UNITED STATES - Value-added snacking is one of the fastest-growing categories at retail, especially when it comes to healthy, fresh-forward options. Fresh Cravings® and WHOLLY® GUACAMOLE are two companies leading the pack in this space, dedicated to providing the most high quality, fresh snacking options while maintaining affordability. The brands recently teamed up for a special promotion with Kroger, offering a free 7.5 oz WHOLLY GUACAMOLE with the purchase of a Fresh Cravings 16 oz Salsa or 10 oz Queso. The promotion rolled out at all Kroger and banner stores across the nation on August 26 and will run through September 8.
“Fresh Cravings launched in the produce department at Kroger a little over a year ago, and our ability to create brand loyalty with shoppers has resulted in growing from two items to six,” Fresh Cravings said in an exclusive statement. “The Kroger shopper has been highly responsive to our in-store promotions and social media targeted marketing campaigns. The partnership between Fresh Cravings and WHOLLY GUACAMOLE is a natural fit for this promotion, and yet another way in which we seek to engage with our loyal customers. Both brands are found in fresh produce and merchandised adjacent to each other, making for an even greater customer connection when they seek healthy, flavorful snacking options.”
Throughout the pandemic, Fresh Cravings continued to launch new products, including two flavors of its Plant-Based Dips, with sales increasing year over year, according to a press release. And even when retailer-led discounting was reduced due to the pandemic, the brand got creative with its shopper marketing program, looking at new ways to offer deals, promotions, and on-sale activities outside of the retailer form such as with third-party deal vendors.
“At Fresh Cravings® our message focuses on bringing salsa back to its original, authentic roots. Our recipe is made from the freshest vine-ripened tomatoes, peppers, and onions,” the company continued. “Being strategically placed in fresh produce helps to reinforce in shoppers’ minds that Fresh Cravings is made from the whole-food ingredients that surround it. We view this placement as an opportunity to educate consumers that there are better, fresher alternatives to jarred salsa varieties.”
The companies’ shopper data shows that guacamole is consistently among the top items purchased alongside Fresh Cravings salsa. Healthy items that complement fresh vegetables like salsa and guacamole in produce are shown to bring incremental growth to retailers by fitting the demands of health-conscious consumers more likely to cook, with home cooking overall accelerated due to the pandemic. By bringing the two brands together, the collaboration builds baskets for Kroger and provides American consumers with some relief to their grocery bill at a time when they most need it.
“Through our communication, we ensure that consumers know WHOLLY spreads and guacamoles are real, ripe, and ready to eat however they want. Our products are made with 100 percent hand-scooped Hass avocados and no added preservatives,” WHOLLY said in its statement. “High-pressure technology is used to help maintain the avocado’s delicious flavors and nutrients. In addition, our new packaging that launched in March 2020 at Kroger was also designed to communicate the brand’s key attributes: real, convenient, and delicious.”
As the line between fresh and CPG continues to thin out, we at ANUK will be here to keep you ahead of the latest trends.
