Former CTFA president heading new marketing venture
Former CTFA president heading new marketing venture
Former California Tree Fruit Agreement President Blair Richardson entered into a partnership with some major tree fruit grower-shippers and has founded a new company that is launching what appears to be a brand-new marketing concept.
FreshSense is initially comprised of California growers-shippers who produce and sell about one-third of the state's stone fruit crop, as well as being significant growers and/or shippers of citrus and table grapes.
But Mr. Richardson said that FreshSense plans to expand to include growers of other commodities and members from other regions. He said that the firm must continue to grow if it is to achieve its goal, which is to build demand for the members' products and create greater stability for retail clients.
Mr. Richardson is one of the founding principals of the new organization and will serve as president and chief executive officer. The California grower- shippers that also have an ownership stake in the new organization are Ballantine Produce Co. in Sanger, Corrin Produce in Reedley, Fowler Packing Co. in Fowler, George Bros. Inc. in Sultana, HMC Group Marketing Inc. in Kingsburg, Kingsburg Orchards in Kingsburg and Sunwest Fruit Co. in Parlier.
About five years ago, a number of the participants in this new venture first began working together cooperatively with the launching of the "Ripe n' Ready" brand. That has become a very well-recognized label for California stone fruit.
That effort served as the genesis of this new effort, and in fact, Mr. Richardson and FreshSense have inherited the support staff that has marketed the "Ripe n' Ready" brand.
During this first year of operation, Mr. Richardson said, FreshSense's main emphasis will be marketing the "Ripe n' Ready" label as well as laying the foundation for the future growth of the new firm.
At least for this first year, and probably longer, Mr. Richardson said that each of the grower-shipper owners of FreshSense will continue to sell its own fruit whether it is packed under the cooperative "Ripe n' Ready" label or its own house brands. Mr. Richardson indicated that the goal over time would be to consolidate all sales and marketing under the direction of one team.
In a press release, Mr. Richardson said, "We are very excited about this new venture that goes beyond previous successes and will focus on developing new ways to conduct sales and marketing efforts that result in increased value to the farm and our retail clients. There are numerous opportunities in the produce industry to move forward and build a better business model. The results of a system dependent upon price-based differentiation as a sales strategy while facing continually increasing costs of production and distribution have not been good for farmers, retailers or consumers. This dysfunctional situation must change if farmers are to thrive and provide ever better, more consistent products for consumers and value to retailers. FreshSense will focus on finding ways to improve this situation by exploring innovative new means of marketing, selling and merchandising produce with stable, year-round programs."
Mr. Richardson told The Produce News that FreshSense would ultimately like to help manage retail shelf space, and to do so it must have year-round supplies of multiple fresh fruits. He believes that the best way to accomplish this is through cooperation beginning at the grower level and moving through distribution into the retail sector. He said that FreshSense would explore innovative strategies that go beyond the current buy-sell dynamic. The California tree fruit industry has had many challenging marketing seasons over the past 25 years. Many have pointed to the fragmented nature of the industry with too little product in too many hands as a root cause of the problem. The many sales desks in the San Joaquin Valley have long been blamed for creating a situation when the lowest price wins, creating a constant downward drag on the market.
It was this environment in which the Ripe n' Ready program was launched, and it would seemingly be this set of circumstances causing some significant players in the industry to conceptualize a better way of doing things. Mr. Richardson said that FreshSense expects to begin by managing the Ripe n' Ready program early in the tree fruit season and then possibly launch one or two new brands by the end of the season.
"If we don't get it done this year, then certainly next year," he said.
FreshSense is initially comprised of California growers-shippers who produce and sell about one-third of the state's stone fruit crop, as well as being significant growers and/or shippers of citrus and table grapes.
But Mr. Richardson said that FreshSense plans to expand to include growers of other commodities and members from other regions. He said that the firm must continue to grow if it is to achieve its goal, which is to build demand for the members' products and create greater stability for retail clients.
Mr. Richardson is one of the founding principals of the new organization and will serve as president and chief executive officer. The California grower- shippers that also have an ownership stake in the new organization are Ballantine Produce Co. in Sanger, Corrin Produce in Reedley, Fowler Packing Co. in Fowler, George Bros. Inc. in Sultana, HMC Group Marketing Inc. in Kingsburg, Kingsburg Orchards in Kingsburg and Sunwest Fruit Co. in Parlier.
About five years ago, a number of the participants in this new venture first began working together cooperatively with the launching of the "Ripe n' Ready" brand. That has become a very well-recognized label for California stone fruit.
That effort served as the genesis of this new effort, and in fact, Mr. Richardson and FreshSense have inherited the support staff that has marketed the "Ripe n' Ready" brand.
During this first year of operation, Mr. Richardson said, FreshSense's main emphasis will be marketing the "Ripe n' Ready" label as well as laying the foundation for the future growth of the new firm.
At least for this first year, and probably longer, Mr. Richardson said that each of the grower-shipper owners of FreshSense will continue to sell its own fruit whether it is packed under the cooperative "Ripe n' Ready" label or its own house brands. Mr. Richardson indicated that the goal over time would be to consolidate all sales and marketing under the direction of one team.
In a press release, Mr. Richardson said, "We are very excited about this new venture that goes beyond previous successes and will focus on developing new ways to conduct sales and marketing efforts that result in increased value to the farm and our retail clients. There are numerous opportunities in the produce industry to move forward and build a better business model. The results of a system dependent upon price-based differentiation as a sales strategy while facing continually increasing costs of production and distribution have not been good for farmers, retailers or consumers. This dysfunctional situation must change if farmers are to thrive and provide ever better, more consistent products for consumers and value to retailers. FreshSense will focus on finding ways to improve this situation by exploring innovative new means of marketing, selling and merchandising produce with stable, year-round programs."
Mr. Richardson told The Produce News that FreshSense would ultimately like to help manage retail shelf space, and to do so it must have year-round supplies of multiple fresh fruits. He believes that the best way to accomplish this is through cooperation beginning at the grower level and moving through distribution into the retail sector. He said that FreshSense would explore innovative strategies that go beyond the current buy-sell dynamic. The California tree fruit industry has had many challenging marketing seasons over the past 25 years. Many have pointed to the fragmented nature of the industry with too little product in too many hands as a root cause of the problem. The many sales desks in the San Joaquin Valley have long been blamed for creating a situation when the lowest price wins, creating a constant downward drag on the market.
It was this environment in which the Ripe n' Ready program was launched, and it would seemingly be this set of circumstances causing some significant players in the industry to conceptualize a better way of doing things. Mr. Richardson said that FreshSense expects to begin by managing the Ripe n' Ready program early in the tree fruit season and then possibly launch one or two new brands by the end of the season.
"If we don't get it done this year, then certainly next year," he said.
