Riverford Organic Vegetables has seen sales increase by six per cent compared to last year, despite the economic downturn and the reported decline in the organic sector.
The company believes that organic produce and those companies that market it are not doing as badly as the media makes out, and that the category will survive the recession well.
“We are optimistic about the future,” Riverford’s press officer Vitha Shepard told freshinfo at last week’s Real Food Festival. “But at the same time, we are reassessing the value we provide our customers. Every month, we compare our organic box price to supermarket prices, and this month we are 27 per cent cheaper. People assume that supermarkets are cheaper, but they are not. And they are part of the problem as organic shelf space has been ousted for value ranges to compete with the discounters.”
Riverford grows organic vegetables on five farms across the country and delivers within a 30-mile radius of those farms.
Shepard insists that making sure consumers understand the business is key to driving sales. “We engage with our customers and understand their issues,” she said. “The key is communicating with customers.”
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