MARKETS PUT ORGANIC FOOD ON DISPLAY FOR HARVEST

BARBARA McDONALD

Shoppers have many chances to sample nature's organic bounty this September, as both mainstream and natural supermarkets celebrate Organic Harvest Month with tastings, tours, fairs and promotions.

"We just went crazy with organic items," said Jim Lee, chief executive officer of Wild Oats Community Markets, Boulder, Colo.

The retailer's September flyer features, among other items, Wild Oats organic bulk coffee, half-price at $4.99 a pound, and Wild Oats private label organic apple juice, two half gallons for $5.

Also on special are Santa Cruz 22-ounce applesauce at half price; Celestial Seasonings organic teas at $2.29; Mrs. Denson's organic cookies, two 8-ounce packages for $3; and about 20 other items. "We'll do a similar positioning in October, which is more of a harvest month," Lee said.

Demonstrations are a big part of promoting foods, Lee said, and Wild Oats this month will hold "Tasting Fairs," which usually attract large crowds. There often is entertainment; perhaps a guitarist or an a capella group, Lee said.

Byerly's, in Edina, Minn., also will be doing demonstrations for Organic Harvest Month, although not in all stores. Merrilyn Tauscher, one of the chain's culinary specialists, told SN the Byerly's promotion is tied in with Minnesota Organic Harvest Week, Sept. 21 to 27.

"On Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25 and 26, many of our stores will be offering tastings of organic products -- and not only produce," Tauscher said. "We will be featuring organic items from our grocery, dairy and frozen foods departments." Chips, salsa, juice and applesauce will be among the items for tasting. Byerly's has 11 stores, and is part of Lunds, also based in Edina.

Deidre Schipani, Byerly's manager of culinary services, said the stores use yellow signs to identify organic products, not only for Organic Harvest Month, but throughout the year. "We also have colorful shelf tags that fit into the channel strips of our frozen foods and grocery sections, which bring the consumer straight to organic items. We do signage throughout the store during our promotional activities," she said. During Organic Harvest Week, signs will explain what "certified organic" means.

Mother's Market & Kitchen, a small natural foods chain in Costa Mesa, Calif., is planning organic demonstrations, month-long organic specials and an Organic Farmer day this month, according to John White, produce director and the resident organic specialist. "We do consistent weekly organic food demos from the grocery department, which is a big hit with our customers," White said. "We also have an in-store person to make recipes and give out samples in the grocery department, such as an organic salad dressing to go with the organic lettuce, or [frozen] organic vegetable mixes from Cascadian Farm.

"We'll do it across the board; maybe sample an organic yogurt or organic sorbets and ice cream, which are really a big hit. People love them and some of them are actually lower in fat," White said.

Mother's will run a back-to-school promotion featuring organic nut butters and fruit spreads and organically grown whole-grain bread to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, organic cereal and soy drinks and after-school snacks. There will be demonstrations featuring organic apple juice (on special) and Newman's Organic Pretzels.

"The best part is that all these special activities translate into sales. If you can put on a nice taste-test show and give them something they haven't known about or tasted, they'll decide they need that, too, in addition to the items on their shopping list," White noted.

J.B. Pratt Foods, Oklahoma City, will have promotions for Organic Harvest Month in four of its nine stores. "In addition [to promotions], we will concentrate on children's education," said J.B. Pratt, chief executive officer. "Every year for the past six years, we've given tours to third graders, as an adaptation to the 'Five a Day' program. September's field trips will stress 'Five a Day the Organic Way."'

One Pratts store has a child care area where children will be able to meet an organic farmer one weekend and learn what makes farming organic.

Rainbow Grocery, a small natural foods supermarket in Seattle, is helping sponsor the 11th annual Seattle Tilth Organic Harvest Fair on Sept. 13.

"It's a fun fair, with all sorts of things going on," explained Lisa Taylor, coordinator of the event. Some grocery products will be featured at the fair, including coffees and teas from a local company, Kalini Organica.