Storytelling is part of the process of creating an emotional connection, and companies such as Naturipe Farms, Sage Fruit Company, LLC, SunFed, Chelan Fresh Marketing, and NatureSweet, Ltd. are among the companies telling consumers how their produce is grown and putting the spotlight on the people behind it.
“Storytelling is modern-day marketing, especially for young consumers,” says Lori Taylor, founder and CEO of The Produce Moms BB #:366223 in Indianapolis, IN. “Humanizing what you’re doing can move the needle.”
Produce Moms is exploring additional channels to get its message across, from voice search technology integrated with grills and refrigerators, to new technologies like webstories and the metaverse.
Another goal is to better educate gig workers at Instacart and other delivery services on how to select the best produce to ensure consumers have a good experience.
Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, former CEO of the Produce for Better Health Foundation (now merged into International Fresh Produce Association BB #:378962 in Newark, DE), says piggybacking fruits and vegetables with routine items, such as adding avocados, mangos, and tomatoes to tacos, is an effective way to start.
“Incremental progress can have a real impact on consumption and create habits—that’s more successful than starting with a vegetarian meal.”
Meanwhile, product and packaging innovation is leading to new products to make the process easier for consumers.
“We created our Naturipe Snacks product line to fill a demand gap in the market, and to help shoppers incorporate more berries into different parts of their lives,” says Jim Roberts, president of sales at Naturipe Farms, LLC, BB #:116078 headquartered in Salinas, CA.
This is an excerpt from the cover story in the January/February 2023 issue of Produce Blueprints Magazine. Click here to read the whole issue. https://apps.bluebookservices.com/BBOS/LearningCenter/BP/January%202023/eBook/index.html
