Leading avocado supplier Mission Produce has launched an elevated ripening and merchandising programme.
Dubbed ‘Ready’, the programme offers a variety of informative and engaging merchandising tools, all of which promote two ripening stages: a hard piece of stage two fruit that will ripen in a couple of days and a ready-to-eat piece of stage four fruit.
Ross Wileman, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Mission Produce, said the programme has been designed to reduce retail shrinkage, expand the avocado category, and improve customer satisfaction.
“Avocado consumption is growing; however, there is room to strengthen the category,” explained Wileman. “Retailers are always asking us for new ways to further increase sales and entice shoppers, and ‘Ready’ is it.”
Mission Produce’s marketing department has worked diligently to create point-of-sale (POS) materials that encourages retailers to merchandise two avocado specs side-by-side.
“We wanted the visuals to be effective and appealing,” said Denise Junqueiro, Mission Produce’s director of marketing. “This includes ‘Ready’ signage in various formats of display and education.
“We labeled the stage two fruit as ‘Ready in a Couple Days’ and the stage four fruit as 'Ready for Tonight'. We are confident the POS material will speak to the consumer.”
Patrick Cortes, senior director of business development at Mission Produce, said the programme would help consumers plan their avocado intake.
“Now shoppers can buy avocados for that night’s meal and stock up for a party they plan to host that weekend,” Cortes said.