Editor's note: This piece was featured in the September-October issue of PMG magazine. To see this digital edition and others, visit PMG's Resource menu.
Merchandising displays need to be more thoughtful than a simple pile o' taters.
After all, potatoes are America's favorite vegetable, and it's no mystery why: The root is creamy, decadent, filling, comforting, versatile, affordable and hardy. And each season, there are different eating occasions where the tuber fits in just fine, from spring's herb roasted potatoes and summertime's potato salads to fall's mashed potatoes with gravy and wintertime's cheesy au gratins.
To inspire produce merchandisers, managers and specialists to step up their potato placement game, we called for photo entries in this category in our seasonal display contest.
The potato category winner for PMG's winter 2023 contest of the Produce Artist Award Series was Stephen Mattison, who entered photos from his displays at Whole Foods Market, Oakland, Calif., where he was produce team leader. He's now produce director of merchandising at Frazier Farms Markets, San Diego County, Calif.
Related: More merchandising articles
With these contest entries, see how even this humble tuber can be merchandised with techniques such as color blocking, waterfalls, cross-merchandising and other strategies.
And enter your own display photos of last summer's and today's produce — cherries, grapes, melons, stone fruit, summer vegetables and just anything gorgeous you and your team have created — by emailing to [email protected] six to 10 photos with your name, job title, store and address.
You could see your produce artistry featured in these pages, on our websites, in PMG Guide, in The Packer and on social media, with your name and store identified.
Let's celebrate the artistry that increases sales and consumption, improving public health. That's no small potatoes.
Stephen Mattison's Whole Foods Market display in Oakland, Calif., won the potato category of the PAAS winter 2023 contest.
Watch: The winner webinar video of the 2023 spring contest, featuring a discussion of best merchandising practices, tips and anecdotes from our panel of expert judges: Joe Watson of International Fresh Produce Association, Armand Lobato of Idaho Potato Commission and Emily Massi of Giant Food. See the video presentation.