Spice World is celebrating its 75th anniversary this summer, says Pat McAndrew, chief marketing officer.
“We are sharing the legacy of Andy ‘Pops’ Caneza founding Spice World in 1949 by inspiring consumers with meal ideas from ten U.S. regions through our Recipe Road Trip promotion,” McAndrew said. “Consumers can vote on their favorite meal ideas each week, and each vote qualifies them for a chance to win an experiential vacation to New Orleans where Spice World was founded. Spice World is also donating $75,000 to Feeding America and other charities to help address food insecurity in communities around the country.”
Spice World is committed to providing consumers with the highest quality, fresh garlic year-round, McAndrew said.
“While California is our largest growing region with thousands of acres in the San Joaquin Valley alone, we also use a ‘follow the sun’ strategy and work with additional farmers across the globe to supplement our California supply, ensuring we meet the annual demand of U.S. consumers," he said.
Spice World also owns and operates an extensive controlled-temperature storage facility in California that allows the marketer to make its domestically grown garlic available year-round, he said.
McAndrew said organic garlic continues to grow in popularity with both consumers and retailers. Spice World offers a variety of organic products in fresh, peeled, and ready-to-use formats, he said.
“Our Seasoning Blends line, in particular Chili Onion Crunch, is another bright spot as consumers increasingly seek out flavorful ingredients to add to their favorite recipes,” McAndrew said.
Garlic is a key ingredient in all varieties of Seasoning Blends, he said.
Target consumers
Mike Smith, senior vice president of sales, said Spice World consumers look for unique and powerful flavors in retail formats that are convenient and easy to use.“Spice World created the ready-to-use garlic segment many years ago and has not lost sight of the role convenience plays for consumers,” Smith said. “Today’s cooks, whether they are busy parents or empty nesters, appreciate the simplicity of quickly adding delicious flavor to their favorite recipes.”
Smith said retailers have increasingly taken advantage of Spice World’s innovative merchandising solutions, including shippers, racks and other stand-alone shelving systems.
“Our deep experience shows that consumers will buy garlic if they can easily find it in their stores,” Smith said. “All retailers that have invested in these solutions have seen a lift in sales.”