Sponsored by 8th Annual MASTERS OF MERCHANDISING SUPPLEMENT MASTERS OF MERCHANDISING As retailers consolidate, they are in a position to expect more support from producers, and intellectual capital is just about the most valuable support one can provide. Each vendor worked hard to produce a piece of advice for the industry on how to more effectively merchandise the product category at hand. By sharing 8th Annual knowledge acquired while working with retailers throughout North America, these vendors help retailers move more product, help producers find outlets for production and help the world by encouraging a more healthful diet. Increasing sales of fruits and vegetables is not only a matter of big pro- MASTERS OF nouncements, such as the Fruits & Veggies — More Matters! program. Sales in general can increase only if sales of specific items increase. That means knowing how to build consumer trial and how to offer the most effective assortment; it MERCHANDISING means knowing how to market things on a day-to-day basis and how to do some out-of-the-box things just to keep consumer interest high. SUPPLEMENT Retailers, please take the time to review this offering carefully. When did you Every once in a while, the opportunity presents itself to do well while also last think about how to increase sales of celery? Or plantains? Or leafy greens? doing good. Such is the case with this, our eigth annual Masters of Merchandis- Here is a chance to think of things in a different way. When did you last really ing supplement. The industry owes a tip of the hat to the collection of industry consider how to best sell bananas — was it when you were a produce department leaders who elected to invest with us in a marketing vehicle that is both promo- manager 10, 20 or 30 years ago? Here is an opportunity to revisit old subjects tional and educational. with a different perspective. TABLE OF CONTENTS CATEGORY SPONSOR PAGE CATEGORY SPONSOR PAGE Apples ............................................Domex Superfresh Growers..................................54 Light-Skinned Avocado ..............Brooks Tropicals, Inc. ..........................................96 Artichokes ....................................Ocean Mist Farms ..................................................56 Mangos ..........................................Ciruli Brothers, LLC................................................98 Asparagus ....................................Peruvian Asparagus Importers Assoc. ..............58 Mushrooms ..................................Monterey Mushrooms, Inc. ..............................100 Avocados ......................................California Avocado Commission ..........................60 Onions ............................................Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Promotion Committee ............................102 Bananas ........................................Dole Fresh Fruit Company......................................62 Berries............................................Driscoll Strawberry Associates, Inc. ..................66 Organic Fruit..................................Columbia Marketing International....................104 Carrots............................................Grimmway Farms ....................................................70 Organic Vegetables......................Albert’s Organics, Inc. ........................................106 Celery ............................................Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Inc. ................................72 Papayas ........................................Brooks Tropicals, Inc. ........................................108 Cherries..........................................Domex Superfresh Growers. ................................74 Pears ..............................................California Pear Advisory Board ........................110 Chili Peppers ................................Coast Produce Company ......................................76 Pineapples ....................................Turbana Corp. ......................................................112 Citrus ..............................................DNE World Fruit Sales............................................78 Plantains ........................................Turbana Corp. ......................................................114 Cucumbers ....................................Rosemont Farms......................................................80 Potatoes ........................................U.S. Potato Board ................................................116 Fresh-Cut Meal Solutions ..........Apio, Inc. ..................................................................82 Pre-Conditioned Fruit ..................Trinity Fruit Sales Co. ..........................................118 Garlic ..............................................Maurice A. Auerbach, Inc. ....................................84 Steam Vegetables ........................Mann Packing Co., Inc. ......................................120 Grapes............................................Sunlight International Sales..................................86 Stone Fruit ....................................FreshSense ..........................................................122 Herbs ..............................................Herb Thyme Farms, Inc. ........................................88 Sweet Onions................................Keystone Fruit Marketing ..................................124 Hydroponic Butter Lettuce ........Hollandia Produce ..................................................90 Sweet Potatoes ............................U.S. Sweet Potato Council ................................126 Kiwifruit..........................................Cal Harvest Marketing, Inc. ..................................92 Vegetable Snacks ........................Mann Packing Co., Inc. ......................................128 Leafy Greens ................................Walter P. Rawl & Sons, Inc. ..................................94 Back Page ....................................Produce For Better Health Foundation............130 52 PRODUCE BUSINESS l MASTERS OF MERCHANDISING l MARCH 2009 MASTERS OF MERCHANDISING The sponsors of this year’s Masters of Merchandising section are a special breed. We spoke to many producers who declined to participate, saying they simply had no idea how to merchandise their own items effectively. When we offered to help them research the matter, we encountered all too many vendors who said, “That is the retailer’s problem; we just book loads.” Merchandising is everyone’s problem, and in the produce industry, “The Times, They Are A-Changin’.” As retailers consolidate, they are in a position to expect more support from producers, and intellectual capital is just about the most valuable support one can provide. So kudos to our Masters of Merchandising sponsors. If you would like additional copies of the Masters of Merchandising supplement, please use the order form below. If you are a vendor and would like to see your category included next year, please use the same form. There is always a temptation to try to keep knowledge tightly protected and con- trolled, but oftentimes what goes around comes around, and in sharing their knowledge, our sponsors are giving the industry a great gift. May it return to them many times over. As an added service to our retail readers, we’re printing additional copies of this guide, so if you would like extra copies of the 2009 Masters of Merchandising supplement to give to your colleagues, please fill out the form below and fax or mail it to us. For the cost of shipping and handling, we’ll send you up to five supplements, so they will be available on a first-come basis. If you require larger quantities for distribution to store-level personnel, please call our offices at 561-994-1118 for information on customized reprints. pb please send me ______ copies of the Masters of Merchandising Supplement YES, Cost: $5 for one copy, $10 for 5 copies. Amount enclosed $____________ Please make checks payable to: PRODUCE BUSINESS FOR MORE INFORMATION ... Please print legibly ... on any advertisers in this special section, please copy Name: this page, circle the number(s) below that correspond(s) to the advertiser’s reader service number, fill out the form at Company: right and fax the page to 561-994-1610. Address: City: READER SERVICE NUMBERS 2367926272830State/Province: Postal Code: 32 33 34 35 36 37 40 41 42 Country: 44 45 46 47 48 58 59 64 66 Phone: Fax: 67 70 73 74 75 82 83 90 96 ■ ■ ■ 109 Amex MasterCard Visa Credit Card Number: FOR ADVERTISERS ONLY Signature: Yes! I am interested in having my cate- Expiration Date: gory represented in next year’s Masters of Fax this form with your credit card information to: 561-994-1610 or mail with your check to: Merchandising supplement. PB Masters of Merchandising P.O. Box 810425 • Boca Raton, FL 33481 Please send me additional information. MARCH 2009 l MASTERS OF MERCHANDISING l PRODUCE BUSINESS 53 APPLES DOMEX SUPERFRESH GROWERS 151 Low Road, Yakima, WA 98908 Phone: 509-966-1814 Fax: 509-965-3088 Website: www.superfreshapples.com Email: [email protected] 20.5%! Other studies have shown that when you position apples adjacent to, or just behind, stone fruit the average increase in gross profit is $595 per store per week. With SmartFresh® treatment, apples keep their pressure (crispness) so you can now easily feature apples into June, July and even August that deliver a great eating experience along with greater profits. National Apple Month: Every November