Market Fresh offering sweet onion consistency
Market Fresh offering sweet onion consistency
Consolidation, branding, consistency, consumer-friendly packaging and globalization - Market Fresh Produce LLC, based in the Kansas City suburb of Lee's Summit, MO, is integrating all these benefits for sweet onion buyers.
Steve Phipps, principal owner and director of sales and marketing for Market Fresh Produce, said, "Our focus on this onion program is to come to market with a consistent trade brand of sweet onions to where the retailer could embrace the packaging."
Market Fresh is very carefully coordinating grower-copackers, then marketing consistent supplies of sweet onions from Vidalia, GA, Texas, California, Walla Walla, WA, and Peru.
In the process, Mr. Phipps said, "We offer consistent flavor, size and packaging, and retailers don't have to worry about managing different vendors and the logistics of shipping [less than truckloads] to distribution centers. We manage all these things behind the scenes and come to market."
An important component is high-graphic display packaging, which the onion co-packers place into one "consumer friendly box." It is a "one touch" box for produce managers, who simply put the box on display. "While onions are not as delicate as tomatoes, they still bruise," he said.
The open, flat box eliminates handling for merchandising. By reducing handling, PLU labels are less prone to being knocked off, as is often the case with bulk displays. Less handling means lower shrink and lower labor costs for retailers, Mr. Phipps added.
For retailers wanting mesh bags, Market Fresh is offering a full line of sweet onions in mesh bags containing either two, three, four or five pounds, each with high-graphic cards.
"All of our packaging shows the USDA food pyramid and the '5 A Day' logo, and a [toll-free] consumer feedback number to report problems or talk about the onions when the consumer is home."
Steve Phipps, principal owner and director of sales and marketing for Market Fresh Produce, said, "Our focus on this onion program is to come to market with a consistent trade brand of sweet onions to where the retailer could embrace the packaging."
Market Fresh is very carefully coordinating grower-copackers, then marketing consistent supplies of sweet onions from Vidalia, GA, Texas, California, Walla Walla, WA, and Peru.
In the process, Mr. Phipps said, "We offer consistent flavor, size and packaging, and retailers don't have to worry about managing different vendors and the logistics of shipping [less than truckloads] to distribution centers. We manage all these things behind the scenes and come to market."
An important component is high-graphic display packaging, which the onion co-packers place into one "consumer friendly box." It is a "one touch" box for produce managers, who simply put the box on display. "While onions are not as delicate as tomatoes, they still bruise," he said.
The open, flat box eliminates handling for merchandising. By reducing handling, PLU labels are less prone to being knocked off, as is often the case with bulk displays. Less handling means lower shrink and lower labor costs for retailers, Mr. Phipps added.
For retailers wanting mesh bags, Market Fresh is offering a full line of sweet onions in mesh bags containing either two, three, four or five pounds, each with high-graphic cards.
"All of our packaging shows the USDA food pyramid and the '5 A Day' logo, and a [toll-free] consumer feedback number to report problems or talk about the onions when the consumer is home."
