The Michigan Asparagus season concluded with decent volumes perfect for summer barbecues and grilling.
To increase the bottom line, the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board (MAAB) developed unique marketing strategies including retail promotions, an influencer program, farm tour, recipe development and digital advertising, according to a news release.
As home cooking continues to grow, consumers have recognized the importance of taking control of their own health habits, MAAB says, so more than 10 recipes including a mix of fresh, frozen and canned options were created. The dishes included fan favorites such as summer veggie flatbread, asparagus lemon barley bowl and ham and asparagus crepes. Over 59,644 impressions resulted signifying the importance of adding fresh, local ingredients into meal planning, the release says.
Highlighting “locally grown, locally sold” is what MAAB says positions Michigan asparagus as the option of choice. By partnering with Roundy’s, a prominent grocery store retailer in the Midwest, they enacted advertising and price tags featuring Michigan asparagus as the call out. As a result, there was a sales lift during half of the season, the release says.
“Partnering with the Michigan Asparagus program this season was a fantastic decision for our stores. The support helped us engage our customers in meaningful ways — especially around the value of fresh, locally grown produce,” says Waleed Nabeel, asparagus buyer. “Shoppers increasingly want to know where their food comes from, and being able to highlight Michigan-grown asparagus was not only great for sales, but it also reinforced our commitment to supporting regional agriculture. It was truly a win-win for our team and our customers.”
To increase brand awareness, MAAB says it worked with Family Features, a leading content syndication company specializing in lifestyle content. They created a video and article featuring fettucine with pesto prosciutto — a comforting meal perfect for dinner with family and friends. The content acquired over 213,000,000 placement impressions and 548 total placements, the release says.
The season highlight was the “2025 MAAB Farm Tour” where influencer, Farm With Zoe traveled to Michigan. She visited the fields, research station and tried picking asparagus on a cart. Educational videos including asparagus sizing, picking and planting were created. The video content received over 6.2 million views and garnered over 3,000 followers, MAAB says.
Beyond the tour, the influencer program featured a mother and registered dietitian, Ayat Sleymann. Her content included air fryer asparagus parmesan, a quick and easy snack for health fanatics. To cater to dog lovers, Blake Martin, owner of Whiskey Bear, has a dog cooking channel with human and dog recipe content. They created chicken primavera inspiring owners to incorporate veggies such as Michigan asparagus into their furry friend’s diet. The content received a total of 331,746 views.
“Michigan asparagus continues to stand out as a powerhouse of both taste and quality,” says Jamie Clover Adams, executive director of the MAAB. “This season, we embraced bold, creative strategies that elevated the presence of Michigan asparagus and helped us connect with consumers in fresh, compelling ways. From vibrant visuals to innovative content, we built excitement that resonated during peak moments.”
Looking ahead, MAAB says it is already planning for next season with promotional funds available for retail partners to increase sales and consumption. Follow MAAB online and across social media to stay updated on all things Michigan asparagus — from seasonal tips to delicious, nutritious recipes.