Sonora grape promotions seek to keep retailers interested through Fourth of July
Sonora grape promotions seek to keep retailers interested through Fourth of July
Grapes from Sonora, Mexico, are the first North American grapes of the season to hit the market, and they typically start in early May. This year, many shippers expect to start their earliest varieties around May 5-10.
But the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas in Nogales, AZ, which represents over 100 U.S. member-companies involved in growing, packing, sales and transportation of fresh fruits and vegetables grown in Mexico, wants produce buyers across the country to understand that far from being just a May deal, Sonora grapes actually are at peak production during the month of June and will be available in good volume for Fourth of July promotions.
"We are continuing with our Sonora spring grapes merchandising program," said Allison Moore, the association's communications director.
"What I consider really important is that this deal has really transitioned from a spring-only deal to a spring and summer deal," said Veronica Kraushaar, owner of Viva Marketing, which handles promotional and merchandising activities for the association. "We are really in the market well into July with good quality, and the quality has improved tremendously" from what it was some years ago, she said. "So a lot of retailers benefit from a late-season promotion" of Sonora grapes.
"We are trying to keep the retailers interested in Sonora grapes at least through the Fourth of July," Ms. Kraushaar continued. That focus is "kind of a new thing." Many retailers "don't realize that we have good-quality" grapes available "through that time."
Retailers do typically look for Mexican grapes for Memorial Day. But there is "usually fairly light volume" at that time, "so we don't like to push Memorial Day too much. We like to say June is your peak, and then into July you've got some good promotional opportunities."
The association is also encouraging retailers to use the "Sonora Spring Grapes" logo in their advertising and promotional materials, she said. "We have Veronica going out and visiting with retailers and other clients to talk to them about the upcoming season and to set up some promotions," said Ms. Moore. "This is critical in helping us move a large amount of grapes in a very tight window." It is important to "keep the volume moving through the marketplace and to consumers."
"We have already started calling on the retail chains," Ms. Kraushaar told The Produce News March 31. "This year, we are offering some incentives. We are trying to do some more promotions with grapes, especially involving consumer affairs personnel," such as putting information on Sonora spring grapes on supermarket chains' web sites. "We are trying to do more of a customer reach through the retail chains," she said.
The association will have some material available "on a custom basis" that chains use as handouts "to explain the Sonora grapes" to consumers.
"On the promotional front, Viva Marketing has had good luck going around, and retailers are certainly interested in grapes," said John Pandol, an executive with Pandol Bros. Inc. in Delano, CA, and chairman of the FPAA's Sonora Spring Grapes Division. Retailers are interested in grapes from all sources, he said, and increasingly they will promote Sonora grapes as being from Mexico "as opposed to just promoting them as grapes."
The volume of Mexican grapes in the U.S. market grew rapidly over a 10- or 12-year period, increasing by some 400 percent. That growth has now leveled off, and "it is kind of a mature business" now, with Mexican grapes being part of the "normal routine in the spring and in the [early] summer" for many buyers. For that reason, he said, some growers wonder why they need to promote. Often, the attitude is, "We don't need promotion; we have inertia," he said. But "that is a short-sighted view."
(For more on the Mexican grape deal, see the April 14 issue of The Produce News.)
But the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas in Nogales, AZ, which represents over 100 U.S. member-companies involved in growing, packing, sales and transportation of fresh fruits and vegetables grown in Mexico, wants produce buyers across the country to understand that far from being just a May deal, Sonora grapes actually are at peak production during the month of June and will be available in good volume for Fourth of July promotions.
"We are continuing with our Sonora spring grapes merchandising program," said Allison Moore, the association's communications director.
"What I consider really important is that this deal has really transitioned from a spring-only deal to a spring and summer deal," said Veronica Kraushaar, owner of Viva Marketing, which handles promotional and merchandising activities for the association. "We are really in the market well into July with good quality, and the quality has improved tremendously" from what it was some years ago, she said. "So a lot of retailers benefit from a late-season promotion" of Sonora grapes.
"We are trying to keep the retailers interested in Sonora grapes at least through the Fourth of July," Ms. Kraushaar continued. That focus is "kind of a new thing." Many retailers "don't realize that we have good-quality" grapes available "through that time."
Retailers do typically look for Mexican grapes for Memorial Day. But there is "usually fairly light volume" at that time, "so we don't like to push Memorial Day too much. We like to say June is your peak, and then into July you've got some good promotional opportunities."
The association is also encouraging retailers to use the "Sonora Spring Grapes" logo in their advertising and promotional materials, she said. "We have Veronica going out and visiting with retailers and other clients to talk to them about the upcoming season and to set up some promotions," said Ms. Moore. "This is critical in helping us move a large amount of grapes in a very tight window." It is important to "keep the volume moving through the marketplace and to consumers."
"We have already started calling on the retail chains," Ms. Kraushaar told The Produce News March 31. "This year, we are offering some incentives. We are trying to do some more promotions with grapes, especially involving consumer affairs personnel," such as putting information on Sonora spring grapes on supermarket chains' web sites. "We are trying to do more of a customer reach through the retail chains," she said.
The association will have some material available "on a custom basis" that chains use as handouts "to explain the Sonora grapes" to consumers.
"On the promotional front, Viva Marketing has had good luck going around, and retailers are certainly interested in grapes," said John Pandol, an executive with Pandol Bros. Inc. in Delano, CA, and chairman of the FPAA's Sonora Spring Grapes Division. Retailers are interested in grapes from all sources, he said, and increasingly they will promote Sonora grapes as being from Mexico "as opposed to just promoting them as grapes."
The volume of Mexican grapes in the U.S. market grew rapidly over a 10- or 12-year period, increasing by some 400 percent. That growth has now leveled off, and "it is kind of a mature business" now, with Mexican grapes being part of the "normal routine in the spring and in the [early] summer" for many buyers. For that reason, he said, some growers wonder why they need to promote. Often, the attitude is, "We don't need promotion; we have inertia," he said. But "that is a short-sighted view."
(For more on the Mexican grape deal, see the April 14 issue of The Produce News.)
