Minutes after I put the phone down, a message went out on Wayside Organics’ Twitter account notifying the world of the interview that had just taken place.
It’s this speed of communication that has made Twitter one of the most popular social media networks and one the organic industry is enthusiastically embracing.
The Soil Association, which has already run a number of social media training courses for its members, is further raising awareness of the medium as a marketing tool as part of Organic September.
This celebration of all things organic is organised by the Organic Trade Board and Sustain, and this year’s theme is Naturally Different. Through a new website and advertising, the campaign aims to educate people on the difference between organic and non-organic practices, which it claims ultimately produce better food.
However, the campaign comes at a time when sales of produce have taken a hit. Some 70 per cent of organic fruit and vegetables are sold through supermarkets and yet Kantar Worldpanel data for the year ending in June showed that value sales had dropped by 6.5 per cent.
Fewer shoppers were visiting the organic produce section, with penetration falling from 68 per cent to 65 per cent. Waitrose continues to trade well, and this month will be offering customers plenty of deals on organic produce in support of the campaign. Tesco and Sainsbury’s are also still trading well in organic produce but it is clear action needs to be taken to encourage consumers to back organic again in all the supermarkets.
Bart Ives, founder of Wayside Organics, says his business started to see sales drop so he decided it was time to change tactics. “We created a new website, we’re out at far more food fairs and we set up Facebook and Twitter profiles,” he says. “We have embraced social media as a way to get our name out there and stay ahead of the competition. Right now, you really have to work hard at marketing your business. Our box scheme sales are on the up and people are starting to realise once more that it is worth investing in quality produce as it is not wasted.”
Soil Association business development director Jim Twine says that so far the social media courses it has run have been “very, very popular”. “It’s a great way to get the message out there for businesses,” he says.
Twine adds that while supermarket sales were down, there were many other outlets for organic produce that were enjoying success. “50 per cent of baby food in the UK is organic, and there is plenty of opportunity for growth as parents increasingly want to give the best food to their children.”
Twine says that ultimately there needs to be more brands within the organic produce market. “The organic food brands have fared much better than the own-label suppliers,” says Twine. “A brand offers a producer a lot more options.”
One of the UK’s leading growers of organic vegetables, Produce World, agrees with Twine, saying it sees a positive future for the category, despite the recession.
Andrew Burgess, Produce World’s director of agriculture, added: “As the largest grower of organic vegetables in the UK, we are continuing to see good results from our key customers. There is evidence that the demand for organics has withstood the initial impact of the recession and consumers have remained loyal.”
Another of the larger organic producers TIO (This is Organics), which supplies Tesco, is also reporting good sales and has successfully launched its own brand, the Bare Necessities range. It includes carrot sticks, parsnips and diced swede. Brand and business development manager Stewart Miller says that for Organic September the company is offering 20 per cent off the range to encourage people to give organic produce a try.
“I do think that once people taste organic produce, they can then understand what the difference is,” he says.
“I think a lot of people have been confused as to what organic is and what the difference is to Fairtrade, for example. Hopefully the awareness raised by Organic September will encourage people to try it.”
This is certainly the ultimate aim for the Organic September campaign, which is tackling the confusion in the hope that consumers will pledge to support organic producers through their purchases.
“Companies such as Riverford and Abel & Cole are still experiencing strong sales, so we know that there is demand out there,” says Twine. “This month we will be building on that demand and so far we have had a really good response.” -
ORGANIC: NATURALLY DIFFERENT
This year’s campaign focuses on what makes organic food different, from the way it is grown to the taste and nutritional benefits, and is using social media to get the message across.
Not only does the website, www. organicfood.com, give reasons for purchasing organic, but also offers recipes and information on where to shop and asks people to tweet in their reasons for buying organic. There is also a section that lists the many events taking place around the UK.
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