The Power of Storytelling in Produce Marketing with Phil Gruszka, Founder of Gruszka Consulting

BAKERSFIELD, CA - “Impressions without a story are just numbers. In produce, numbers alone don’t sell fruit,” Phil Gruszka, Founder of Gruszka Consulting, tells me as he opens up about the power of storytelling. In his recent series, Phil has led us on a path of exploration. From brand building and how persistence builds momentum to why digital attention is anything but a vanity metric, Phil continues to reshape how suppliers go to market and compete in today’s complex decision-making matrix.

“The next step in this progression is understanding the engine that makes all those impressions matter: storytelling,” Phil explains. “And while every brand has a story, few tell it well.”

Creating a Story That Matters

“Every grower, shipper, or marketer I know has a remarkable story buried in their day-to-day work. Family farms that have endured four generations. Teams that’ve reinvented post-harvest processes. Innovation that improves how fresh produce travels or tastes,” Phil describes.

But too often, those stories stay inside the company gates—told informally on the packing line or over a trade-show dinner, not through the marketing that reaches consumers and buyers.

“The challenge—and opportunity—is to bring those stories forward in a consistent, strategic way. That’s what builds emotional equity. It’s the ‘why’ behind your label, the reason a buyer feels confident giving you shelf space, and the reason a shopper reaches for your grapes instead of another brand’s,” Phil continues.

Storytelling turns data, turns your organization’s hard work, into meaning. Today’s produce world runs on data—harvest timing, brix levels, cold-chain stats, social metrics. But data doesn’t persuade on its own. Storytelling translates data into meaning.

Phil gives us these two statements, for example:

Saying “our clamshells are 10% more sustainable” is factual.

Saying “our team found a way to save two million gallons of water this season without sacrificing flavor” is a story—and one that resonates.

“Buyers and consumers respond to stories because they’re memorable. They convey progress, humanity, and purpose—all of which differentiate your product in a market that otherwise defaults to price comparison,” Phil reveals. “The stories and the information are within your organization—within the work that people do and have been doing for years. I fondly remember many years ago when I was speaking with an internal farming department about the company’s sustainability initiatives. At that point, it was an emerging topic. The first response was, ‘I don’t understand what you’re asking me.’ After we sat down and talked, we both realized that the core sustainability practices I was asking about were integral to the farming practices they had been employing for years.”

Sitting down and talking was all it took for Phil and the company to be on the same page and craft a story.

Consistency Makes Stories Stick; Alignment Matters

Just as persistence and consistency drive long-term marketing success, consistency in storytelling strengthens a brand's identity.

“A one-time video or press release won’t build recognition. But a pattern of stories—across packaging, social media, trade publications, and retail point-of-sale—creates reinforcement,” Phil details. “That’s why alignment matters. If your field crews are proud of your growing practices, your sales decks and social channels should tell that same story visually and verbally. Over time, those repeated narratives build both trust and expectation.”

Digital Platforms Are the New Story Fields

As discussed in Digital Attention Is Not a Vanity Metric, now online visibility is equivalent to shelf space. But what fills that space is the story you choose to tell.

A short harvest-day clip.

A quote from a farm manager.

A retailer repost celebrating your fresh produce display.

“Each is a micro-story. String them together, and you’ve created a season-long narrative that builds recognition without shouting,” Phil suggests. “The goal isn’t perfection—it’s presence. The more genuine and consistent your stories, the more authentic your brand becomes.”

Storytelling Protects Value

When stories disappear, brands slip into commodity status. When stories stay active, value endures. A good story reframes the conversation from “What’s the price?” to “What’s the purpose behind this label?” Phil reminds me.

“Buyers want to partner with suppliers who represent something meaningful. Consumers want to feel connected to what they eat,” he expresses. “Storytelling delivers both—and in doing so, protects margin and loyalty.”

Persistence builds visibility. Consistency builds trust. Digital attention builds reach. Storytelling ties them all together. It gives your efforts life and memory.

The next time you plan a campaign or design a package, ask, "What story are we telling, and is it the same one our buyers and consumers will repeat for us?"

Because, as Phil says, in fresh produce, facts may get you listed—but stories keep you remembered.