(Photo courtesy of Karen Brux)
For the November/December issue of Produce Retailer magazine, Karen Brux with the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association provided merchandising tips and insight on the best times to promote Chilean produce this winter.
Brux said highlighting the fruit can be a great boost for produce departments.
"Through the great work of our three merchandisers, we’ve been able to get more retailers on board, and our promotion support – primarily demos, so consumers can have confidence in the taste – is generating double- to triple-digit sales and volume increases across the board at both national and regional retail chains," Brux said.
Without further ado, here are Brux's best recommendations on things to keep in mind when promoting Chilean fruit in the coming months.
Key Promotion Windows
- Cherries – December and January
- Blueberries – Late December through mid-March
- Stone Fruit – February and March
- Grapes – January through April
Merchandising Tips
- Display multiple stone fruit SKUs to add a splash of color and appeal to different consumers by offering several flavor profiles and textures.
- Inform shoppers through signage about when fruit is ripe and how it tastes.
- Promote some of the more unique varieties, like lemon plums, with demos or marketing materials from the association.
- Display multiple varieties of grapes, with the most unique variety serving as the centerpiece to provide a lift to the entire category.
- Educate retail staff about what’s coming from Chile through availability charts the association provides to hang in backrooms.