In the marketplace, flavor reigns supreme.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that consumers clearly rank taste as the No.1 attribute when purchasing and enjoying fruits and vegetables. Hence any attempt to increase consumption must focus on flavor.
Luckily, new better-tasting and longer-lasting varieties continue to be developed. We take year-round availability for granted, though off-season varietals, snack-sized vegetables, and new colors and flavors are all gifts from science.
This differentiation keeps consumers interested in and searching for what’s new and different.
“Shopper habits have changed as more information has become available to them,” says Alex Jackson Berkley of Frieda’s Specialty Produce, Inc. in Los Alamitos, CA.
“They now know much more about where produce comes from, how it’s grown, and the attributes of different varieties. They’re always looking for high-flavor products at an affordable cost.”
In addition, many younger consumers are moving away from meat, opening the door to plant-based alternatives like seitan, mushroom burgers, and creative dishes like “zoodles” (pasta made from stringed or spiralized zucchini), cauliflower rice, and taco shells made with jicama.
Jackson Berkley says a significant challenge is not only building but maintaining enthusiasm in buying, preparing, and eating various fruits and vegetables—it becomes a “food experience” and must excite consumers.
So whether a person identifies as vegan, vegetarian, or flexitarian, the most important takeaway is that fresh fruits and vegetables play a leading role in their diets.
For this reason, Jacob Shafer, senior marketing and communications specialist at Mann Packing Company Inc. in Salinas, CA, says the company’s latest innovations are driven by consumer demand and not the other way around.
Among its vegetable-centric products are kohlrabi “linguine” and sweet potato “fettuccini’” along with its grab-and-go Nourish Bowl line chock full of savory vegetable combinations.
This is an excerpt from the most recent Produce Blueprints quarterly journal. Click here to read the full article.
