Retailers Pushing Sustainability Profitably

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Retailers pushing sustainability profitably

July 12, 2021

Grocery stores are under pressure to offer sustainable solutions to their customers. One reason is because of increased state legislation around single-use plastic bags, while another is stricter sustainability goals being set by store owners. There is also pressure coming from the public. From water bottles to bags, customers are looking for more sustainable solutions.

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This is proving to be an opportunity for reusable produce bag brand Lotus Sustainables. What started as an Amazon bestseller has turned into a retail sensation. Stores that introduced Lotus Produce Bags found that in addition to delighting customers, the products turned a cost -- plastic produce bags -- into a new revenue stream.

Lotus Sustainable’s founder Farzan Dehmoubed was not surprised to learn that Lotus Produce Bags were a hit with customers. “Consumers want more products that fit their sustainable lifestyle. And because of that we are seeing an increase in sell through.”

In less than two years, the company has expanded its reach of reusable produce bags to over 14,000 stores including Save Mart, Albertsons, Gelsons, Ralphs, Bristol Farms and more. At first, the three- packs of produce bags were simply clipped along vertical clip strips. Wanting to call more attention to the product, Dehmoubed and his marketing team designed a new rack that not only displayed the product, but also educated the customer on sustainable options.

The new racks featured the popular meme of “old me” vs. “new me.” The “old me” part showed some produce being held up in a typical plastic produce bag. The “new me” half showed that same piece of produce, being championed inside a Lotus Produce Bag, a reusable mesh bag. The goal of the creative is to quickly educate the customer about the product. Now the customer comes closer, examines the packaging, and learns the bags are also BPA-free, food-safe, and washable hundreds of times.

Customers at Ralphs, Natural Grocers, and Good Earth stores all took to the design. After upgrading from clip strips to the meme-inspired racks, sales increased between three and seven times.

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“It’s an innovative product and it helped with the bottom line. The stand also looks great, and it’s a fantastic way to present the product,” said Lacey from Good Earth Produce and Garden Center.

As a brand, Lotus Sustainables is on a mission to eliminate plastic from shopping. Such reusable produce bags provide customers with a convenient, reusable option to single-use produce bags.

Eager to prevent as many bags as possible from entering into the environment, Demoubed and his wife, Jen Duvall, a co-founder of Lotus Sustainables, are excited to bring their products to stores.

“We’ve designed options that can fit every type of store from a floor stand, counter unit, and attachment clamp to existing produce-bag dispensers. And all these options are free to the retailer,” said Duvall.

Lotus Produce Bags have grown from just 500 stores to over 14,000 stores in less than 18 months as the leader in the reusable produce bag category. As a result, Lotus Sustainables continues to partner with stores, delighting both customers and store owners alike with their innovative products. If you are interested in learning more about Lotus Sustainables, contact Demoubed at [email protected].