Stephanie French, of UK consultancy Harlequin Plus, has urged the tomato industry to identify and enhance its unique selling points (USP) and fit that with the changing outlook of the consumer.
She picked out lycopene, nutritional benefits and wide availability as USPs. "There is a desire amongst consumers for an improved quality of life. They are less concerned with longevity of life, but enjoying it," said French. "Consumers may want to know the precise nature of the healthy content of tomatoes, and how beneficial they are to their health, but their mission is to get their daily nutritional allowance by eating as few foods as possible."
Tomato suppliers are therefore battling to get recognition for their products in all sectors. French said, however, that the food-on-the-go sector offers a window. Of the 74 per cent of food-on-the-go occasions where the intention is to purchase a healthy option, more than half fail, she explained. But products such as cherry and dried tomatoes and tomato juices could be tailored to take advantage of the market opportunities that are out there. "The tomato industry should promote its products as healthy snack foods," said French. "Food-on-the-go has great potential for tomato suppliers."
She added that investment in development work could be enhanced by "simply educating ignorant consumers that put their tomatoes in the fridge. That is an easy way to gain enormous benefit," she said.
