The holiday season conjures up warm memories of family togetherness and joy, but it can also bring to mind the stress that comes with preparing the bountiful feasts used to celebrate and create such wonderful remembrances. That is why we have turned to some of our industry experts to explain how value-added options at retail are the gift that keeps on giving all winter long...
Chris Carroll
Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Country Sweet Produce
“Driven by the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, sweet potatoes are in peak seasonal demand as we close out 2020. Overall, the entire sweet potato category has experienced amazing growth over the past 9–10 months because of the increased demand related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers have gravitated to our Bako Sweet® 3 lb mesh bags and both of our Steam Bags—14 oz and 24 oz—which are perfectly aligned for consumers seeking added convenience and food safety. Additionally, with the significant increases in home delivery and in-store pickup, these value-added items are a natural fit for the e-commerce shopper. To fuel additional sales growth, we’ve recently updated our popular Bako Sweet display bins to help drive incremental sales by giving retailers the ability to feature our sweet potatoes in secondary displays. Sweet potatoes remain an on-trend consumer staple because they are packed with nutrients such as vitamin A and C, Beta Carotene, fiber, and many more. One of the healthiest complex carbs around, sweet potatoes sales show no sign of slowing down as we approach 2021 and beyond.”
Rick Russo
Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Church Brothers Farms
“When I hear value-added, I immediately think of convenience. Convenience for meal planners, for meal shoppers, for the busy parents scrambling to make their family dinner. All of us at Church Brothers Farms feel that now more than ever, people are seeking the easiest, quickest ways to put healthy and tasty food on the table. That’s why we’re working hard to create convenient value-added products, such as our line of Church Brothers Farms Ready Sides™, so we can meet the changing needs of today’s consumers.”
Diana McClean
Senior Director of Marketing, Ocean Mist® Farms
“Convenience is so important today as we juggle busy schedules and the need to eat fresh to stay healthy! The value-added vegetable category has experienced year-over-year growth since 2017, with 7.7 percent and 6 percent change in both dollars and volume, respectively! Shelf-ready, value-added vegetable options make capitalizing on this growth trend easy while offering in-demand fresh veg drives revenue. One of my favorite, easy add-ins to our Season & Steam microwaveable Brussels Sprouts Halves is mac-n-cheese—a warm lunch or dinner dish for winter that fills you up and sneaks in the fresh veggies, if sneaking is needed. Simple, delicious, and nutritious…check, check, and check!”
Megan Jacobsen
Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Gills Onions
“Our team believes that adding onions can enhance the overall taste and flavor of any dish being enjoyed at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. After all, onions are the foundation for many recipes. The pandemic has turned consumers into overnight chefs, seeing as many people are working from home. Bland, non-nutritious, home meals are no longer cutting it—people are experimenting more with spice and healthy alternatives. Value-added fresh produce, especially pre-diced onions like the program Gills Onions offers within our retail lineup, makes cooking great-tasting and nutritious meals at home more simple and stress-free.”
Bryan Jaynes
Director of Marketing and Product Development, Taylor Farms
“We have seen consumers moving back into retail during the pandemic, with multiple segments benefitting—most notably, organic salads and salad kits. On-the-go items, like single-serve salads and snacks, were initially down, but are now rebounding as well. Trips are down, but basket sizes are up as at-home eating occasions have grown. Shoppers continue to seek home-prepared and home-cooked meal solutions that focus on health, taste, convenience, value, and variety, and we have several new products that deliver on those needs. On-shelf, as of October, are two new chopped salads, Thai Chili Mango and Strawberry Rosé, along with two new Vegetable Meal Kits, Lemon Pesto and Southwest.”
Nelia Alamo
Vice President of Communications, Renaissance Food Group
“Fresh-cut and value-added produce will continue to be in demand going into 2021. As we continue to move through COVID-19 and its impact on how we eat, we can see that consumers still place high value on the nutrition and flavor that fresh produce provides. As IRI data shows, the pandemic will have long-lasting effects on today’s consumers. Currently, 49 percent of consumers are challenged with meal ideas as they continue to prepare and consume most meals in the home. Value-added, convenient, and unique blends like our Chef Essentials line can offer inspiration without all the prep time or food waste.” 
