If you could name one fruit that signifies a classic, all-American summer, it would be watermelon.
It's almost patriotic to enjoy watermelon — outside in the sunshine, of course.
With peak volumes kicking off Memorial Day Weekend and lasting through September, summer is when watermelon waves its welcome flag.
Photo: Courtesy of Bob Bonus of Tops Markets, participant in the Produce Artist Award Series.
Include this mildly sweet, totally refreshing fruit in summer holiday promotions, and make it the centerpiece of your displays. Watermelon rose to the No. 5 spot for preferred fruit, according to data collected in Fresh Trends 2022. That means 50% of survey respondents said they'd purchased watermelon in the past year.
But also, it's bulky, and store space is at a premium, so see if you can display watermelon outside your store and in the entrances.
Even though this gargantuan goodie seems indestructible, it can deteriorate with too much sun or other weather, so try to protect it with tents or other methods.
Also, customers sometimes choose melons based on how they can fit it in their fridges, so offer halves, quarters and even eighths sizes. Sell pie-slices and ready-to-eat chunks too, by itself and in fruit salads.
And when you can, offer fresh samples of watermelon, especially early in the season. Get that sweet, hydrating flavor running through their veins.
Don't forget signage that explains how to pick a ripe watermelon, nutrition facts, storage tips and recipes.
To enter the summer contest of the Produce Artist Award Series, produce professionals can email six to 10 photos of a variety of displays from this season (cherries, stone fruit, grapes, melons, summer veg, etc.) to [email protected]. Include in the email: Your name, role, company and location.
Learn more here.