Nutrition discussion highlights FPFC Expo
Nutrition discussion highlights FPFC Expo
A panel of produce experts took a hard look at what the produce industry has accomplished with regard to nutrition marketing and also discussed additional opportunities at the Fresh Produce & Floral Council Expo held Tuesday, July 11, in Anaheim, CA.
More than 1,000 attendees spent the day visiting scores of booths and listening to produce and floral experts discuss new products, innovative marketing ideas and cutting-edge merchandising concepts.
The event is unique in the industry, as it is designed to draw in- store personnel from the foodservice and retail sectors. Besides talking about their own products, exhibitors have the opportunity to chat with hundreds of professionals who are dealing directly with consumers, giving produce shippers and suppliers a rare opportunity to get closer to the end user's ideas.
The produce panel discussion was moderated by California Secretary of Agriculture A.G. Kawamura, who was a familiar face at the event, as he was a longtime Southern California strawberry grower and shipper.
During the seminar, Mr. Kawamura declared just how important good nutrition is. He said that 97 percent of the exploding healthcare costs in the United States are spent after a person becomes ill. If more money were spent on nutritional education, it seems apparent that healthcare costs could be lowered or at least be held in check, Mr. Kawamura suggested. He is clearly a proponent of the concept that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
As a grower, he said that his focus was to take a "population of plants and make them thrive." He added that he would take samples to make sure the plant was growing correctly and healthy. He envisioned a similar approach in the future for child healthcare in which doctors could perhaps take a hair follicle from a child to determine any diseases on the horizon, much as growers do with a plant.
Mr. Kawamura is absolutely convinced that poor nutrition among America's children is a leading cause of health problems. He also believes that young people are not active enough.
While he applauds many of the private and government efforts to work on creating a healthier society, he would like to see more coordination between various entities. He quipped that many groups are moving forward in a parallel universe, but the problem is that parallel lines never cross.
Janet Erickson, who is responsible for all purchasing, distribution and quality assurance for Del Taco, spent her time at the podium discussing the foodservice industry and some of its efforts toward providing healthy alternatives.
In the first place, Ms. Erickson said that foodservice is a fragmented industry, so it is difficult to paint it with one broad brush. The industry is divided into many categories including fine dining, casual dining and quick-service restaurants. In addition, many meals are served in hotels, schools and prisons.
What this adds up to is about 50 percent of the food dollar in the United States is spent away from the home. While there is much talk about offering healthy alternatives in restaurants, Ms. Erickson said that when people go out to eat, they want an "experience." Diners want to indulge themselves rather than sacrifice. "People want a treat when they go out but say they want to eat healthy. That's the conflict," she said.
There is nothing new about fast-food companies attempting to appeal to the healthy eating side of that conflict, she said. In the 1980s, some QSRs tried to offer more nutrition for customers, but failed for two glaring reasons: the food did not taste very good and it was presented as "good for you," a claim that research says does not resonate with consumers. Consumers believe that if an item is presented as "good for me," it will not taste as good.
But Ms. Erickson said that the foodservice industry today is faced with a different set of circumstances, and there is evidence that good nutritional offerings will work. She said that the influx of Asian, Hispanic and Mediterranean cuisines, which are much more fruit and vegetable based, is an ongoing trend.
Baby boomers are getting older. As a group, they are more health conscious and are shifting to healthier diets. She said that three out of four adults say they are eating healthier, and she added that 43 percent of consumers say that fruits and vegetables are an important menu item for restaurants. But there is some evidence that consumers say one thing and act differently. Still, more and more people recognizing the importance of fruits and vegetables is cause for optimism.
Ms. Erickson discussed some of the success stories, including Wendy's new salads and the efforts McDonalds has made to add more nutritious options to its menu. She was particularly complimentary of the firm's web site, which explores healthy eating concepts.
The Del Taco executive said that the success of these QSRs is causing other competitors to improve their lines of healthy items. She said that Seasons 52, a relatively upscale Florida chain, has launched a menu based on seasonal offerings. The items on the menu average 475 calories, and the servers are well educated when it comes to the nutritional value of the dishes. Most important, she added, the food tastes delicious.
But Ms. Erickson reiterated that restaurants are "for profit" businesses. They will try to have healthy food that tastes good, but the consumer must purchase those items or they will be dropped from the menu.
The next panelist, Lorelei DiSogra, is vice president of nutrition and health for the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association. She has been a leader in the National 5 A Day movement from its inception in California in the early 1990s.
Ms. DiSogra remembered the early 5 A Day moments and particularly the efforts of Jan DeLyser as the FPFC chief executive officer and Roger Schroeder, who was vice president of produce for Hughes Markets. Mr. Schroeder is credited with being the first retailer in the country to formally adopt a 5 A Day marketing program for his stores.
The United executive discussed the role of her organization and said that United is constantly pushing the nutrition theme to elected and appointed officials. She said that United is leading the effort to fund new nutrition policy initiatives and to increase the availability of fruits and vegetables for children. She said that if school chefs can make a great-tasting fruit or vegetable dish, kids will eat it.
The school environment must be changed to include more healthy eating choices, she added. As an example of the change in attitude that must occur, Ms. DiSogra relayed that the government- funded Women, Infants & Children program did not include fruits and vegetables for the first 32 years of its existence. Last year was the first time the produce industry was able to get involved in the effort.
She called this a great opportunity for retailers who want to market to this group, a group that has federal funds to spend. In one WIC program in Southern California alone, there are 550,000 participants, she told the audience of mostly Southern California foodservice and retailer operators.
Currently not all fruits and vegetables can be purchased with the vouchers these women and children receive, and Ms. DiSogra said that retailers along with all other segments of the produce industry should contact their representatives to make sure that produce gets its "fair share of the plate."
Ms. DiSogra also discussed the USDA's fruit and vegetable snack program, which is being expanded in the next budget to 14 states and three tribal reservations. She said that the pilot program has proven to be successful, and she encouraged further expansion. After Ms. DiSogra's presentation, A.G. Kawamura, secretary of the California Department of Food & Agriculture, said: "Dealing with policy, not politics, will be our challenge. The whole country has something to gain by these changes."
Bryan Silbermann, president of Produce Marketing Association, was also on the dais. He said that for nearly two decades, the 5 A Day message has been spread across the United States, but statistics have shown that fresh fruit and vegetable purchases at retail have actually gone down in that time because consumers are eating out more.
Consumers know there are health benefits to eating fresh fruits and vegetables. He said that the key to turning that knowledge into action is that the item must taste good. Mr. Silbermann said that in the produce industry, there are plenty of success stories of items registering huge consumption gains. What these items have in common is that they taste good and are convenient -- two of the top reasons people choose the food they eat.
The PMA president said that one of the more popular product launches in recent years has been McDonald's fruit and walnut salad. Innovative menu items like this should spur retailers to become more creative in what they are doing at the store level. Mr. Silbermann said that more has to be done at the retail level. Shoppers today are paying not just for food but for the overall experience. "It's an experiential world we live in now," he said.
He added that retail is fairly uninspired when it comes to offering a unique experience for the shopper.
Foodservice makes eating out an experience, he said, and adds excitement to a consumer's lifestyle. He said that supermarkets should copy the success of the foodservice industry, and some are doing just that. He singled out the success of what he called "The Three W's." Whole Foods, Wegmans and Wild Oats are three retailers that Mr. Silbermann said offer "a substantive and delightful experience for the consumer." He added that others are copying that formula for success.
These retailers, Mr. Silbermann said, see their associates as something more than robotic food sellers. These companies hire knowledgeable people at the store level who are able to communicate with the consumer. "It is the hottest trend in retail," he offered.
Mr. Silbermann weighed in on the concept of healthy food vs. the marketing of that concept. "For years I have said our marketing message should stress taste and convenience, not health."
He said that taste standards should come first, as that is what people buy. "If a product does not taste right the first time, the product may never get a second chance,"he said, adding that kids do not want a healthy product. "They want fun and flavor, while their parents want convenience."
Mr. Silbermann concluded that health without factors such as taste and sensory delight is like the Fourth of July without fireworks.
More than 1,000 attendees spent the day visiting scores of booths and listening to produce and floral experts discuss new products, innovative marketing ideas and cutting-edge merchandising concepts.
The event is unique in the industry, as it is designed to draw in- store personnel from the foodservice and retail sectors. Besides talking about their own products, exhibitors have the opportunity to chat with hundreds of professionals who are dealing directly with consumers, giving produce shippers and suppliers a rare opportunity to get closer to the end user's ideas.
The produce panel discussion was moderated by California Secretary of Agriculture A.G. Kawamura, who was a familiar face at the event, as he was a longtime Southern California strawberry grower and shipper.
During the seminar, Mr. Kawamura declared just how important good nutrition is. He said that 97 percent of the exploding healthcare costs in the United States are spent after a person becomes ill. If more money were spent on nutritional education, it seems apparent that healthcare costs could be lowered or at least be held in check, Mr. Kawamura suggested. He is clearly a proponent of the concept that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
As a grower, he said that his focus was to take a "population of plants and make them thrive." He added that he would take samples to make sure the plant was growing correctly and healthy. He envisioned a similar approach in the future for child healthcare in which doctors could perhaps take a hair follicle from a child to determine any diseases on the horizon, much as growers do with a plant.
Mr. Kawamura is absolutely convinced that poor nutrition among America's children is a leading cause of health problems. He also believes that young people are not active enough.
While he applauds many of the private and government efforts to work on creating a healthier society, he would like to see more coordination between various entities. He quipped that many groups are moving forward in a parallel universe, but the problem is that parallel lines never cross.
Janet Erickson, who is responsible for all purchasing, distribution and quality assurance for Del Taco, spent her time at the podium discussing the foodservice industry and some of its efforts toward providing healthy alternatives.
In the first place, Ms. Erickson said that foodservice is a fragmented industry, so it is difficult to paint it with one broad brush. The industry is divided into many categories including fine dining, casual dining and quick-service restaurants. In addition, many meals are served in hotels, schools and prisons.
What this adds up to is about 50 percent of the food dollar in the United States is spent away from the home. While there is much talk about offering healthy alternatives in restaurants, Ms. Erickson said that when people go out to eat, they want an "experience." Diners want to indulge themselves rather than sacrifice. "People want a treat when they go out but say they want to eat healthy. That's the conflict," she said.
There is nothing new about fast-food companies attempting to appeal to the healthy eating side of that conflict, she said. In the 1980s, some QSRs tried to offer more nutrition for customers, but failed for two glaring reasons: the food did not taste very good and it was presented as "good for you," a claim that research says does not resonate with consumers. Consumers believe that if an item is presented as "good for me," it will not taste as good.
But Ms. Erickson said that the foodservice industry today is faced with a different set of circumstances, and there is evidence that good nutritional offerings will work. She said that the influx of Asian, Hispanic and Mediterranean cuisines, which are much more fruit and vegetable based, is an ongoing trend.
Baby boomers are getting older. As a group, they are more health conscious and are shifting to healthier diets. She said that three out of four adults say they are eating healthier, and she added that 43 percent of consumers say that fruits and vegetables are an important menu item for restaurants. But there is some evidence that consumers say one thing and act differently. Still, more and more people recognizing the importance of fruits and vegetables is cause for optimism.
Ms. Erickson discussed some of the success stories, including Wendy's new salads and the efforts McDonalds has made to add more nutritious options to its menu. She was particularly complimentary of the firm's web site, which explores healthy eating concepts.
The Del Taco executive said that the success of these QSRs is causing other competitors to improve their lines of healthy items. She said that Seasons 52, a relatively upscale Florida chain, has launched a menu based on seasonal offerings. The items on the menu average 475 calories, and the servers are well educated when it comes to the nutritional value of the dishes. Most important, she added, the food tastes delicious.
But Ms. Erickson reiterated that restaurants are "for profit" businesses. They will try to have healthy food that tastes good, but the consumer must purchase those items or they will be dropped from the menu.
The next panelist, Lorelei DiSogra, is vice president of nutrition and health for the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association. She has been a leader in the National 5 A Day movement from its inception in California in the early 1990s.
Ms. DiSogra remembered the early 5 A Day moments and particularly the efforts of Jan DeLyser as the FPFC chief executive officer and Roger Schroeder, who was vice president of produce for Hughes Markets. Mr. Schroeder is credited with being the first retailer in the country to formally adopt a 5 A Day marketing program for his stores.
The United executive discussed the role of her organization and said that United is constantly pushing the nutrition theme to elected and appointed officials. She said that United is leading the effort to fund new nutrition policy initiatives and to increase the availability of fruits and vegetables for children. She said that if school chefs can make a great-tasting fruit or vegetable dish, kids will eat it.
The school environment must be changed to include more healthy eating choices, she added. As an example of the change in attitude that must occur, Ms. DiSogra relayed that the government- funded Women, Infants & Children program did not include fruits and vegetables for the first 32 years of its existence. Last year was the first time the produce industry was able to get involved in the effort.
She called this a great opportunity for retailers who want to market to this group, a group that has federal funds to spend. In one WIC program in Southern California alone, there are 550,000 participants, she told the audience of mostly Southern California foodservice and retailer operators.
Currently not all fruits and vegetables can be purchased with the vouchers these women and children receive, and Ms. DiSogra said that retailers along with all other segments of the produce industry should contact their representatives to make sure that produce gets its "fair share of the plate."
Ms. DiSogra also discussed the USDA's fruit and vegetable snack program, which is being expanded in the next budget to 14 states and three tribal reservations. She said that the pilot program has proven to be successful, and she encouraged further expansion. After Ms. DiSogra's presentation, A.G. Kawamura, secretary of the California Department of Food & Agriculture, said: "Dealing with policy, not politics, will be our challenge. The whole country has something to gain by these changes."
Bryan Silbermann, president of Produce Marketing Association, was also on the dais. He said that for nearly two decades, the 5 A Day message has been spread across the United States, but statistics have shown that fresh fruit and vegetable purchases at retail have actually gone down in that time because consumers are eating out more.
Consumers know there are health benefits to eating fresh fruits and vegetables. He said that the key to turning that knowledge into action is that the item must taste good. Mr. Silbermann said that in the produce industry, there are plenty of success stories of items registering huge consumption gains. What these items have in common is that they taste good and are convenient -- two of the top reasons people choose the food they eat.
The PMA president said that one of the more popular product launches in recent years has been McDonald's fruit and walnut salad. Innovative menu items like this should spur retailers to become more creative in what they are doing at the store level. Mr. Silbermann said that more has to be done at the retail level. Shoppers today are paying not just for food but for the overall experience. "It's an experiential world we live in now," he said.
He added that retail is fairly uninspired when it comes to offering a unique experience for the shopper.
Foodservice makes eating out an experience, he said, and adds excitement to a consumer's lifestyle. He said that supermarkets should copy the success of the foodservice industry, and some are doing just that. He singled out the success of what he called "The Three W's." Whole Foods, Wegmans and Wild Oats are three retailers that Mr. Silbermann said offer "a substantive and delightful experience for the consumer." He added that others are copying that formula for success.
These retailers, Mr. Silbermann said, see their associates as something more than robotic food sellers. These companies hire knowledgeable people at the store level who are able to communicate with the consumer. "It is the hottest trend in retail," he offered.
Mr. Silbermann weighed in on the concept of healthy food vs. the marketing of that concept. "For years I have said our marketing message should stress taste and convenience, not health."
He said that taste standards should come first, as that is what people buy. "If a product does not taste right the first time, the product may never get a second chance,"he said, adding that kids do not want a healthy product. "They want fun and flavor, while their parents want convenience."
Mr. Silbermann concluded that health without factors such as taste and sensory delight is like the Fourth of July without fireworks.
