A mentor once told me “All that shines is not gold” to caution me not to believe everything I see. It was a good lesson for me as a young manager and just when I needed to hear it.
This phrase is still relevant daily, with so many twists and turns from supply gaps, shipment delays, inflation, labor issues and dwindling consumer patience about not having access to the products they want.
The flip side of that lesson from long ago is that fresh produce remains golden, despite the dull effect of today’s challenges. And we need to help consumers see that beauty.
A recent International Fresh Produce Association consumer survey revealed:
- 51% of consumers expect to purchase the same amount of fresh fruit and vegetables regardless of price; and
- 45% of consumers expect to reduce the amount of fresh produce they purchase, due to higher prices or the cost of other food categories.
So, should we believe what we see in the consumer response to today’s challenges? I submit that no, we should not. But still, we must be aware of what they are saying to better understand its possible effects on our industry.
Fresh produce can be the answer to soothing consumers’ many frustrations. What we sell is so much more than a meal ingredient or snack. Fresh produce is:
- Health;
- Wellness;
- Experiential;
- Sensory;
- Happiness;
- Colorful;
- Plants; and
- Winning.
When we keep these benefits, attributes and perceptions of fresh produce top of mind, we can shift our thinking to focus on how people connect with fresh produce. In the retail world, so much emphasis is placed on the item and price, but not as much on the solution produce provides.
I have long been a proponent of having produce experts who roam the sales floor — or the virtual sales floor — to assist customers, answer their questions and offer suggestions. The old suggestive selling notion still works.
But many retailers are too busy or short-staffed to help customers think differently about their fresh produce purchases, or maybe we’ve reached the peak of consumption, rendering the effort not worth the investment.
It’s still unclear if the accelerating trend of using more artificial intelligence and other technology to address labor challenges and increase consumer engagement will become mainstream or remain complimentary. If consumption markers are any indication, technology is not moving the needle yet.A
Way forward
Fresh produce has withstood enormous tests the last two years, and that’s a testament to everyone along the supply chain. But as we emerge from the pandemic, our industry could return to former practices or keep using what we learned through these trying times and be dynamic — especially where it relates to consumers. Consumers have changed. There is no question about that. But it could be forced change that will revert to former habits. We will know soon enough.
In all the years I was on the buyer side of the retail equation, I never faced a challenge such as this pandemic. Any major disruptions were short-lived and isolated within categories. That said, each time there was something to learn from the experience and a strategy to protect, correct or improve. It was like a crisis management plan, but we could only prepare for what we knew might come again.
Retailers and suppliers can do the same with the lessons learned from this global crisis affecting all aspects of the produce industry.
Have a plan to win consumers beyond the traditional item and price strategies. Move forward with your recently learned lessons, and your efforts can have far-reaching implications and create growth opportunities for fresh produce.
———
This column is part of a series by Joe Watson, who spent 30-plus years as the director of produce for Rouses Markets and was named Produce Retailer of the Year and honored as one of The Packer 25, both in 2014. Joe now serves as a vice president of retail, foodservice and wholesale for the International Fresh Produce Association.