Supermarket Perimeter - December 2019 - 42

Produce: Peppers

Pepper
Primetime
Source: Schueller, Melissa's

Feliz Navidad
Dec. 25

Easter
Spring event

Mexican Independence Day
Sept. 15

Peak salsa season
May to September

Cinco de Mayo
May 5

Hatch chili season
August to September

Tamale season
Late-November to December

Roasting season
August to September

For promos, think color
There is still a major opportunity for increased sales from promotional
displays, says Quon at Oppy.
"Thirty-nine percent of produce sales are sold on merchandising,
according to the Food Marketing Association's Power of Produce
2019 report," he says. "Demonstrating instore presence matters and
drives sales."
While digital marketing continues to grow, Quon says merchandising
is still the best way to reach consumers - including through artistic and
attractive displays and POS materials.
Green, red and multi-colored packs of peppers continue to grow the
most in sales in recent years, he says.
"On average, between 2014 and 2018, bell peppers grew overall by
5%, which has outpaced produce growth, which was 4%," Quon says.
"Mini sweet peppers, while representing a smaller portion of the
category, have grown 4% on average each year since 2014, showing
they are resonating with some consumers - likely for a speciﬁc usage
occasion like stuffed peppers or snacking," he continues.
42 - DECEMBER 2019

Berkley of Frieda's says with the Lunar New Year approaching on
Jan. 25, Thai chilis are the featured pepper in traditional and new-age
Asian dishes.
"Our Napa cabbage wrap, found on our website, is a perfect recipe to
ring in the New Year," she says.
Large cross-promotional displays with color breaks should feature
bell peppers, sweet peppers, super-hot peppers, red Fresnos, yellow
chilis and habaneros, Schueller says.
"Cross-promotions can also feature tamale ingredients: dried chilis,
corn husks, avocados, limes and tomatoes," he adds.
Quon recommends cross-promoting peppers with other greenhouse
items like tomatoes and cucumbers.
And Wowryk of Nature Fresh Farms recommends cross-promoting
bell peppers with stuffing recipe items or with dips and dressings.
"You can also promote peppers in an island of other vegetables for
snacking, such as carrots, broccoli and celery - especially at holiday
time," he says.

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Value-added
products like
stuff ed peppers
help bring new
shoppers to
the category.

PIXEL-SHOT - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

top of mind - retailers could use merchandising and in-store messaging for these types of usage occasions to drive purchase."
The healthy snacking trend also has been driving pepper sales,
Wowryk says.
"Consumers are looking at ways to introduce fresh bell peppers and
sweet mini peppers into their diets," he adds. "Bell peppers are easy to
prepare and snack-friendly - cubed, diced or speared."
"At the store level, retailers can prepare value-added, pre-cut peppers
for veggie platters or stir-frys, accommodating customers who might
not have as much prep time," he says.

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Supermarket Perimeter - December 2019

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