Golden globes

A properly merchandised onions and garlic display can help any produce manager usher in an award-winning performance.

Breathtaking.

That is what a well-merchandised display of onions and garlic can be to shoppers, and—as a direct result—the bottom line because the popular root vegetables rank right up there with potatoes, bananas, apples and strawberries as produce department stalwarts that consumers seek out on a weekly basis.

“Being such a versatile, year-round product, that is also ethnically diverse, onions transcend most vegetable trends,” says Teri Gibson, director of marketing & customer relations, at Peri & Sons Farms, an onion grower based in Yerington, Nev. that sells more than 350 million pounds of onions annually from its farms in Yerington and Firebaugh, Calif.

“The good old humble onion is a pretty stable staple,” says Kim Reddin, director of public & industry relations, at the Greeley, Colo.-based National Onion Association. “It is something that is generally in people’s baskets. We know that from market basket studies that the U.S. Potato Board conducted,” she says.

Annual per capita consumption of onions is about 20 pounds per person, Reddin notes. “Back in the mid-1980s per capita consumption was only 13 pounds. It has steadily increased over the last few decades, but in the shorter timeframe it has been relatively steady,” she says.        

Many of those onions will hail from the Idaho-Eastern Oregon region, an area where the rich volcanic soil, temperature and water levels are ideal for growing the Spanish variety, a large onion with high sugar and low water content that is ideal for cooking.

“Consumers say they want variety, and that is the case in all aisles of the store, including the onion set,” says Sherise Jones, marketing director, USA Onions, based in Parma, Idaho. “They want to see a lot of different choices in terms of packaging, so we recommend retailers offer both bulk and consumer packs.”

Two-, three- and five-pound mesh bags are ideal for consumers in a rush and those seeking the value that a net weight bag can offer, say industry observers. “However, it is important not to forget the bulk onion because a lot of people think a big display of loose onions looks beautiful. It is eye-catching to have onions out of the bag,” Jones says.

It is also a good idea to throw a little color in there.   

“Our Spanish onions come in yellow, red and white,” Jones says. “With our varieties and colors we can meet our retailer customers’ needs.”

Approximately 85% of the crop is yellow onions, including sweet and the common storage onion, followed by red with almost 10% and white with about 5%, says Reddin.

“Since the mid-2000s we’ve definitely seen an increase in red onion popularity,” Reddin says. “Restaurants and other foodservice operators have found it a great way to add additional color to their menu by using red instead of yellow. We are seeing red onions become more popular in sandwiches and salads.”

More consumers are also moving to brand names, say observers, which is where Potandon Produce comes in. Through its network of onion resources with packing facilities in New York, Oregon, Texas, Colorado, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Arizona, Georgia and California, Idaho Falls, Idaho-based Potandon markets the Green Giant brand of fresh onions nationwide, and plans on increasing its fresh onion approach in 2015.

“We offer all conventional varieties—red, white and yellow—plus Vidalia sweet yellow onions from Georgia when in season, as well as several other sweet onion varieties throughout the season from other areas,” says Ralph Schwartz, vice president of sales, marketing and innovation.            

According to Schwartz, retailers should seek out an onion supplier offering a year-round program of the freshest onions available with a consistent packaging platform. “We have built a program which ensures we can offer our customers high quality product all year by moving to newer harvested areas as they become seasonally available,” he says. 

When choosing a supplier there is a lot more to consider than just price, says Gibson. “There is value in choosing a supplier with an exemplary record of honesty, integrity, experience and that is also on solid financial ground,” she says. “It is imperative to have a sales team on the front line that is knowledgeable, creative and responsive. Savvy retailers are looking at overall value more than just the hot deal of the day.” 

Georgia state vegetable

“Vidalia onions are the pioneer of sweet onions and Georgia’s official state vegetable,” says Susan A. Waters, executive director, Vidalia Onion Committee, based in Vidalia, Ga. Grown in the mild climate and with unique soil surrounding Vidalia, Vidalia onions are world renown, Waters says, and the 2015 crop is shaping up to be excellent. The season runs April through late August.

One of the largest growers of Vidalia onions is Shuman Produce, based in Reidsville, Ga. “Vidalia onions remain the benchmark of our business, but their availability is seasonal,” says John Shuman, president and director of sales for Shuman. “To ensure we offer a consistent, high-quality supply of the best-tasting sweet onions all year long, we also grow in Texas, California, New Mexico, Peru, Chile and Mexico to maintain our year-round sweet onion program.”   

For the second year, Shuman will be offering Sweet Red Onions during May and June. “We were very pleased with the response we received from both retailers and consumers last year,” Brady says. “Our Sweet Reds are farmed in the Vidalia growing region and have a mild, savory and sweet flavor profile that sets them apart from other red onions on the market.”

According to Brady, retailers can maximize sales by building big displays. “Displays drive sales,” he says. “We provide our retail partners with everything they need to build eye-catching displays that will quickly become waypoints in the produce aisle. Our consumer bags are high-graphic, brightly colored and hard to miss on the shelf and our bins use similar colors and graphics.”

According to Gibson, using packages of onions to create divisions between the areas displaying bulk onions can help the display look colorful and clean. “The more a retailer can differentiate the sweet onions from the yellow onions, whether it’s with signage or separate positioning, the better,” she says.

It is also important to stress country of origin, who the grower is and their sustainability practices, she adds.

Retailers can encourage consumers to stock up at the end of the season by offering tips on how to prolong their shelf life, say observers.

“Vidalia onions can be stored in the veggie bin in the refrigerator,” Waters says. “Wrap each bulb individually in paper towels, which will help absorb moisture, and place them in the crisper with the vents closed. Tell consumers to buy a big bag at the end of the season and they should have Vidalias through the holidays.”

Through cross merchandising, astute retailers may also be able to give their nonfoods sales a boost. “Believe it or not, the legs of a pair of clean, sheer pantyhose is a great way to store sweet onions,” Waters says. “Tie a knot in between each Vidalia and simply cut above the knot when you want to use one. Hang them in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area.”

Brady suggests putting Vidalia onions in the meat case. “This Vidalia season we’re proud to offer a new display unit perfectly sized for bringing our product out of the produce department for cross-merchandising in the meat department,” he says. “Vidalias are a staple at summer cookouts, and show a high purchase affinity with fresh meats.”    

Peri & Sons has created a variety of programs to help retailers keep onion sales rolling throughout the year. “We have our Bloomin’ BBQ Onion, our Sweetie Sweets onion, the PINK Breast Cancer Awareness promo, OnionXpress trade program and others to keep a variety of onions moving,” Gibson says.

According to Gibson, over the last decade seed companies and growers have been working to develop new sweet varieties to fill the fall and winter timeslots. “We want to give consumers a choice of a fresh, domestic onion that meets food safety and traceability standards,” she says. “We are celebrating our 10th year of growing our proprietary Sweetie Sweet, a true sweet onion which meets those standards.”

Domestic garlic

Many consumers do not know that much of the fresh garlic merchandised in the produce aisle is actually grown in China. The Garlic Co.—a vertically integrated grower, processor and shipper based in Bakersfield, Calif., that specializes in the California Early and California Late varieties—is seeking to change that.

“Not all garlic varieties are the same,” says Michael Layous, sales and marketing representative at The Garlic Co. “It is commonly thought that garlic grown in California is considered superior in three specific areas: flavor, consistent reliable supply and overall food safety. If you are growing garlic in the U.S., the number of regulations, audits and certificates that must be met is a daunting task. However, all these ‘checked boxes’ help to ensure the quality of the garlic being purchased by the consumer.”

“Additionally, in independent tests, California garlic rates higher in terms of Brix, a critical measure of taste,” Layous adds. “Garlic grown commercially in California has a distinct flavor difference compared to imported varieties, mainly Chinese. Recognizing California garlic is easy. Chinese garlic typically has the roots shaved off. The bottom of the bulb is bare. California garlic retains the roots.”

To boost garlic sales, Layous suggests retailers use a combination of stand-alone displays featuring fresh, jarred and other shelf-stable garlic, along with secondary placement next to complimentary food products, like hanging small bags of fresh garlic in the pasta sauce aisle, for example.