MIAMI, FL - Every retailer needs a steady supply-side partner in their corner as they prep for the holiday rush. Delivering on this promise is none other than Crystal Valley Foods, which brings a strong asparagus program to the table. I spoke with Marketing Director, Katiana Valdes, to find out more.
“The holidays are a great time to promote asparagus, and the veggie can generate good additional, substantial sales for a retailer’s produce department,” Katiana began. “We offer our customers price breaks for promotions during this time of year as Peru typically has good volume and there is also some product from Mexico.”
Katiana noted the essentiality for retailers to have the right mix of asparagus items available for shoppers.
“We offer bulk asparagus but since many consumers are also looking for convenience, especially during the holidays, we also offer a variety of value-added asparagus items. For example, our 8 oz asparagus tips and 12 oz spears are already cut and ready to prepare in a microwaveable bag. Retailers might also want to offer bigger, club style packs like our 1 or 2 lb asparagus bag, since many customers will be hosting parties and perhaps extended family. The benefits of our value-added bag also include extended shelf-life and a scannable barcode which helps expedite checkout,” she explained.
When promoting, Katiana shared with me that it is important to have asparagus displays in high-traffic areas like end caps, near the store entrance, or even in free-standing displays.
“Asparagus is a favorite side during this season, and you can remind your customers of the many ways to enjoy it by cross merchandising with meats like tenderloins and bacon, lemons, hollandaise sauce, or even dips like ranch or hummus for an appetizer idea,” she expressed.
Retailers can also create holiday-themed POS and offer recipe cards near the product display. In store demos make a great vehicle for increasing retail movement and offer shoppers a chance to try the product in a unique way they might not have thought of before.
“Crystal Valley’s marketing team is happy to work with retailers to develop custom POS for their stores, social media posts, and share recipes and tips in order to promote their programs,” Katiana added.
Offering white asparagus during the holidays can also give customers a unique item to experiment with and serve. This also helps make produce displays a little more exciting.
“White asparagus is well loved by European consumers and there is much opportunity to grow this product in the U.S.” Katiana shared.
AndNowUKnow will continue to keep the industry up to date on the latest in the fresh produce biz, so stay tuned.
