Gourmet Trading Co., a Los Angeles-based importer-exporter of Peruvian asparagus and other specialty items, is using an innovative marketing approach to sell asparagus this year, including a unique tie-in with the re-release of the very-popular movie, The Wizard of Oz.

“As consumption of asparagus increases, retailers are looking for new and innovative ways to promote,” said Julia Inestroza, the firm’s marketing director. “Gourmet Trading Company is currently partnering with movies to provide on-pack promotions with a value proposition, like an instant redeemable coupon, which is supported via social media. This season we will be partnering with Warner Brothers for the 75th Anniversary of The Wizard of Oz.”

That tie-in is just one of the ways the company attempts to connect with consumers. Inestroza said Gourmet Trading points consumers to its website via social media platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram. The website contains cooking instructions for all three colors of asparagus as well as an interactive recipe section. “To support produce managers we provide point-of-sales materials such as recipe cards, information on how to display asparagus and basics about white asparagus,” she added.

While asparagus tends to be promoted more heavily at retail during the holiday periods, Inestroza said there are additional promotional opportunities that retailers should consider. “Another opportunity to promote Peruvian asparagus is for back to school in August and September,” she said. “Our Green Giant Fresh bagged asparagus with Box Tops for Education is the perfect fit for busy families with children.”

When merchandising and promoting asparagus at retail, the Gourmet Trading marketing director said there are some simple tips that in-store personnel should follow. “The most important thing when merchandising asparagus is freshness,” she said. “We suggest that retailers preserve freshness by not misting asparagus and keeping the butt end of the asparagus moist in a container of shallow clean water. Retailers are also pushing for bagged asparagus, which extends shelf life while providing additional graphics for consumers.”

For this current season, Monica Robles, who is involved in procurement of Peruvian asparagus for the company, expects an increase in volume over the firm’s already large volumes from the previous year. “The production curve should be similar to the 2012 season, barring any issues with weather,” she added, noting that the firm continues to “sell all three colors of asparagus and are proud to be able to pack them together in retail bags.”

Chloe Varennes, Gourmet’s marketing manager, said bagging the asparagus helps extend the shelf life and reduce shrink, which is one reason why the bagged program has been expanded this season.

“Asparagus and blueberries are our main focus,” added Vice President of Procurement Scott Hulsey, illustrating the importance of the Peruvian deal to the company. “Gourmet Trading Company has been importing Peruvian asparagus for over 20 years now.”

With its ever-increasing importance and volume, Gourmet has added to the staff this year. “We have expanded our sales team with the addition of Lauren Del Rosario,” said Brian Miller, chief executive officer and president. “With her culinary background and seven years of experience in produce sales, Lauren is a great addition to our team. Along with the recent promotion of Kristen Francisco to sales manager we are looking forward to our new sales team moving the company forward.”

Like the other firms interviewed, Gourmet Trading said that receiving the product by ship is getting more and more problematic. “Ocean transit times have gotten longer as companies try to reduce fuel costs,” said Procurement Manager Luciano Fiszman. “Therefore, ocean loadings have decreased each year.”

But the transportation expert added that the company still does a mix of air and ocean shipments to the United States because air shipments are so volatile. Shipping by ocean is a necessity certain times of the season.