Packaged salads market focuses on trends and innovation

Convenience is a top reason consumers buy packaged salads. They're ready to eat — often with mix-ins, toppings and dressings — and can be a complete meal or complemented by the addition of protein.

They're also consistent and visually appealing “as they often feature vibrant colors and well-combined ingredients,” says Kristina Garris, executive director of fresh for Bashas' and Food City grocery stores, Chandler, Ariz.

Packaged salads are also often more cost-effective than purchasing the individual ingredients needed to make a salad, says Ash Cordova, director of kitchen operations for Harmons supermarkets, West Valley City, Utah.

The challenge, however, “lies in justifying the higher price point compared to bulk lettuce like iceberg or romaine,” says Kori Tuggle, vice president of marketing and product development for Braga Fresh, Salinas, Calif. But “consumers seek simpler, more convenient nutrition choices,” according to a recent webinar from market research company Circana.

“Salad kits offer precisely that,” Tuggle says.


Innovation and following trends

Packaged salads generally have strong sales, but overall sales are down by 0.7%, according to NielsenIQ data for the 52 weeks ending on Sept 7, 2024.

Salad kits are the only area where sales were up (by 2.5%) in the year ending Sept. 8, 2024, data from Circana OmniMarket Integrated Fresh shows. All other packaged salads were down: blends by 8.1% and mixed leafy greens by 13.3%.

In the ever-changing category, it's important to keep up with trends and continuously offer something new. Salads are inherently healthy, so must contain quality greens that hold up well, says Tal Shoshan, CEO of FiveStar Gourmet Foods, Ontario, Calif.

Salinas, Calif.-based Fresh Express has an innovation center where its chefs, futurists, nutrition and culinary experts, consumer researchers and category management experts work to stay on top of trends, with the “aim to bring new products to market multiple times throughout the year,” says Fabian Pereira, vice president of marketing, innovation and international.

Fresh Express also considers mega trends, culinary and flavor trends, high-end restaurant menus, social listening, talks with retail customers and visits stores and restaurants in top cities.

The Braga product development team drives innovation by “exploring new flavor profiles and ingredient combinations year-round by collaborating with sourcing partners, monitoring menu trends, and leveraging insights from various media and data sources,” Tuggle said.

Oxnard, Calif.-based Boskovich Fresh Food Group conducts research on consumer trends, especially restaurant trends.

“We have a chef on staff that is recognized nationally as an innovator and [can] bring flavors together to create new exciting recipes,” said Bob Spence, president of sales and marketing for fresh prep. “We start with consumer trends then work with our customers to develop programs around their consumer base.”

Shoppers are also looking for packaged salads to add variety to their meals, through both classics and new options, said Cordova of Harmons. The chain is seeing a trend towards bright colors and bold flavors as well as international styles, particularly Greek, Mediterranean and Persian flavors “offering familiar yet distinct flavor profiles,” Cordova added.

Standing out

In a crowded marketplace it's important for packaged salad companies to stand out.

FiveStar focuses on placement, visibility and touch points.

“Shoppers buy with their eyes, so displaying our deluxe salad kits at eye-level, slanted if possible, with eye-catching, attractive packaging is key,” Shoshan said. “It's also important to merchandise with traffic flow, ensuring it's one of the first prepared items available in the produce department.”

FiveStar is also keen on set-apart displays and sampling to grab attention.

Braga differentiates through eye-catching packaging “that highlights the flavors and ingredients, making it easy for shoppers to see at a glance,” Tuggle said. It also partners with retailers early in the innovation process, “ensuring our products align with their goals and meet consumer needs effectively.”

In stores, Braga focuses on simple and effective promotions such as instant redeemable coupons, on-pack or digital.

“They are easy to use and encourage immediate purchase, making them a powerful tool for driving new product discovery,” Tuggle said.

Bashas' customers are looking for plant-based ingredient options, “superfoods,” cleaner ingredient labels and unique or global flavor profiles, says Darin Eastridge, senior category manager for produce.

Harmons stores see a lot of success with Dietitians Choice tags, which indicate that in-store dietitians have vetted and approved a product. The stores also rely heavily on “engaging displays with pairing suggestions, sampling stations to try before you buy and sometimes even signage created by our artists that draws your attention to our products,” Cordova said.

Harmons also features its own salads regularly in its weekly sales plans and sometimes in its Super Secret Specials on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

“They're fantastic for increasing basket sizes because we provide a variety of pairing suggestions and toppings,” said Robert Seegmiller, director of fresh produce. “This approach encourages shoppers to add more items to their baskets — a win-win.”

For salads, though, “the key truly lies in having bright and organized displays,” he added. “We recognize that the salad segment is crowded, so capturing the customer's eye and simplifying their decision-making process is essential.”

In addition to its in-house salads, Harmons likes to partner with a few top companies, such as Dole, rather than many, to focus on its entire line.

“Our in-store displays are thoughtfully organized into categories such as chopped, classic, blend, kit, and organic,” Seegmiller said. “This organization not only keeps our offerings tidy and visually appealing but also simplifies the shopping experience.”


Looking online

Digital marketing is also crucial. Bashas' offers personalized offers through its digital loyalty program, digital coupon offers and targeted advertisements on TV and radio.

“The multichannel approach ensures we connect with our audience effectively and keep them interested,” Garris said.

Fresh Express uses social media, blogs and ads on streaming podcasts “to help connect with consumers in a meaningful way,” Pereira said. “We focus on new ideas and talking to customers.”

The company uses Google PPC and display advertising across all social media channels and contacts more than 150,000 email subscribers with curated content.

“Our new products are also supported with recipe marketing across all social media platforms, reaching a community of over 350,000 followers,” he adds.

Braga says it ensures it has engaging e-commerce content on the digital shelf, prioritizing high-quality product descriptions, images and information to enhance online visibility.

Kingsville, Ontario-based Mastronardi Produce showcases its products, their flavor profiles and use cases through its social media channels and amplifies user-generated content and content from social media influencers and creators.

“We strive to tell the story of how our products are grown in a sustainable manner so consumers can see themselves using [them],” said Peppe Bonfiglio, vice president of sales.

It also uses its websites to provide product descriptions, recipe ideas and store locators.

“It's important for us to go beyond the package and help our consumers find ways to use our products,” Bonfiglio said.


It's in the bag

Packaging is not only important for branding and drawing attention, but also in the technology it involves.

Fresh Express says its Keep-Crisp breathable bag leverages advancements in modified atmospheric technology and uses a permeable plastic film that regulates the oxygen content within the bag to control the salad's natural “breathing rate” to maintain freshness, quality and product integrity.

“And because all salad leaves are not the same, we've carefully matched each Fresh Express salad mix to a specific kind of Keep-Crisp bag for optimum freshness,” Pereira said.

FiveStar salads are packaged in recycled — and recyclable — packaging to respond to consumers' packaging concerns and contribute to a healthier planet, Shoshan said, and the company is continually refining its Ultra Fresh Sealed technology to improve freshness.

Boskovich says it has developed and holds the patent under the Fair Earth brand for the only BPI-certified, home-compostable salad packaging in the U.S.


Taking sustainability a step further

Packaging isn't the only area where packaged salads are being sustainable.

Fresh Express works with farmers “to understand, encourage, and support efforts to rebuild the soil, water stewardship and boost productivity,” Pereira said. “Our farmers use soil health best practices of no-till, crop rotation, drought resilient seeds, yield improvement, soil and water retention, along with others, to conserve soil and build our soil ecosystem.”

Fresh Express says it is also using more renewable energy in its fields and manufacturing facilities and works with its energy providers to source more of energy from renewable sources. The company says it has switched a third of its light bulbs to LED; requires its contracted carrier's fleet to be less than five years old to ensure it's using updated and fuel-efficient equipment; and most of its carriers participate in the EPA's SmartWay program to increase fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

And Fresh Express says it is committed to zero waste to landfill, rescuing the materials coming into and being generated by the facility, using reusable containers and diverting material from landfills.