Supermarket Perimeter - June 2022 - 43

Consumer demand for more convenient fresh
organic snacking options has continued to grow
and doesn't show any signs of stopping. "
Chris Veillon, Pure Flavor
president, Raymond Wong, has extensive expertise in bio-resource and
agricultural engineering that set the standard for the highest quality
organic greenhouse vegetables, Quon said.
Oppy has also added more Fair Trade Certified items through the
Divemex brand, the first bell pepper grower in North America to be Fair
Trade Certified.
Pineapple and watermelon take the summer lead
Del Monte 's current organic fruit lineup includes top sellers like mango,
pineapple, watermelon and apples - those fruits, Teske said, offer
what Del Monte believes is the greatest return in sales. Pineapples and
watermelon are typically the top spring and summer sellers.
Organic pineapple was included in Del Monte's promotions for its
Pinkglow Pineapple on Mother's Day and will be included in Father's Day
and National Pineapple Day (June 27) promotions.
Newcomers to the lineup include fresh-cut apples and, on the
vegetable side, fresh-cut organic butternut squash. Organic coconut
is another product that has become increasingly popular recently for
Del Monte.
In order to fully take advantage of the surge in demand for organic,
retailers need to clearly differentiate the more expensive organic from
conventional produce, Teske said, which can easily be done with
container labeling and instore signage.
As organic availability and production volume in fresh-cut facilities
increase, the price gap will steadily decrease, Teske predicts. That said,
there will always be a price gap between organic and conventional.
" It's due to differences in growing costs, availability and farming
techniques. During production, organic produce must also be completely
isolated from the main volume of conventional fresh-cut produce. "
One advantage of Del Monte's fresh-cut organic offerings, Teske said,
is that fruit is cut to order prior to distribution, thanks to the company's
many distribution centers.
" Since most fruits and vegetables cannot be cut in-store, this
process eliminates a hassle for retail stores and will help continue to
incrementally grow retail sales. "
Organic quality has been great thus far this year, Veillon said, and as
Pure Flavor expands its product line and increases its family of growers,
volumes will be up over last year.
" Consumers are looking for more variety in the organic vegetables they
buy than ever before, " said Tiffany Sabelli, Pure Flavor's director of sales.
" Organic shoppers are no longer satisfied with the basics or staple items.
Instead, they're seeking out convenient snacking veggies like Organic
Cutting to order at one
of its many distribution
centers around the
country means that Del
Monte's organic fresh-cut
retail customers get the
freshest product possible.
supermarketperimeter.com
JUNE 2022 - 43
Supermarket Perimeter - June 2022

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