong and representative leadership on the Board for the coming years to drive our association forward, and I commend them for developing this strong slate of industry leaders.”
The following industry leaders have also been nominated to serve as new members of the United Fresh Board for a two-year term beginning April 2018:
- Mason Arnold of Cece’s™ Veggie Noodle Co.
- Luca Ascari, Vice President, Sales, ABL SPA
- John Gates, President, Lancaster Foods, Inc.
- Richard Gonzales, Vice President Global Produce Sourcing, Walmart
- Eric Halverson, Chief Executive Officer, Black Gold Farms
- Jeff Huckaby, President, Grimmway Enterprises Inc.
- John Newell, Chief Operating Officer, Windset Farms
- Ramon Paz-Vega, Chairman, Avocados From Mexico
- Heather Shavey, Assistant Vice President General Merchandise Manager, Costco Wholesale
For a complete list of changes and officers who are continuing to serve in various capacities on the United Fresh Board, interested parties can read the organization’s press release in its entirety.
For more fresh produce news, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
PHARR, TX - The 2018 Viva Fresh Produce Expo is upon us, bringing fresh food providers and buyers from around the nation to the crucially important South Texas region. This year marks the first annual Gateway to Innovations Award—though the Expo has been showcasing innovation for years—and one strong contender for the award is London Fruit.
After a year that saw the company introducing new category offerings, London Fruit is at it again, with a new Black Label packaging primed to drive sales, celebrate the much-loved Ataulfo variety mango, and provide customers and end consumers with the freshest possible produce.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Cindy Swanberg Schwing, Sr. Marketing / Business Development; Mario Cardenas, Sales Manager; and Kalani Jaime, Sales, to learn more about London Fruit's innovative new look and the company’s plans for Viva Fresh.
“Quality product has always been the cornerstone of London Fruit’s marketing—so in re-designing the new package, looks plus integrity were key elements to the design of the new package,” Cindy tells to me.
And Mario echoes those sentiments, adding: “A new visual design was desired as well so the company viewed the new Black Label as a method of enhancing the visibility of the Ataulfo (Honey) mango, especially through the maturation process of the fruit, knowing that each color change would be enhanced by the black presentation.”
With innovations to both the structure and look of the company’s packaging, Kalani and Cindy explain, wholesalers and retailers will be able to more conveniently display and ship produce.
“The open top carton, along with the new ventilation pattern, allows for maximum air flow during shipment—thus ensuring a more consistent product upon arrival to our customers,” states Kalani. “Airflow and consistent temperature is key to ensuring a consistent, quality product. London Fruit has worked diligently to ensure its packaging has these qualities for all of its product lines.”
In the tradition of London Fruit’s Splash Boxes, debuted at Viva Fresh 2016, Kalani tells me, the new Black Label is improving both the look and the function of its latest iteration of packaging.
“Finally,” Kalani adds, “utilizing a ‘reinforced’ corner package also enhances the ‘strength of package,’ ensuring a properly protected product upon delivery (highly sought after by receivers).”
Not only does London Fruit ship mangos, but also avocados, limes, jackfruit, Thai banana, banana flower, and Maradol papaya. London Fruit’s Black Label packaging will make its official debut at the Viva Fresh Produce Expo in San Antonio, Texas, April 5-7 at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. Expo goers can visit London Fruit at booth #67.
RIO RICO, AZ - Volatile weather throughout parts of Mexico and the Southeast and a turbulent shipping market have made sourcing some winter produce offerings tough this year. But with spring having sprung, a new facility in place to better store and ship produce, and new product offerings and year-round programs in place, SunFed is rising to meet the challenge.
I recently had the opportunity to learn more about the company’s tomato season from SunFed’s Tomato Sales Manager Eduardo Herbst.
“Sunfed’s tomato program is in full swing with new crop coming out of Sonora, Mexico. Shortly after we will move to Coahuila, Zacatecas, and Jalisco,” said Eduardo. “A combination of an early Easter and unpredictable winter has created a challenging market. But at SunFed, we are excited to continue growing our vine ripe tomato program! We continue to close our year-round gap to further serve our customers.”
With the company’s vine ripe tomato program continuing to grow and its Roma tomato program likewise expanding in recent months, the company is looking to become an even better partner to its retail and foodservice customer.
“Capacity in transportation remains tight! ELD has had an impact on same day deliveries and multiple pick ups creating a challenge for both shippers and receivers. But our investment in technology and post-harvest practices should give us an edge in putting flavor back in the consumers hand and away from artificial flavor,” added Eduardo, who noted that, despite continuing challenges in the way of ongoing transportation issues, SunFed is situated to give its customers ample supply of excellent quality produce at the best possible price.
Interested parties can learn more about SunFed on the company’s website and at the Viva Fresh Produce Expo in San Antonio this weekend, April 5-7 at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa. Attendees at the Expo can stop by booth 56 to meet the team and see what’s in store for the rest of 2018.
For more on tomatoes, tight markets, and the suppliers working to meet and exceed customers ‘and consumers’ needs, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
NEW YORK, NY - After Albertsons acquired Plated last September, we reported that this move was a strategic step to focus on innovation, personalization, and customization. Now, Albertsons is further honing in on the multifaceted desires of the company’s consumer base by staging a nationwide Plated roll out. By the end of the year, Plated meal kits will be available in hundreds of stores across the country, meeting consumers wherever, whenever, and however they chose to shop. This move is a major jump from Plated’s current brick-and-mortar availability in just 40 grocery stores and two major markets.
“This is the next big step in our journey to enable everyone to enjoy fresh, delicious meals. We’ve delivered millions of meals to Americans through our acclaimed subscription service, and now we’ll be able to meet and serve millions of new customers with an entirely new level of convenience,” said Josh Hix, Co-Founder and CEO of Plated. “Since partnering with Albertsons Companies last year, we’ve accelerated our growth and are thrilled to bring an elevated culinary experience to more people in more ways. Today we’re announcing that in addition to our subscription offering, customers near hundreds of Albertsons Companies stores will be able to pick up last-minute or order online for on demand delivery.”
This move plays off of the industry wide shift toward instant consumer satisfaction, whether it be with value-added products or with same day delivery.
“We are excited to have Plated meal kits in our stores. Plated’s culinary expertise allows us to offer customers, premium-quality, chef-designed recipes for amazing meals they can prepare at home,” said Pat Brown, Group Vice President, Merchandising and Strategic Initiatives, Albertsons Cos. “Plated is not just a meal kit, it’s a culinary experience. That’s what sets us apart. Our customers learn new techniques, and can experiment with delicious and culturally diverse recipes.”
The company boasted in a recent press release that by the end of 2018, customers at Albertson Cos. will be able to enjoy this unprecedented level of culinary convenience at select Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, and Haggen locations. Currently, the meal kit is only available in 20 Safeway stores in Northern California and 20 Jewel-Osco stores in the Chicago area. With this expansion, the meal kit will be available not only in stores nationwide, but also for two hour Instacart delivery, online ordering for same day and scheduled at home delivery, and in-store pick-up through the Albertsons Companies click-and-collect Drive Up and Go service.
The new retail offering will debut with a collection of six meal kits created by Plated’s expert Culinary Team led by Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Elana Karp. The dishes currently available for purchase are as follows:
- Crunchy Chicken Milanese with Honey Mustard and Arugula
- Roasted Chicken au Jus with Orzo and Peas
- Beef Noodle Bowls with Dinosaur Kale and Mushrooms
- Steak Frites with Creamy Shallot Sauce and Sautéed Spinach
- Skillet Grandma Pie with Parmesan-Kale Salad
- Pine Nut–Crusted Salmon with Creamy Tomato Farro and Roasted Green Beans
To follow industry trends and market innovations, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
ZAANDAM, THE NETHERLANDS - More changes are in store for dynamic retailer Ahold Delhaize; shortly after the merger of the company’s constituent parts, Ahold Delhaize has announced that, effective July 1, 2018, Dick Boer will step down as CEO of the company—with Frans Muller to assume the role of CEO. The company also announced a new Chairman of its Supervisory Board after Mats Jansson stepped down from the position.
“I'm honored to be given the opportunity to lead this company with such powerful brands, incredible talent, and long-term growth potential—a combination that sets us apart globally,” said Muller, in a press release. “Our success will be based upon delivering a great and seamless shopping experience for our customers, both in stores and online. Building on the solid foundations established under Dick's leadership, we will continue to drive innovation and growth in stores and online as we execute our strategy and create value for all our stakeholders. My focus will be on delivering our promises to be a better place to shop, better place to work and better neighbor—every day.”
Muller brings more than 20 years of experience in retail to his new role. The executive has served as Deputy CEO and Chief Integration Officer of Ahold Delhaize since July 24, 2016 and also led Delhaize America on an interim basis from October 2016 until January 2018.
Prior to the merger between Ahold and Delhaize, Muller served as President and CEO of Delhaize Group—beginning in 2013. Before joining Delhaize Group, he served on the Management Board of German retailer Metro AG for seven years and was CEO of Metro Cash & Carry for five years.
“It has been a privilege to lead Ahold Delhaize and to work with so many talented colleagues, serving customers around the globe,” noted Outgoing CEO Dick Boer. “Today, our company is well-positioned for long-term growth, creating a natural moment for me to step down. I am proud of what we achieved together, and it is my absolute pleasure to be handing the helm to Frans, who I have come to know as a talented leader. I wish him, the executive team, and everyone at the company all the best for the future.”
The company’s Chairman continued, praising Boer’s leadership and noting Muller’s suitability for the position. The company noted that Boer will work closely with Muller to ensure a smooth transition on July 1, 2018, and he will remain available as advisor to the Company until mid 2019.
“We thank Dick for his leadership and dedication throughout his 20-year career at Ahold Delhaize and Ahold,” noted Mats Jansson, current Chairman of Ahold Delhaize’s Supervisory Board, in a press release. “Dick's accomplishments include the successful repositioning of Albert Heijn to market leadership, strategically building Ahold's portfolio into brands with number one and two positions in the markets they serve, and introducing digital, eCommerce, and sustainability as integrated parts of the business. Dick has role-modeled the values of our Better Together strategy, with his passion for retail, customers, associates and health. Under Dick's leadership, two leading food retailers were brought together in an historic merger. With this merger now being substantially completed, Ahold Delhaize is now ready to move into its next phase.”
Jansson also noted, in a separate press release, that he would retire from the company's Supervisory Board after the AGM on April 11, 2018, to be replaced by Vice Chairman Jan Hommen. Johnny Thijs and Patrick De Maeseneire will also step down after having indicated that they are unable to continue the membership of the Supervisory Board with their other commitments.
"I leave Ahold Delhaize knowing that the company is well positioned for the future. I thank my colleagues in the Supervisory Board and especially Jan Hommen, with whom I have had the privilege of working closely, both before and after completing the merger of two leading food retail companies," added Jansson. "It makes me proud to see what the teams at Ahold Delhaize have accomplished in two years, with the integration fully on track. For me this proves that we truly are Better Together. I also thank Johnny Thijs and Patrick De Maeseneire for their valuable contributions during their terms at Ahold Delhaize and Delhaize Group."
Hommen has been Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board since July 2016. Prior to the merger, Hommen served as Chairman of Ahold's Supervisory Board since 2013. Between 2003 and 2007, he was Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Ahold and Chairman of the Audit Committee. Hommen has an executive background as Vice Chairman of the board of management at Royal Philips Electronics and as CEO of ING Group and of KPMG the Netherlands.
"The leadership of Mats has been instrumental in successfully bringing Ahold and Delhaize Group together and delivering on our promises to our stakeholders,” added Hommen. "As a Supervisory Board, we are grateful for his commitment and strong support to the leadership team in delivering a successful integration. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the board and with the new CEO Frans Muller and his team."
Jansson noted that the company’s leadership team would remain committed to growing its recently-merged operations and continuing to evolve as a leading retailer in the United States and abroad.
“Together with Dick, Frans was instrumental in bringing together Ahold and Delhaize Group," continued Jansson. “During the past two years he has been driving the integration process in close collaboration with our great local brands and support offices. Frans brings a wealth of retail experience and a deep knowledge of our company, brands and U.S. and European markets, making him the natural choice as next CEO. Frans is committed to the brand-centric operating model which is key to our strategy and has the customer at its core. We are confident that Frans is the right person to lead the company into its next phase.”
For more on this and other dynamic retailers in fresh food, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
CINCINNATI, OH - After meeting a successful opening of its first full-service dining experience, Kitchen 1883, Kroger is welcoming a second restaurant to its retail roundup, bringing a fresh take on American comfort food to a new audience. The first restaurant opened in Kentucky last November, while this new location, a stand-alone restaurant with a patio in the Greater Cincinnati neighborhood-based Anderson Township, will open this fall.
"With Kitchen 1883, our vision is to create a gathering place that offers a casual atmosphere for guests to relax and experience food," said Vice President of Culinary Development and New Business Daniel Hammer. "Since opening our pilot restaurant five months ago, we've discovered new ideas that will help to shape our future dining concepts and in-store fresh food experiences."
The restaurant is host to made-from-scratch menu items with American flair that invites international flavors into the mix. In addition, customers can enjoy hand-crafted cocktails and a community-centered atmosphere at the locations. Those looking for lunch and dinner can look to Kitchen 1883 for their weekday needs, with brunch made available on Saturdays and Sundays.
"Kitchen 1883 is just one way Kroger is redefining the customer experience through innovative concepts, as we outlined in Restock Kroger," continued Mr. Hammer. "Kroger's Culinary Innovation team will continue innovating and experimenting with food trends, flavors, and ingredients to create new experiences and products for our customers and new menu items for our restaurant guests."
Check out Kroger Stories to watch a video of the original Kitchen 1883.
For more fresh produce industry news, keep checking back with us at AndNowUKnow!
PHOENIX, AZ – Swiftly growing fresh-focused retailer Sprouts Farmers Market has announced expansion plans to open the company’s third quarter; the grocer announced plans to open 13 stores over the course of the quarter—including the first Sprouts locations in Pennsylvania and Washington—and additional stores in Florida, Maryland, and North Carolina.
“As we continue to enter new markets, we’re pleased with the customer response to Sprouts’ unique combination of health and value,” said Chief Development Officer Ted Frumkin. “We’re looking forward to bringing healthy living for less to new neighbors in Philadelphia and the Mill Creek area of Seattle later this year.”
The company has yet to announce opening dates and hiring information—but did announce specific store locations. New Sprouts locations include:
- Durham, NC – 105 West NC Highway 54
- El Paso, TX – 9801 Gateway Boulevard West
- Las Vegas, NV – 1140 East Silverado Ranch Boulevard
- Las Vegas, NV – 6150 North Decatur Boulevard
- Las Vegas, NV – 7375 South Rainbow Boulevard
- Lodi, CA – 250 East Harney Lane
- Mill Creek, WA - 13314 Bothell-Everett Highway
- Oklahoma City, OK – South Pennsylvania Avenue and 119th Street
- Philadelphia, PA – 1000 South Broad Street
- Phoenix, AZ – 3320 North Seventh Avenue
- Sacramento, CA – 2735 Marconi Avenue
- Towson, MD – 830 Goucher Boulevard
- Vacaville, CA – 1041 Helen Power Drive
In total, Sprouts is opening 16 stores during the first half of the year, including its first location in South Carolina. Sprouts will operate in 19 states by the end of 2018. For a list of stores by region or to see locations coming soon, visit sprouts.com/stores.
The company noted, in a press release, that each of the retailer’s new locations will bring approximately 140 new career opportunities to its local neighborhood. The company also noted that it continues to accelerate investments in team members, including enhanced pay, benefits, leadership development, and recognition, information about which can be found at about.sprouts.com/careers.
For more on this and other retailers changing the buyside of fresh food, stay up-to-date with AndNowUKnow.
EDINBURG, TX - Little Bear, a J&D brand, has cultivated onions for over a decade, and best of all, the company’s HoneySweet onions are tearless. I spoke with President Jimmy Bassetti, Director of Business Development Bret Erickson, and Salesman Jeff Brechler from the Little Bear team about the flavorful, mild onion.
“We are incredibly proud of our HoneySweet Onions,” Jimmy says. “They are a proprietary variety that we developed in house by our team of onion experts. From seed production to customer delivery, our HoneySweet team carefully manages every detail along the way ensuring that we deliver quality and consistency all year 'round.”
Jeff eagerly expands on how the onion stands out in a crowd of laminous bulbs.
“What the HoneySweet is known for and what sets it apart is the consistency of flavor,” Jeff explains. “Pungency test results have been consistent down the line, growing region after growing region, year after year. The consumer does not have to ask, will this one be mild or hot? We’ve removed the guesswork and the ‘luck of the draw’—consumers can rest assured that each and every HoneySweet onion they pick up will be mild, we guarantee it.”
Bret and Jeff explain that HoneySweet onions have been on the market for 10 years and that as seed availability has increased, the customer base has too.
“Sales have increased rapidly as consumers are quickly realizing that our HoneySweet is the mildest sweet onion they have ever tasted, and that no matter the time of the year, when they see that Little Bear logo, they know they will be in for a fantastic eating experience, every single time,” Bret reveals.
“Customers like knowing that, no matter where the HoneySweet is grown, it will taste the same,” adds Jeff on the onion’s consistency. “Within the last three years the HoneySweet program has experienced double digit growth both in dollars and tonnage, year over year.”
And, with HoneySweet onions available year-round, consumers have no reason to turn away from the onion. To ensure that HoneySweet onions are created equally, Little Bear invests in research to make sure that the four different regions in which the onion grows all have the right conditions.
“Once all protocols have been met on the growing side, strict harvesting, handling, and packing protocols are followed to ensure that the quality and integrity of the program are maintained,” Jeff states. “If pungency levels are not met, those onions do not get packed and shipped as a HoneySweet. We have built a good following and there is no room or need for an ‘imposter’ sweet.”
What HoneySweet onions are best known for is their taste, which comes from a combination of R&D engineering and good ol’ natural selection.
“Attention to detail and the perfect amount of sunshine,” Bret explains. “We literally hand select onions as part of our HoneySweet breeding program. Our R&D team looks for the perfect size and shape, a sweet crisp taste, and low pyruvic acid levels, we then select the best of the best to help us achieve the mildest onion in the marketplace, all year long. We spent a long time developing our own customized natural selection breeding program. Our proprietary breeding program gives us control of each and every step in the breeding and production process. This, along with our carefully selected growing regions with just the right amount of sunshine ensures we have perfectly consistent sweet mild onions every single time, no matter what time of the year it is.”
The onions are available for foodservice and the company is currently expanding further into that realm, but the onions are also still available in 40 lb bulk cartons and 3 lb and 5 lb bags for the retail level. To market the onions, Little Bear recommends employing available POS materials.
Jeff says that the company is currently planning internal growth, with a focus on facilities, processing lines, and packaging.
“We are constantly evolving and growing,” Bret says. “With the significant growth in sales we have experienced over the last several years, we are investing in our infrastructure to ensure we can continue to deliver the exceptional HoneySweet to a rapidly growing customer base. We are also working on expanding our organic HoneySweet onion. The organic movement is here to stay, and we recognize that many consumers are seeking organic options; we have been ramping up preparations to expand our organic offerings on HoneySweets.”
While J&D’s Little Bear continues to strengthen its brand and fortify both its internal operations and its customer base, we here at AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
SALINAS, CA - Ippolito International has announced that it is the first grower/shipper in Monterey County to have been awarded a Gold certification under TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) certification system for its Value-Added Facility and Brussels Sprouts Packing Facility. TRUE, administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), aims to help facilities define, pursue, and achieve zero waste goals while becoming more resource efficient.
"It was incredible to see a company commit, take action, and achieve its goal to become zero waste certified. This is a great example of how a good business case translates into environmental benefits,” Nikki Rodoni, Founder and CEO of Measure to Improve, who spearheaded this project for Ippolito, shared with me. “This is a great first step to formalizing a sustainability program!"
Ippolito set a Zero Waste goal in 2016, which entails being able to credibly validate a 90 percent diversion of waste from landfills for 12 consecutive months—Ippolito exceeded this goal with a diversion rate of 93.98 percent, having recycled 590 tons of cardboard and plastic and diverted over 10,000 tons of organic bi-product through animal feed and composting, according to a press release.
This initiative was launched by Partner Ron Mondo and General Manager Butch Corda with the support of Measure to Improve.
"We conducted regular tailgate trainings with the message that Zero Waste takes teamwork and is everyone’s responsibility,” said Food Safety Director Herman Cossio.
Sue Beets-Atkinson, Chair, GBCI TRUE Advisory Council, also professed an admiration for the drive the Ippolito team showed in achieving the Gold certification.
“I was impressed by Ippolito’s dedication to finding alternatives to move away from single-use wax cartons by investing in reusable totes," said Sue. "In the end, it will save money and improve their impact on the environment.”
Ron Mondo, the Partner who helped head the initiative felt thrilled by the company’s achievement.
“It feels good to do the right thing. We are incredibly proud of this accomplishment," said Ron Mondo. "I especially want to thank the Measure to Improve team for their expertise and guidance along the way."
To follow sustainability efforts in the produce industry, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
MCALLEN, TX - With this year’s Viva Fresh show floor just days away, the produce industry has been buzzing with excitement to see what Texas’ finest have brought to the table, and this year to up the ante on said excitement is the debut of the Viva Fresh Expo’s Gateway to Innovation Awards. Recognizing excellence in areas like packaging design, new product development, food safety, machinery, software, and technology, Viva Fresh’s panel of industry judges selected Lone Star Citrus’ Winter Sweetz Texas Red grapefruit as a finalist for not one, but two categories—Most Innovative Fruit Product and Most Innovative Packaging or POS. I spoke with Director of Marketing April Flowers to find out just what it takes to be one of the best of the best in the Tex-Mex produce corridor.
“We are thrilled to be finalists in both categories,” April tells me when I ask her what the company’s initial reaction was to the news it had made the finalist list. “Award showcases like this are an excellent way to share our product and marketing efforts with our industry peers, and it certainly reinforces our belief that we are moving in the right direction as both a company and a brand.”
To be considered as Most Innovative Fruit Product is no small feat, especially when entering under the grapefruit category, April tells me. Grapefruit flavor is influenced by growing region, color, variety, and season, which can often leave the general consumer confused about which grapefruit they should buy. What sets Winter Sweetz apart is that it takes the guesswork out of the equation.
“Winter Sweetz branding was created to clarify the grapefruit category in a way that had never before been done. To simplify the category and help the consumer overcome the purchase barrier, we’ve combined Texas origin, strong taste cues, and winter seasonality into fun and memorable graphics,” she explains. “We could have stopped there, but our end goal is to cultivate life-long grapefruit fans, even among those who believe that they do not like it. To that end, our consumer campaigns focuses on education and support. We are deeply committed to changing the entire conversation surrounding grapefruit, and we’ve taken on the challenge of elevating grapefruit and introducing it to a new generation of fans.”
As far as fitting the bill for Most Innovative Packaging or POS, Winter Sweetz is pushing industry standards forward, marrying both form and function; creativity with clarity.
“In terms of technical layout design, we’ve utilized a creative and incredibly simple layout solution that allows us to maximize available space in order to produce a powerful design while keeping the retailer’s needs in mind,” April says. “We walked a lot of produce aisles as we were researching and gathering ideas, and what we learned is that when the full front panel is entirely utilized for graphics, produce managers often display bags upside down in order to show the contents. To this end, we included a sizable window in the design that would show the bag’s contents while leaving ample room for graphics and key messaging. We also noticed that while most bags are designed in portrait orientation, they are almost always displayed horizontally. The solution was a landscape orientation with upper-right window and L-shaped graphic space.”
And as far as the graphic design and copy featured on the packaging, Winter Sweetz quite literally speaks to consumers through the use of speech bubbles. April tells me that Lone Star Citrus is well aware that many consumers bring pre-conceived notions of grapefruits past with them, so it was imperative to restart the conversation on a different note.
“I was very insistent that we use the word ‘surprising’ in our key messaging, because that is the number one reaction we get from people who try our product for the first time,” she continues. “Our tagline: ‘surprizingly sweet with a hint of zing,’ helps the customer move past that purchase barrier and approach our product with an open mind. They often find that they do like grapefruit, but they just didn’t know it.”
So how does Lone Star Citrus plan to keep the momentum for Winter Sweetz going after the Viva Fresh buzz dies down? April tells me the company has recently launched an in-bound marketing program that allows Lone Star to continually nurture its mega-fans, sharing new recipes, ideas, and building on its presence in the blogosphere and on social media.
“Reception has been excellent, and I credit a large part of that success to our partnerships with various food bloggers and social media influencers. They have been genuinely enthusiastic brand supporters and advocates and their audiences trust them. We’ve asked them to focus on breaking grapefruit free from the confines of the breakfast table, and into lunch, snack, and dinner menus, which has been very well received. Millennials and Gen X-ers are hungry for new flavors and inventive uses of familiar foods, so the time couldn’t be better for reframing the conversation around grapefruit.”
Want to learn more about what had Viva Fresh’s panel of judges so enamored? Visit Lone Star at booth #79 on the show floor to talk to the team and try Winter Sweetz at a sponsored pop-up demo from JW Marriott's chef outside Viva Fresh's retailer speed meetings. AndNowUKnow will see you there!