Taste the sweet potato sales this Easter

Retail Runway: Sept 2018

Given that plant-based meats and proteins are so hot right now, I was floored when Mann’s announced its vegan sausage Tomato Bolognese bowl is the first-ever warm veggie meal to feature plant-based protein. Add to that the bright, colorful packaging that has your mouth watering, not to mention the convenience consumers already associate with the Nourish Bowls, and this is an instant stand-out for the store shelf.

 

Yes. What do you mean we don’t have this yet? Whether it’s Super Bowl Sunday, Cinco de Mayo, friends are over for poker night, or you just need a date with yourself, these kits streamline the consumer shopping experience even further (always a win), and the cross-merchandising possibilities are endless. Place the movies in the produce department, the chips, even the party favors! Can you tell I’m a little excited about this?

 

While many consumers thought they had to deal with that pesky atmosphere or humidity messing with the quality of their fresh produce, the SunFed® team was looking for a way around it. And let’s throw in some convenient, on-the-go additions as well. The team recently introduced a controlled humidity and atmosphere grab-and-go pack for its organic Persian cucumbers, helping maximize freshness, minimize hands-on interference of consumers in the store, and elongate shelf-life. Good luck keeping these in stock!

 

Snacking is a key category that has deterred dinner appetites for generations, but the fresh produce industry is taking it back. Also, pop quiz! Should you store your tomatoes in the fridge or on the counter? If the parents shopping your store think they have to keep these snacks in the refrigerator, let them know they can keep it on the counter and ready to grab on the way out. If you live in temperature-stable conditions, keep it in the car! The point is, why snack on something you might regret? At 10 oz and true to its name of being easy to stack, it saves space on your shelves as well as your consumers’ place of snacking, wherever that may be!

I’m expecting to see this available in kombucha. The name immediately caught my attention as consumers continue their quest for new superfoods. As far as its vehicle, mesh and netting were a standout option for Canadian product appeal the last couple of times I visited our neighbors up north, and if Europe is the market to follow, then plastic is on its way out. Wrapped in conveniently-sized, attractive-yet-breathable mesh toppers presenting Thomas Fresh’s white turmeric, this is something I hope to see hit the U.S. soon.