Thanks to the power of the internet and, specifically, the unrestrained growth of social media, everyday folk are now able to gain an insight into the thoughts and habits of today’s celebrities, and in a way previously unimaginable.
Everything from a star’s latest red carpet appearance to their favourite food is documented through the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. But it’s not just consumers who are in line to benefit from this opening up of the celebrity shopping bag, because more and more often the trade is finding itself the grateful recipients of the ultimate A-list endorsement. It’s the kind of promotion that, if commissioned, would cost tens of thousands of pounds, yet for lucky producers and suppliers in the right space, it comes for free.
Whenever a celebrity endorses a product or declares a liking for a particular food, very quickly the seed of a trend begins. It seems peculiar that a remote field in Norfolk or cluster of allotments in mid-Wales could find themselves involuntarily tied to a Twitter trend, yet this is ultimately something fresh produce growers would do well to consider – after all, healthy eating remains the number-one topic of discussion for celebrities looking to keep their own personal brand as clean and uncontroversial as possible. From alkalising diets to juicing or eating raw food, when a celebrity tweets about the latest superfood they have discovered, this inevitably means their fans will follow the trend.
Take kale for example. This super-nutritious brassica enjoyed a huge surge in popularity after celebrities Gwyneth Paltrowand Jamie Oliver championed its health benefits by featuring it in their recipes. Even Hollywood star Kevin Bacon tweeted: “A day without kale is like a day without sunshine.” As a result, sales of the green vegetable increased in value by 45.2 per cent to £24.4 million in the year to 24 May 2015, according to Kantar Worldpanel data.
In fact, the revival in green vegetables in general is mirrored by a 254 per cent increase in keyword reporting on Facebook in the 12 months up to November 2014. It wouldn’t be accurate to attribute this increase entirely to the power of celebrity influence, but there is clearly a pattern.
Much of this uplift is said to be as a result of celebrity A-listers following the alkalising diet. The premise is to eat alkalising foods that keep the blood at a pH level of between 7.35 and 7.45. The benefits are said to include improved energy levels, clearer skin and weight loss. Celebrity fans include Victoria Beckham and Elle Macpherson, who lists spinach, kale and beetroot among her favourite alkalising foods. Lemon juice, when squeezed into warm water and drunk first thing in the morning, is particularly alkalising and devotees include superstar diva Beyoncé and supermodel Naomi Campbell, who told Harper’s Bazaar magazine: “The first thing I do in the morning is have hot water with lemon.”
Celebrity food bloggers such as Deliciously Ella have proved to be hugely influential when it comes to the public’s consumption of fresh produce. The innovative use of spiralised courgettes and carrots as carbohydrate-free replacements for pasta and noodles has certainly sparked an interest in these vegetables, as has the use of grated cauliflower as a replacement for rice or couscous.
“Courgette pasta is one of my absolute favourite things,” says Ella, on her hugely popular food blog. “I make it all the time as it’s just so quick and easy yet still so satisfying and amazingly delicious!”
Another major trend which has caught the interest of many a health-conscious celebrity is juicing. And, following recommendations from the World Health Organisation advising consumers to cut their sugar intake by half, vegetable juices have risen in popularity as a low-sugar health boost. Model Rosie Huntington-Whiteleyswears by a blend of kale, celery, apple, cucumber and a squeeze of lemon.
“I make my own juice every day at home,” she says. “It really makes a difference. That way I don’t feel guilty if I fail to eat my five a day of vegetables.”
Meanwhile, beetroot juice is popular with many sportspeople because it is abundant in nitrates, which can reportedly help to lower blood pressure, relax the blood vessels and increase the amount of oxygen getting to the muscles. The New York Times states that “beetroot juice is reportedly a staple among British track and field athletes at the Olympics, including Mo Farah.”
So, are all these celebrity endorsements helping to inspire the public to eat more fresh produce? And if so, are producers doing enough to side with trends that are undoubtedly filtering through into general consumer thinking? A marketing campaign launched in the US last year suggests that the move to capitalise on celebrity influence is indeed underway. Called FNV, the campaign is aimed at promoting the health benefits of fruit and vegetables to consumers – teenagers in particular – and features a whole host of celebrity backers from Jessica Alba to Nick Jonas. FNV, an extremely ‘American’ acronym intended as a catchier way of referring to fruits and vegetables without some of the tired preconceptions that our elders attached to produce, was created in conjunction with Partnership for a Healthier America and first lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative, which encourages families to eat better and do more exercise. “If folks are going to pour money into marketing unhealthy foods, let’s fight back with ads for healthy foods,” she said at the launch of the campaign.
But forget the US – this is now a global revolution. Marketing fruits and vegetables as a brand seems, at first, like an odd concept, but if it increases consumer interest then this can only be good news for fresh produce suppliers. And while obesity rates in the UK are troubling, the statistics are considerably more favourable than those of our Stateside cousins, meaning the launch-pad for a celebrity-driven produce revolution is even better positioned here.
After all, according to figures from analysts Mintel, it seems that Britain’s love of fruit and vegetables continues to grow. Their research shows that as many as 93 per cent of all Brits buy fresh fruits weekly, while for fresh vegetables the statistics still top 90 per cent. Furthermore, 25 per cent of fruit and vegetable shoppers say that, compared to a year ago, they are cooking at home using fruit and vegetables more often.
Mintel’s figures show that the combined fruit and vegetable market in the UK stands at an estimated £16 billion, with sales forecast to rise to just under £19bn by 2019. With this increased consumer demand, it seems the time is ripe for traders to take note of celebrity trends in order to keep ahead of the competition. And the good news for our fresh produce leaders is that there is no exclusive gateway to this digital world of influence; there is no elaborate subscription service and no organisational red tape. All producers need is a computer, perhaps a Twitter account and an ear to the ground – because what emerges from it is rich in many senses.
