I got into a spirited discussion recently with an independent distributor about the impending holiday season. Specifically, we spoke about fruit baskets.
I know. Whenever I touch on this seasonal category, I can sense the collective groans out there in the produce aisles near and far.
I hear it often from the younger clerks when perusing stores. “Fruit baskets? That is so … old school. Nobody buys fruit baskets any longer. Maybe that was a thing back in the day — no longer.” I can also sense the parting shot muttered under their breath: “boomer.” (Which to me, by the way, is a compliment. It's a generation that knew how to get things done. So, thank you.)
But yeah, oh, ye of little faith.
My question to the distributor (who, in addition to being a strong wholesaler, does an amazing job with weekend produce sales, regularly opening their doors to the public at the bustling Phoenix facility) was this: Are fruit baskets truly a passé category because of lack of interest — or due to lack of available supply? I mentioned how, out of curiosity last winter holiday season, I called my neighborhood grocer to see about ordering a fruit basket, as they never have any on display.
The produce manager answered the phone with an abrupt, “Hold on.” Then immediately transferred me to the floral department.
Floral? I thought while on hold for what seemed like eternity. You must be kidding, That's how this chain handles things? The floral clerk — who is slammed this time of year, keeping up with cut flowers, poinsettias, arrangements, novelties, etc.?
Still, she bravely answered the call.
“Hello? Yes, we make fruit baskets,” she said in a tired voice. “If you order one now, I can have it ready, um, by tomorrow night.”
Therein lies the problem: With no fruit baskets on display, there's no ready inventory. And relying on an overworked, lone (floral) clerk, well, this chain was obviously not interested in selling fruit baskets, which apparently, nobody desires any longer. Right. Out of sight, out of mind. The chain's loss, I suppose.
Back to the spirited discussion.
I talked about how, indeed back in the day, I was the coordinator at our 66-store chain, overseeing the warehouse team-produced, pre-made fruit basket program. On average we sold over 30,000 of these baskets during the holiday season.
In addition, most produce departments set up their own in-store fruit basket kiosks. This was manned in the last week or two leading up to Christmas. The kiosk typically had a large display of set-priced, in-store-produced fruit baskets, ranging from small to large sizes (as well as assembling custom-made orders) and used the warehouse-made baskets to help support the added sales volume. We had inventory — and sales to match.
The wholesaler I was talking with stroked his beard thoughtfully and leaned forward in his chair. “I get it,” he said. “If you build them, they will buy.”
The key to a successful program, I think, is to keep the basket or container cost to a minimum. That gives a chain a much stronger margin and offers a lower, attractive price point.
We even used to modify the two-layer holiday orange cases that we already carried by reworking some, replacing some oranges with a few other fruits in the top layer, then filling the open gaps between the fruit with a handful of hard candy, in-shell nuts or both. Then we overwrapped these with basket cellophane, sealed the cello tight with a heat gun, attached a nice bow and priced it at with a reasonable markup, figuring in labor, supplies and fruit cost.
It was the most inexpensive, attractive offering we carried. We put these out, along with traditional-style baskets, during a busy holiday shopping day, then watched them all sell at a brisk pace.
Related: More insight from Armand Lobato
Certainly, store-level labor is an issue. There's barely enough help to stock the fruit, much less to schedule someone dedicated to arranging the same in baskets, right? That's a flimsy excuse. There's enough folks out there; if not regular employees (some limited to light duty), consider hiring seasonal employees (students, retirees) looking for a little extra cash.
All it takes is preparation and training, with a little foresight to take advantage of selling fruit baskets and building additional sales.
So, who's the present-day fruit basket customer? Anyone — in every demographic or income bracket.
Fruit baskets are a healthy, thoughtful and reasonably priced gift. That's especially so with the national base of inflation-stricken consumer masses. And they're already shopping in your stores, the heaviest traffic just prior to the holidays.
Specifically, customers are always on the lookout for last-minute gifts for party hosts, for teachers, for neighbors, for the mailman, the babysitter, their favorite produce columnist — and fruit baskets are a beautiful, natural and welcomed solution.
But only If you shed the naysayer thinking. Only if you get into the same spirited discussion.
Armand Lobato works for the Idaho Potato Commission. His 40 years of experience in the produce business span a range of foodservice and retail positions.