Healthy, Happy Holidays

“Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe help to make the season bright,” as the song goes.

However, between the turkey, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, figgy pudding and all the other indulgences that come with the holiday season, making the season bright through food and drink can wreck havoc on a diet. 

While consumers are likely to indulge in the season’s decadent meals and treats, many will look to balance the delicious flavors with healthy options as they plan their holiday festivities. As such, shoppers are likely to incorporate whole and fresh cut fruit and vegetables as appetizers, side dishes and desserts while shopping for holiday meals.  

“We find that consumer preferences have evolved toward healthier, fresh items during the holiday season,” says Dionysios Christou, vice president of marketing for Coral Gables, Fla.-based Del Monte Fresh Produce. “With the concern of watching what one eats during the holiday season, Del Monte products fit right in. They meet all the needs of taste, low calorie, variety and health.”

Del Monte offers a variety of whole fresh products like tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and potatoes that can be used for side dishes, as well as fresh cut vegetables, which consist of butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, mirepoix, kabob kits and pepper strips. The company’s assorted fruit and vegetable bowls are ready-to-serve and offer a variety of items for holiday party guests, Christou adds. 

Though healthier options will be on the mind of many shoppers this season, preparation will also be another concern, as gearing up for holiday celebrations can be stressful. After all, the season is often considered the busiest time of the year, and many shoppers will want to buy items that involve little or no prep work to save time in the kitchen. “People are looking for quick meal and snack options that are priced right and convenient,” says Jacob Shafer, marketing and communication specialist for Mann Packing, based in Salinas, Calif. 

Mann Packing focuses on offering convenience through packaging that is easy opening, re-closable and portable. For consumers looking to serve unique meals or sides, a variety of Mann’s products fit the bill, Shafer says. Culinary Cuts, for example, is a line of fresh vegetables cut into distinctive shapes, which include Sweet Potato Ribbons, Butternut Squash Zigzags, Finely Chopped Cauliflower, Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Sliced Broccoli Clovers. “All the veggies are washed and ready to cook and versatile enough for multiple uses such as in salads, stir-frys, soups and casseroles,” Shafer says. 

“We recently launched a line of innovative snacking trays that are ideal for consumers who are on-the-go,” he adds. “These mini-meals have enticing combinations of premium ingredients and a great variety of flavor options.” Mann’s Snacking Favorites Vegetable Trays come in seven varieties, which include Veggie Ranch, Veggies 4 Kidz, Cheddar Trail, Veggie Hummus, Organic Veggies, Cheddar Pretzel and Honey Turkey Cheddar. 

In addition to convenience, shoppers are looking for inspiration for their holiday gatherings from a variety of sources. Industry observers say that social media, mobile technologies and in-store experiences have affected the way consumers shop—and also have influence on their purchases during the holidays. “Consumer preferences have evolved over the last few years as technology has advanced,” says John Shuman, president of Reidsville, Ga.-based Shuman Produce, which offers RealSweet Peruvian sweet onions during the holiday season as part of its year-round sweet onion program. 

Shuman Produce has recognized these changes in consumer preference and has adapted to consumer demands through its website, active social media channels and a collection of engaging video content. “Sweet onions are an extremely versatile produce item that can be used in a variety of dishes,” Shuman says. “Many of the recipes on our website and social media outlets are ideal for holiday parties. A few simple suggestions for entertaining include Caprese salad with RealSweet Sweet Onions and our balsamic chicken and stuffing muffins courtesy of Produce for Kids.” 

Fresh suppliers and organizations can help retailers inspire purchases throughout the department this season through planned promotions and consumer campaigns. Avocados From Mexico has a variety of promotions that make consumers aware of an avocado’s versatility throughout the season, says Dianne Le, shopper marketing manager for the Irving, Texas-based company. 

“This year, we’re promoting unique appetizer recipes such as avocado devilled eggs, avocado Caprese skewers, and a Sicilian citrus and avocado salad to highlight ways to incorporate avocados into traditional holiday meals,” Le says. “For the second year in a row, we are launching our Season’s Eating campaign during the holidays. This campaign is special because it demonstrates that appetizers made with Avocados From Mexico can provide fresh and festive recipe options for any holiday party.” 

The Season’s Eating campaign will be supported at the retail level with in-store radio, consumer savings and merchandising that includes POS signage promoting the recipes, and a bin that provides educational messaging on how to cut and dice an avocado. Consumers can also save 75-cents off a purchase of two Avocados From Mexico, an offer supported by Catalina, Le adds. 

During November and December, Del Monte will host coupons and giveaways for its fresh produce on its social media accounts to encourage consumers to purchase Del Monte fresh fruits and veggies for their holiday dinners and desserts, Christou says. “We utilize our social media outlets to encourage healthy eating during a time that truly focuses on hearty meals,” he says. “Other promotional tactics include eye-catching POS with holiday themes, fall and winter recipes, special holiday tags, and secondary displays.”   

Shuman Produce provides retailers with bags, bins and boxes that work to compliment each other. RealSweet sweet onions are offered in a variety of packs and sizes to meet the needs of consumer demands. Shuman suggests placing sweet onions in the center of the produce department for maximum effect. 

“Secondary displays are recommended during peak season and holiday promotions to take advantage of the incremental sales during these periods,” Shuman says. “Our bagged products act as effective merchandising tools with high quality graphic product images and great seasonal recipes.” 

Shafer suggests that retailers create a “healthy destination” in stores that serve as a place where consumers can conveniently find fresh vegetables, snacking trays and specialty items. “Destination categories help consumers find new and innovative products, and a healthy snacking section in produce makes it easy for consumers to try healthy snack alternatives for the holidays,” he says. 

Observers add that in-store demos, cross merchandising and improved labeling information about the product on-pack can also help boost sales in the produce department during the season. 

“Promotions during these periods with special themes around football season, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s always attracts the attention of consumers and drives sales during these months,” Christou adds.     

Naturals Delights: Naughty or Nice

Bard Valley Date Growers has made a list, checked it twice, and its holiday-themed consumer and trade campaign called “Naughty or Nice” will return to stores once again this holiday season. The campaign will help drive consumer demand, store traffic and brand preference, say officials for the Yuma, Ariz.-based company. 

The grower, packer, shipper and marketer of Natural Delights branded fresh Medjool dates launch its “Naughty or Nice” annual holiday recipe promotion on Nov. 1, which aims to celebrate the many ways Natural Delights can make holiday gatherings special. 

Through national print vehicles in Cooking Light, Shape and Bon Appetit, as well as targeted digital banner and social media advertising, the campaign connects with consumers who are interested in healthy snacking, fitness, home cooking and holiday entertaining, officials add. 

“We have made it easy for our retail partners to connect with the promotion in-store and take advantage of the increased awareness we are driving around Medjool dates and holiday entertaining. Not only is this program easy to implement, it’s the perfect foundation for a holiday entertaining inspiration center in the produce department,” says Erin Hanagan-Muths, director of marketing for Bard Valley Date Growers.  

Retailers can take part in the promotion by incorporating self-display shippers with promotional tie-in merchandising elements provided by Natural Delights.

“We are committed to supporting our retail partners by driving consumer awareness and demand for Natural Delights products,” Hanagan-Muths says. “Our combination of trade support programs and consumer demand building activities like ‘Naughty or Nice’ have resulted in the Natural Delights brand owning 80 percent of the date category share and driving 10 times the sales rate of all other date brands combined.” 

Certified heart-healthy by the American Heart Association, Natural Delights are a Non-GMO Project Verified, pesticide-free and additive-free whole fruit. Natural Delights offer 50 percent more potassium by weight than bananas, and supply 12 percent of RDA of fiber, officials say.

The consumer promotion will run through Dec. 31.