Tips for boosting interest and sales in a value-focused market
Tips for boosting interest and sales in a value-focused market
Walking into a produce department is often a “wow” moment when it comes to the grocery shopping experience. Vibrant colors catch your eye, while neat, artfully arranged displays reflect the care that associates put into their store. You can learn something new about agriculture here from signage that shares stories about local growers to innovation in action with value-added offerings sold alongside fresh-from-the-field fruits, vegetables, herbs and more.
Indeed, there’s a reason why produce sections are often located right off a store’s entrance or in a prominent part of the perimeter. The space evokes freshness, health and wellness, and variety, which are all top of mind among today’s consumers.
These sections certainly drive sales at food retailers. According to the 2025 Power of Produce report from FMI – The Food Industry Association, the produce department was a growth leader in the past year, as sales of fresh fruit and vegetables reached a record high $92.3 billion in 2024. The research indicates that 34 percent of consumers eat fresh produce daily, 23 percent consume it four to five days a week and 43 percent enjoy these products three or more days a week.
For me, one of the biggest takeaways of this year’s report is the fact that growth has been, to use a relevant term, organic: we saw gains in both volume (up 3 percent) and sales ( up 3.6 percent), at a time when inflation for fruits and vegetables was largely stable compared to other categories. This tells us that shoppers have a true demand for produce.
Our research also shows that price is just one facet of the greater meaning of value for today’s shoppers. For example, produce offers key benefits of nutrition, taste and variety for almost any meal or snack — attributes that all appeal to shoppers’ expanded definition of value. In addition, there are 365 eating occasions a year, and even more when you consider how fruits and vegetables can be incorporated into breakfast, lunch, in-between snacks, dinner and even dessert. I can start my day with a smoothie, have an apple while I’m at work and enjoy a salad or fresh vegetables for afternoon and evening meals, capped off with fresh berries atop a scoop of ice cream. In addition, we’re finding — and the Power of Produce data affirms this — that people are supplementing take-home food from restaurants with fruits and vegetables prepared at home.
Shoppers also place a high value on eating wholesome, good-for-you foods that support growers and communities. We are getting into that time of the year when most North American stores have more locally-grown produce. Although local often means made somewhere in the United States in the middle of winter in places like North Dakota, there are plenty of opportunities to play into consumer interest in local produce as peak growing seasons arrive.
The latest Power of Produce reveals more positive news on the ways shoppers value the ability to buy fresh fruits and vegetables from their frequented stores. Even five years after the COVID-19 pandemic, people are largely eating at home, which means they are visiting or ordering from supermarkets more often.
If I were a retailer and used to see some shoppers twice a week for produce purchases and I now see them three or four times a week, I have to be standing tall on a daily basis and create a relationship with them that includes a varied produce assortment and strong service. It’s an optimal time to take advantage of shopping frequency and there are many ways to do that in a creative way, whether it’s doing a midweek special on salad mixes or starting Strawberry Saturdays. You can also mix up displays more often, to keep your department looking fresh in both a literal and figurative way.
As people continue their at-home habits and incorporate fruits and vegetables across occasions, many are searching for ways to get what they want faster and easier. So, convenience is another important aspect of value for customers and we see that in sustained interest in products like fresh-cut fruit and bagged salads. According to the Power of Produce, value-added produce sales generated $14.6 billion in 2024, rising after a subdued 2023.
Ultimately, the notion of value in today’s marketplace encompasses price, convenience, quality, experience and relevance. Produce plays into all of those, and retailers can play into that, too, to see even more increases in sales and volume in the year ahead.
