BAKERSFIELD, CA - Reaching a milestone year in 2018 is one of the major players in California’s date industry, Atlas Produce. Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year and having recently launched the company-wide brand refresh Fresh Energy™ by Caramel Naturel®, Atlas is primed to elevate its date program across retail produce departments with a program full of new highlights and initiatives.
Founder and President Robert Dobrzanski joins me to discuss the growing business and what we have in store for the new brand and the year ahead.
“We rolled out our new Fresh Energy by Caramel Naturel label in late 2017, and as we gear up in June and July for the upcoming 2018 growing season, we will be fully integrating the rebrand and investing in on our retail partnerships,” Robert tells me. “In addition, Fresh Energy will be focusing our messaging on our growing regions in Coachella, California, as a key selling point for the new brand. If you look back 25 years ago, Coachella was a blip on the map for the traditional consumer, but now everyone gets excited about the area. Between the booming popularity of the Coachella Music Festival and the growth of agriculture in the region, we have been able to direct our marketing efforts at millennial consumers who now recognize Coachella for a wealth of reasons.”
Retailers aiming to capture sales in the date category can also get excited about new merchandising solutions soon to come from the date powerhouse. Additionally, Fresh Energy labels were designed to pop on the shelf and bring a vibrant, eye-catching aesthetic to the specialty produce segment.
“Our date sales have been on an upward trajectory since the category began to make headway in mainstream consumer baskets, and we have grown our portfolio to include a variety of offerings to address the flavor demands of the consumer spread,” Robert shares.
Under the Fresh Energy label, the program now includes Whole and Chopped Medjool Dates, Golden Dates, and Date Coconut Rolls as well as Date Almond Rolls, Pitted Deglet Noor, and Organic Whole Medjool Dates. Fresh Energy’s dates are all jumbo in size and have some of the best flavors in the industry.
“Dates have gone from a seasonally promoted item to a year-round category, thanks to consumer demand,” Robert adds. “This will really be a big year for us. In 2018 we will be revamping our website as well and doing some special promotions with retailers. We have had such great success with Caramel Naturel and are extending that same commitment and value to our partners with the Fresh Energy rebrand.”
Congratulations, Robert, on your 15th anniversary year and the continuing success of your new Fresh Energy program!
