There’s so much information out there for consumers with all the different social media platforms, so it’s paramount marketers in the fresh produce industry stay nimble, says Tara Murray, vice president of marketing for Fresh Innovations and Yo Quiero brands. Murray joined “The Packer Podcast” to share how marketers leverage trends to stay at the forefront of consumers’ minds.
“We’re staying on top of what those trends are, how things are changing, how the winds are going … and for us to simplify some of that messaging, provide those better-for-you products to encourage people to eat more and to eat better so they feel better at the end of the day,” she says.
Murray says it’s important the fresh produce industry taps into its unique value proposition of nutrient-dense products.
“It’s not just about opening up your favorite bag of chips and dipping it into the guacamole,” she says. “Avocados are nutrient-dense. They have good fats. They have some fiber, and you can put it on a sandwich, you can top your salad. You can do multiple things with it, and so, really encouraging people to take really good produce items and use it in different ways.”
And while each generation might have its own interests and focus, there are ways the produce industry can tap into the opportunities each of those generations present.
“Gen Z is really focused on — and thank goodness for their parents teaching them — a broader spectrum of food, a broader spectrum of nutrients, a broader spectrum of taste and cultures,” she says. “So, what can we do to encourage those tastes for each of those generations and encourage that consumption? Because to me, again, it’s up to the supplier to see what we can do to for the manufacturer to provide different ways for these different generations to consume the products.”
Pointing to the viral cucumber craze of 2024, she says the produce industry can really tap into those trends to keep the consumer coming back.
“As a marketer, we look at those different trends, we look at what we make and how we can tweak that to really hit the generational needs and the generational taste buds of those consumers,” she says. “It’s: How do you create nutrient value? How do you create and provide consumers with ideas for that nutrient value of what they’re consuming? So it goes beyond cost. It’s about how does it make you feel inside and out? You’re making better food decisions for you and your family.”
The challenge for produce marketers is to continue to evolve and stay relevant to the consumer. Murray says there are so many retailers that use social media to help inform the consumer about the different items available in produce departments. She says some retailers have tastings to help educate the produce department team to then better inform consumers about different taste profiles of the produce items available.
“Finding consumers where they are and providing them educational pieces for the different things that are in produce,” she says. “Seasonality is huge, so when it’s berry season in California, for example, making sure those retailers have some type of content around berries. You know, when are avocados are at their best? … It’s really getting out there and educating consumers and even the store operators on what’s in their departments to help with the consumers when they have questions.”
