California fruit growers bid farewell to Blair Richardson, welcome new president at CTFA dinner
California fruit growers bid farewell to Blair Richardson, welcome new president at CTFA dinner
VISALIA, CA -- Some 400 peach, plum and nectarine growers and shippers who gathered here for the California Tree Fruit Agreement's annual dinner bid farewell to Blair Richardson, who is stepping down after five years at the organization's helm, and welcomed the new president, Sheri Mierau, who has been serving as vice president of marketing.
Melvin Enns, president of Enns Packing Co. Inc. in Dinuba, CA, and chairman of the CTFA executive committee, praised the accomplishments of Mr. Richardson during his tenure and spoke highly of the new president's qualifications to carry on with the programs that have been implemented by Mr. Richardson as well as to meet the challenges ahead.
Addressing the dinner guests, Mr. Richardson summarized some of the major achievements of CTFA over the past five years. Emphasizing to attendees that his position has always been that CTFA was "your organization, not mine," he said that one of the early things he did after coming on board was to work to bring new members into the peach, plum and nectarine committees that CTFA administers.
Another major achievement, he said, was the development of new communications tools. A first step, he said, was to find out who the growers were so that CTFA could communicate with them. In all the years of its existence, he said, CTFA had never had a list of growers but had to go through the California Department of Food & Agriculture when it wished to get the word out to the grower community.
He also organized district grower meetings in order to have more direct contact with growers.
The development of a new logo was focused on the industry's products -- peaches, plums and nectarines -- rather than on the name of the organization, he said.
Progress has been made in gathering data that are useful to the members of the industry, he said. Currently, CTFA gathers and disseminates store audit data from 31 markets, ad-tracking data from 75 markets and scan data from 40 markets.
CTFA has also done extensive consumer research, including a 2005 study that focused not on consumers who buy California peaches, plums and nectarines but rather on those who do not, asking the question, "Why not?" he said.
The definition of the target consumer for California peaches, plums and nectarines has been redefined in the light of research findings, he said. No longer is the CTFA's message aimed at moms age 20-25, a very traditional advertising target. Rather, the new target consumer is now defined as people who are "passionate about summer." It seems that consumers already make a connection between summer and California peaches, plums and nectarines. That may be a new direction, but it is reminiscent of the CTFA's theme from several years back when California peaches, plums and nectarines were called "Summer Fruits" and the ads featured a jingle saying "It wouldn't be summer without 'em." Perhaps there is still some residual benefit from that campaign of yesteryear.
Ms. Mierau, who will be taking over leadership of the organization from Mr. Richardson in January, told the audience, "I want to thank you for the opportunity to work with you and continue on the path that Blair has created. Having grown up in Reedley [CA] as a tree fruit grower, I am wholeheartedly committed to creating opportunities for our industry to succeed."
Over the last five years, "we have seen the industry evolve rapidly," she said. "And in that time, the organization has been evolving as well. As the retail environment continues to change, ... our programs will continue to adjust and offer our industry a flexible and adaptable tool necessary for success."
Melvin Enns, president of Enns Packing Co. Inc. in Dinuba, CA, and chairman of the CTFA executive committee, praised the accomplishments of Mr. Richardson during his tenure and spoke highly of the new president's qualifications to carry on with the programs that have been implemented by Mr. Richardson as well as to meet the challenges ahead.
Addressing the dinner guests, Mr. Richardson summarized some of the major achievements of CTFA over the past five years. Emphasizing to attendees that his position has always been that CTFA was "your organization, not mine," he said that one of the early things he did after coming on board was to work to bring new members into the peach, plum and nectarine committees that CTFA administers.
Another major achievement, he said, was the development of new communications tools. A first step, he said, was to find out who the growers were so that CTFA could communicate with them. In all the years of its existence, he said, CTFA had never had a list of growers but had to go through the California Department of Food & Agriculture when it wished to get the word out to the grower community.
He also organized district grower meetings in order to have more direct contact with growers.
The development of a new logo was focused on the industry's products -- peaches, plums and nectarines -- rather than on the name of the organization, he said.
Progress has been made in gathering data that are useful to the members of the industry, he said. Currently, CTFA gathers and disseminates store audit data from 31 markets, ad-tracking data from 75 markets and scan data from 40 markets.
CTFA has also done extensive consumer research, including a 2005 study that focused not on consumers who buy California peaches, plums and nectarines but rather on those who do not, asking the question, "Why not?" he said.
The definition of the target consumer for California peaches, plums and nectarines has been redefined in the light of research findings, he said. No longer is the CTFA's message aimed at moms age 20-25, a very traditional advertising target. Rather, the new target consumer is now defined as people who are "passionate about summer." It seems that consumers already make a connection between summer and California peaches, plums and nectarines. That may be a new direction, but it is reminiscent of the CTFA's theme from several years back when California peaches, plums and nectarines were called "Summer Fruits" and the ads featured a jingle saying "It wouldn't be summer without 'em." Perhaps there is still some residual benefit from that campaign of yesteryear.
Ms. Mierau, who will be taking over leadership of the organization from Mr. Richardson in January, told the audience, "I want to thank you for the opportunity to work with you and continue on the path that Blair has created. Having grown up in Reedley [CA] as a tree fruit grower, I am wholeheartedly committed to creating opportunities for our industry to succeed."
Over the last five years, "we have seen the industry evolve rapidly," she said. "And in that time, the organization has been evolving as well. As the retail environment continues to change, ... our programs will continue to adjust and offer our industry a flexible and adaptable tool necessary for success."
