GARGIULO L.P. SETS TOMATO BRAND ENTRY

AMY I. STICKEL

SAN DIEGO -- With a year-round supply of farm-stand fresh tomatoes and a $25 million marketing budget, Gargiulo L.P. plans to enter the branded produce arena next February.

"We're addressing customer satisfaction," said Robert Shulman, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Naples, Fla.-based Gargiulo, explaining the produce shipper's new strategy.

A better-quality product and consistent, year-round supply are the keys to building a successful branding program, he told SN during an interview at the Produce Marketing Association's convention and exposition here.

Gargiulo plans to begin its national rollout early next year, to supermarkets in Indiana and New York. The Gargiulo Farms brand tomato should be available nationwide within two years, Shulman said.

"We have spent years studying what consumers want, and we used those findings as the basis for our research to develop a superior tomato," said Jeff Gargiulo, chief executive officer, in a statement.

To ensure a better-tasting tomato, Gargiulo is growing it from a proprietary variety of seed, and the tomato is allowed to mature longer on the vine. The tomatoes are shipped directly to retailers and are never refrigerated, the company said.

Gargiulo is sourcing the tomato from growers in eight different growing regions throughout North America, in order to ensure a constant supply, Shulman told SN.

The $25 million annual marketing budget will be used for extensive consumer and trade advertising, as well as in-store demos and promotions, he said.