School is back today! Many parents take a collective sigh of relief. After a summer break of special treats, late nights and all sorts of mischief, it's time to restore routine and order.
As a parent, I do my best to get healthy options into the school lunchbox. Some of us parents, clinging to New Year resolutions, also need nutritious choices. So who will help us? Our fruit and vegetable vendor - whether supermarket, convenience store, greengrocer, market garden or roadside stall - is the perfect place to start.
I'm vegetarian, so consider myself an expert on eating fruit and vegetables. As a specialist in Produce Display, I can offer suggestions about how to show off your produce. As your potential customer though, I can reveal 3 Crucial Requirements to Sell Fresh Produce to me - along with some tips to help you execute.
1. IT'S GOT TO BE FRESH, FRESH, FRESH
Ignore this at your peril. I'm not only refusing to buy today if it's not fresh - I'm not coming back, ever. Get the levels of stock right by bringing it out on display as it is needed. The less time produce is on display, the fresher it gets to your customer. It's obvious - but not always easy to execute. Use display units that present just enough produce, without having to sit there too long. Flexibility is important if you have demand that varies depending on the time and day.
2. LET IT THRIVE
And here's the balancing act. Don't be stingy! Even when you're strictly controlling stock levels, your display needs to look plentiful and abundant. Trust me, nobody buys the last banana. However, if that shelf is gently overflowing, I believe - no, I know! - that it's fresh to the shelf, and I'm snapping it up immediately. Euroswift's Crossboard System uses modular risers that can be added to fill your display at off-peak times, and removed when you need higher stock availability.
3. LET ME LOOK AND TOUCH
If I can't see it, I'm not buying it. If I can't reach it, I'm not buying it. Use fixtures that keep produce below eye level and within arm's reach. Consider all your potential customers and their circumstances. The display angle can be adjusted on Euroswift's 3-Angled Produce Wagon, making goods accessible to all.
...AND A FREE BONUS TIP
I confess... I'm not the greatest cook. I'm the target market for packaged and prepared salads. Anything you can do to shorten and simplify meal preparation will have the dollars flying out of my wallet. Consider temporary displays in your produce area, where a selection of fruits or vegetables is grouped with a couple of other ingredients, as a meal suggestion. Don't fall into the trap of changing your usual displays - these need to be consistent. Instead, use temporary fixtures that can be set up quickly, for purpose, such as Euroswift's Promo Wagon. Be creative, inventive and agile!
Author profile
Steve Nelson believes in incredible retail spaces that sustain communities. Steve is a Retail Display specialist, who has worked with iconic retailers across the globe. As leader of Euroswift Retail Creations in Australia, his focus is delivering solutions and techniques that help retailers develop dexterity at the shop floor, to predict the needs of their local community and react rapidly. Connect with Steve on LinkedIn
