“Have A Plant” has a great chance to catch on and increase produce consumption.
What will it take?
It will take a champion. The Produce For Better Health Foundation’s CEO Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak says it can and should be her.
“I’ve been in front of the camera,” she said May 1. “Being an industry spokesperson would be new for PBH.”
She said she’s already spoken at many food, nutrition and produce conferences, been on podcasts, local news reports and plenty of trade media.
“Fruits and vegetables are part of a larger food conversation,” she said.
Kapsak said the release of the new slogan was celebrated at PBH’s annual conference in April, and the next big opportunity for the industry to find out more and find out how to use the logo will be a June 4 webinar.
It will take more than a spokesperson. She said at the conference that a handful of retailers have already committed to using the Have A Plant logo on all their private label fruit and vegetable products, but she couldn’t release who they are.
That’s one step in the movement. Another will be the number of produce companies willing to use it.
“With the launch of Have A Plant at the conference, the future is wide open for the broader produce industry to have access to consumers like never before,” she said.
And then the message to consumers, starting with PBH’s huge social media presence, and aided by its elite network of influencers, the Fruit and Vegetable Ambassadors in Action.
“Our target audience is looking for a less prescriptive approach,” Kapsak said. “I don’t want to hold anyone who encourages eating produce back.”
Another way to spread the message will be at the many produce industry events, from the monster PMA Fresh Summit, to regional events, so small grower groups.
PBH, Kapsak and the produce industry needs to give Have A Plant this opportunity.
