Fresh Origins sees its sales grow

Fresh Origins has seen increased consumer interest in its Micro Cilantro and Micro Rainbow Mix offerings, says Aaron Horwitz, senior marketing manager for the San Marcos, Calif.-based company.

Horwitz says customers are recognizing that the marketer’s products have a significantly longer shelf life than many of its full-grown counterparts, particularly Micro Cilantro.

“Instead of buying a traditional bundle of cilantro that might spoil in a few days, customers find greater value in purchasing BrightFresh Micro Cilantro, which has a seven- to 10-day shelf life and more servings per ounce,” Horwitz said. “As customers become more cost-conscious, they see the value in products that don't spoil quickly. Additionally, Micro Cilantro offers a top-tier flavor experience, easily competing with the finest bunched cilantro. For our Micro Rainbow Mix, customers appreciate the no-prep, highly nutritious addition that is easy to use. It serves as both a flavorful component in meals and a pre-made, nutritious salad base.”

Fresh Origins recently invested in an automated packaging line, allowing us to switch to peel-and-reseal packaging, he said.

“This new equipment not only revolutionized our packaging branding, improving the customer experience on-shelf but also eliminated cumbersome hand-packing by our team,” Horwitz said.

“It added three to five to our already industry-leading shelf life and reduced our plastic usage in packaging by about 30%,” he said. “This new packaging line also provides a more reliable packaging experience for our retail partners.”

Fresh Origins carries about a dozen year-round products, but can work with retailers to bring in other products based on their specific needs, he said.


Path to growth

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted home cooking and increased the demand for nutritious, easy-to-prepare ingredients, Horwitz said.

“With much of the hospitality industry shut down, there was a high demand from retail consumers to recreate restaurant flavors and plating styles at home,” he said. “Since our product is a favorite among chefs, we found our way into many pandemic-era home-cooked meals and that demand has not slowed down, as customers are now accustomed to this high-quality product at an affordable price point.”

Microgreens are still an emerging category, Fresh Origins spends considerable time educating consumers about the products’ many benefits.

“We collaborate with nationally recognized nutritionists to provide accurate information about the nutritional density of BrightFresh items,” Horwitz said. “We also commission well-known chefs to endorse and demonstrate how to use microgreens in home kitchens. Our digital marketing focuses heavily on education, with content centered around common customer pain points, such as upgrading summer barbecues with nutritious ingredients or incorporating nutrient-dense foods into kids' lunches for the back-to-school season.”

Fresh Origins runs a full-service marketing department with seven staff engaged in consumer and trade marketing for BrightFresh.

“Our team works with retail partners to provide the assets they need to learn about BrightFresh, and we use various brand-building techniques to engage with consumers,” Horwitz said. “Our department is growing, and our organization consistently supports our retailers and end customers with the tools they need to make great food choices.”

The company’s marketing efforts use traditional digital marketing methods, including paid advertising across various channels, to build brand awareness, in addition to trade publications to capture retailer attention.

“We are currently undergoing a complete website rebrand and recently hired a full-time content manager who has revolutionized our content creation approach,” Horwitz said. “This manager has been instrumental in developing robust email marketing and social media strategies, as well as creating a comprehensive content calendar for our new website. This site will feature information about our farm, educational pieces, nutrition features from nationally recognized nutritionists, and a recipe section led by chef partners from across the country.”