What's green and dull and boring … until you get to the shocking pink interior?
Watermelon radishes.
Consumers are fascinated by them, as evidenced by their peaking search interest from Google Trends, but that doesn't always translate to booming retail sales.
“You have to show what's on the inside, otherwise it looks a lot like a green turnip,” says Ande Manos, marketing manager for Babé Farms, Santa Maria, Calif.
Manos suggests accenting a display with a cut radish, overwrapped to prevent it from drying out.
In-house foodservice also is an option, she says. Recipes are the top related searches for watermelon radishes, so consumers need some inspiration to pick them up in-store.
Offer them as an alternative to traditional radishes on a salad bar or in prepared salads in the deli.
They're great pickled, too, Manos says.