LEAMINGTON, ON - By now, it’s no secret that the organic fresh produce category is booming. With steady growth every year for the past decade, organic fruit and vegetables now account for 12% of all produce sold in the U.S., according to a recent organic industry survey. While many growers are looking for a way into this lucrative market, some have been thoughtfully laying groundwork to keep on top of the consumer shift.
Pure Flavor® is one such company. I connected with Sarah Pau, Director of Marketing, to discuss the details behind the company's rapidly expanding organic program.
“We believe organically grown items will become a momentous part of the overall market in the coming years,” Sarah tells me. “With that in mind, Pure Flavor has focused on increasing and strengthening our organic program and is now growing many organic crops.”
Sarah tells me that Pure Flavor is growing many organic crops, including:
- Tasty “Juno Bites” red snacking grape tomatoes
- English cucumbers
- Beefsteak tomatoes
- TOVs
- Sweet bell peppers
All products are grown year-round at various growing operations in North America, and Sarah tells me, the company has an eye to expand the product portfolio in 2018.
When it comes to packaging for these high-quality offerings, Sarah shares that differentiation is key, citing studies which show that 1 in 3 persons say packaging is extremely or very impactful to their purchase. With 57% of respondents saying packaging influences them more when they make in-store purchase than anything else.
“When it comes to organic and conventional items, there are no visual differences, so consumers rely heavily on packaging for cues,” Sarah shares. “It is very important for us to package these items differently so consumers can easily distinguish the differences at store level. With that in mind, we have developed compelling designs via vibrant colors and different packaging options to help in distinguishing our organically grown produce vs conventional. ”
With an eye to the horizon and innovation always top of mind for the company, it looks as though Pure Flavor will continue to be leading consumer trends for 2017, and beyond.
