Equifruit, a leading importer of Fairtrade-certified bananas, continues to work closely with its partners to drive sales and tonnage at the store level.
Known for its bold and outlandish marketing stunts, Equifruit is “all about redistributing value along the banana supply chain and getting customers pumped about helping us pay banana farmers fairly,” said Kim Chackal, co-owner and director of sales and marketing. “If you buy Equifruit bananas, you automatically become a 'Banana Badass.'”
Equifruit customizes campaigns to help its customers achieve their banana goals, she said.
“For example, Equifruit will work alongside the merchandising team at Sobeys in Quebec to reimagine the messaging and placement of our bananas across their banners,” Chackal said.
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“They love our bold messaging and want to take up the wow factor a notch," she continued. "We will also continue to run geo-targeted Instagram campaigns for Costco Canada so that their shopper discovers the brand behind the bright purple and green cases on the warehouse floor.”
Chackal said Equifruit’s new conventional banana stickers say: “I’m a total fan girl of fair pay.”
“Our messages are always simple and accompanied with a QR code to our Instagram page in case customers want to learn more about the 'Banana Badasses' behind the brand,” she said.
As a 100% Fairtrade-certified brand, Equifruit wants its customers to discover and support its message of paying banana farmers fairly.
“After all, if we don’t start with fair pay at the beginning of the supply chain, how can we tout sustainability efforts elsewhere?” she said.
Perspective shift
Despite the global pandemic and high rates of consumer inflation, the industry has seen minimal adjustments in banana pricing over the past three years.
“Banana farmers don’t live under a rock,” Chackal said. “They are facing the same challenges that we face in the north. Equifruit will continue to push the message that we need to pay more for bananas and that switching to our brand is still extremely affordable — approximately $5 more per year for a shopper in the U.S. and closer to $8 per year in Canada. Basically, buy one less Starbucks coffee and support banana farmers for a year.”
Looking down the road, Chackal said Equifruit has a 100% Fairtrade brand promise, and that will not waiver.
“Now more than ever, we need to reevaluate how bananas are used as a loss leader,” she said. “It’s time to redistribute value along the banana supply chain and ensure that the folks who grow and pack our bananas can survive inflation as well.”
Show presence
Equifruit also plans to continue exhibiting at trade shows in Canada and the U.S. Equifruit will be at the upcoming International Fresh Produce Association's Global Produce & Floral Show in Anaheim, Calif., at booth No. 1896.
“As sponsors, we will also run a temporary tattoo booth outside of the convention center at the IFPA Block Party,” she said. “We will also have a booth at the [Canadian Produce Marketing Association] convention in Vancouver next spring. Visitors to our booth can expect to be surprised and delighted by our fun approach to marketing Fairtrade bananas.”
