Supermarket Perimeter - September 2024 - 10

in the kitchen after COVID, they're trying recipes that
call for shallots, reds and other varieties.
What retailers
can do now
CONSUMPTION
30%
Eat fresh
produce daily
19%
Eat fresh produce
4-5 days/week
51%
Eat fresh produce
3 days/week
39%
Always/usually
include fresh
vegetables in dinner
26%
Always/usually
include fresh fruit
at breakfast
79%
Share of fresh as
a percentage of
cross-store produce
dollar sales
49%
Believe it would
be good to have
info on produce
health benefits
51%
Would like tips on
easy ways to eat
more fresh fruit/
vegetable snacks
40%
Would like to know
what constitutes
a serving of fresh
fruit/vegetables
Source: FMI -
The Food Industry Association,
Power of Produce 2024
Variety and value
A big part of produce's success during COVID and
inflation, Parker said, is due to the flexibility consumers
feel it offers.
For instance, during the pandemic, if there was a
certain vegetable a shopper needed for a recipe and
their store didn't have it, they typically didn't have a
problem with substituting another one for it.
" Maybe they didn't have the exact thing you were
looking for, but you could find a close cousin of it that
left you feeling good, " Parker said.
Contrast that with an item like a certain brand and
flavor of cereal. When it comes to things like that, we
consumers have been " trained " to crave that very
particular variety, Parker said. If it can't be found on the
shelf, consumers are less likely to sub in something else.
But the average American buys 18 different fresh
produce items per year in their grocery store. That's
a lot of variety, she said, and it makes it easier to find
substitutes.
There's so much variety in the produce department,
and most consumers are so open to exploring it, that
they can also find great savings there - a huge boon in
today's high-price climate.
" Produce still an aisle where if you have a budget,
you can be savvy and stay within it. "
It all adds up to this: produce, Parker said, is now the
most frequently shopped fresh food department in
grocery.
" We've seen dramatic growth in the number of trips
that involve buying produce. "
That's also meant steady volume growth, Parker said.
While other departments that might be seeing sales
jumps because of higher prices are losing volume,
that's not the case with produce.
" Produce is still seeing traditional volume growth. "
A " trip magnet "
While prices for fresh fruit and vegetables have
increased a little bit, inflation has been far less than
that of other food and beverage categories, especially
center-store, Roerink said.
" Consumers are in a constant balancing act to
measure their budget against putting meals on the
table. That means price and promotions are important,
and fresh produce has always led in the weekly
circular, whether online or in print. "
Fresh produce, she added, is a " trip magnet. " As the
cumulative impact of inflation lingers, produce's power
to attract primary and secondary shoppers to the store
will be even more important.
10 - SEPTEMBER 2024
supermarketperimeter.com
Support consumption goals and highlight
health benefits. For many, fresh produce is
synonymous with nutrition and health. The
more focused consumers are on nutrition,
the higher fresh produce consumption
across meal occasions.
Highlight health benefits, educate on
portion sizes and provide tips to easily
integrate fresh produce in all meal
occasions, especially snacking. Highlight
fresh produce's multi-faceted delivery on
value. Fresh produce purchases reflect a
constant balance between money-wellsaved
and money-well-spent.
Cross-merchandise for convenience,
educate about nutrition and focus on
operational excellence in quality and
freshness. Convert meal inspiration into
fresh produce purchases. Inspire to shake
up routine meals that hamper impulse
and incremental sales by closing the gap
between inspiration and purchase.
Have a strong digital presence, crossmerchandise
meal items, provide clickto-order
and leverage the app. Optimize
loyalty among primary shoppers and focus
on units. As consumers are more likely to
move their produce dollars across brands
and stores, focus on loyalty.
Be a fresh produce destination, leverage
relevant sales promotions and optimize
each trip for consumers through
merchandising excellence.
Help manage food and package waste at
home and in-store. Portion size variety,
bulk offerings and storage tips can support
consumers' increased efforts to reduce
at-home waste.
In-store, highlight speed to-shelf initiatives
and sustainable package choices to further
reduce food and package waste.
Source: FMI - The Food Industry Association,
Power of Produce 2024
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Supermarket Perimeter - September 2024

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