Supermarket Perimeter - August 2019 - 49

Eating better - and
having fun doing it
For Westlake Village, California-based Dole Food Co., the
traditional back-to-school period
from August through October
has been a key focus of recipe
development and marketing
programs aimed at getting kids
to eat better, says Bil Goldﬁeld,
the company's director of corporate communications.
"While the summer months
are usually linked to light and
healthy eating, the early fall
months represent a great
opportunity to extend our
healthy-eating message as kids
and parents get back into the
daily schedule, returning to the
daily routine of balancing school
and work," Goldﬁeld says. "The
trend of increasing child obesity
is alarming and a concern to all
of us at Dole."
Much of Dole's focus is on
helping busy parents prepare

healthier meals for their children.
This is critically important
during the back-to-school
period, Goldﬁeld says, when parents are diligently packing lunch
boxes to avoid buying quick-
and often nutrient-light-meals
at school.
In the past, back-to-school
promotions have traditionally
focused on young children or
K-12 ages, but there's a great
opportunity to extend the
healthy-eating message to the
whole family, Goldﬁeld says.
In recent years, Dole has marketed simple, easy-to-prepare
recipes that encourage college
students to eat more fresh fruits
and vegetables. Simple Dole
recipes like the Fruity Breakfast
Burrito and Banana Breakfast
Sandwiches are a great way
to encourage healthier eating
habits on the run to class or in
the college dormitory, offering
a quick, delicious alternative to

vending machine junk food and
other poor snack decisions.
About 41% of elementary
school students bring a packed
lunch to school, but research
from Tufts University and The
University of Texas at Austin has
found most packed lunches are
of low dietary quality, containing
processed snack foods, sugary drinks and empty calories
while lacking in vegetables and
whole grains.
"While eating healthy can be
as simple as packing a single
Dole banana into every lunchbox, parents can keep lunchtime
interesting and prevent boredom
by leveraging Dole's distinctive
recipes, such as the Hoot Owl
Sandwiches, which pack ﬁve different kinds of Dole fresh fruits
and vegetables in a fun, creative
presentation while still an easy
and quick make," Goldﬁeld says.
While not exclusively about
back-to-school, Dole's multiyear

nutritional collaboration with
the Walt Disney Company is
entirely aimed at empowering
children and families to eat
healthier, Goldﬁeld adds. In 2019,
Dole continued its yearlong
"Powering the Hero Within" initiative with a campaign themed
to Captain Marvel, and earlier
this summer the company
launched a new chapter themed
to Disney's The Lion King. A special focus of these campaigns is
utilizing favorite Disney, Marvel,
Star Wars and Pixar characters.

5 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR BACK-TO-SCHOOL PROMOTIONS
1.

Merchandising muscle. Emphasis back-to-school by
using back-to-school themed shippers for highlighted
products.

2.

Small is beautiful. Stock and promote plenty of
easy-peelers, kiwifruit, small apples and other fruits perfect
for young consumers.

3.

Don't forget the older "kids." Sure, the bulk of your
promotions will be geared toward K-12, but think about also
attracting college students looking for quick, healthy and
delicious snacks.

4. Healthy push. Back-to-school
means back to routines. Make
healthful eating part of that routine by educating consumers about
easy ways to get fruits or veggies in
lunchboxes.
5.

Recipe innovations. Work with your suppliers to deliver
entrée, side, salad, snack, smoothie and dessert recipes
featuring fruits and veggies to your customers.

SUNKIST, DOLE

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AUGUST 2019 - 49
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Supermarket Perimeter - August 2019

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