Retailers can grow the basket by boosting potatoes
Retailers can grow the basket by boosting potatoes
Side Delights is tapping into a fast-growing consumer trend this season: Southern-style Christmas buffets that feed a crowd and inspire bigger shopping baskets. With more shoppers hosting large, casual gatherings, retailers have an opportunity to merchandise potatoes and complementary ingredients in a way that increases both volume and cross-category sales.
Southern buffet traditions — long known for feeding extended families and holiday guests — are expanding nationwide as consumers look for flexible, self-serve meal formats. Carving stations, hearty casseroles and abundant sides dominate the menu, creating a natural moment for potatoes to shine as both a staple and a sales driver.
High-impact merchandising opportunities for retailers
Side Delights encourages retailers to capitalize on this shift with cross-merchandised, buffet-inspired displays. Holiday shoppers are looking for ideas — and inspiration placed in the right store zones increases conversion:
Seafood Department: Promote little red and green appetizers featuring Side Delights gourmet petites or Steamables red potatoes paired with cream cheese and smoked salmon. Recipe cards or digital QR displays make it turnkey for shoppers.
Cheese Aisle: Spotlight buffet-friendly Potato Casserole or Ham and Cheese Potato Soup recipes made with potatoes and cheddar — ideal for driving sales of fresh potatoes plus high-margin dairy.
“Holiday buffets are a high-value sales moment for retailers,” said Kathleen Triou, president and CEO of Fresh Solutions Network. “Potatoes remain one of the most profitable drivers of basket expansion, and when paired with the right complementary items they lift performance across multiple departments. Side Delights equips retailers with shopper-ready recipes and merchandising strategies that turn seasonal interest into incremental revenue.”
By pairing Side Delights potatoes with seasonal proteins, cheeses and pantry ingredients, retailers can turn a single holiday destination into multiple touchpoints that encourage trade-up, trial and repeat purchase. With versatility, value and mass appeal, potatoes remain one of the strongest catalysts for cross-category lift during the holidays.
