By: Gary Caloroso

Produce Business, December 2008

As a public relations/marketing communications professional working in the produce industry, I consider myself quite fortunate to have developed meaningful relationships with supermarket chain consumer affairs professionals over the years.

It all started with a crisis. More than a decade ago, I flew to Virginia for a meeting of Food Marketing Institute’s Consumer Affairs Committee to discuss a crisis facing agriculture.  As we worked together on mitigating the crisis (and others since), I better recognized the important and valuable role they play in communicating directly with the consumer.

Giant Food’s Ester Peterson pioneered the world of consumer affairs for retail chains. Her strong consumer advocacy helped supermarkets develop a framework on how they could build trust with consumers. Consumers trust retailers if they know their supermarket chain truly cares about them and their families.

Many retail consumer affairs advisors have told me over the years that they love the produce industry because it gives supermarkets a platform to communicate positive health messages to their consumers through their newsletters, websites and other direct-to-consumer vehicles. At the end of the day, retailers want to partner with produce suppliers in building consumer demand.

That’s where we come in.

In addition to working with our friends in the retail produce departments, I strongly suggest that produce suppliers and commodity boards seek to partner with retail consumer affairs advisors, registered dietitians, community relations, marketing and communications/public affairs/public relations professionals.

Here’s a great way to start. Attend and sponsor FMI’s annual “Consumer Affairs, Communications and Community Relations Seminar” – it’s a great way to learn about the opportunities supermarket chains face every day. This wonderful group is led by FMI’s unsung hero - Dagmar Farr.

I had the great privilege of speaking to the conference about one of my favorite topics – Produce for Kids. The organization promotes the benefits of healthy eating and supports worthy causes for children.

Many retailers support Produce for Kids because it is a great cause marketing program that they can customize and integrate into their existing corporate initiatives. Thanks to Produce for Kids partner retailers and sponsors, the produce industry has raised more than $2 million for the Children’s Miracle Network and PBS KIDS! since 2002.

At the conference, many presenters shared new information regarding health and product usage. For example, nationally-known author/registered dietitian David Grotto talked about the nutritional benefits of Chilean Hass avocados.

Trained by Second City in Chicago, Grotto uses humor to communicate health messages to consumers across the United States. His “101 Foods That Could Save Your Life” is a must read for everyone in the produce industry.

As a former American Dietetic Association media spokesperson, Grotto really connects with retailers. During the seminar, attendees learned about using a plastic storage bag to create a “spread” of Chilean Hass avocado that can replace higher-calorie items such as butter and mayonnaise.

If you don’t want to present at the conference, you can always sponsor a reception like the Georgia Pecan Commission. Retailers learned that pecans contain more antioxidants than any other nut.

Attendees also learned some important facts about Vidalia onions through the Vidalia Onion Committee’s in-conference trivia contest. Believe or not, some Americans don’t know that Vidalia onions are the original sweet onions and are only grown in Georgia.

Whether you start with their annual October conference or simply approach each chain directly, the point is that you should seriously consider partnering with retail consumer affairs advisors in your future marketing and communications endeavors. If you have a new consumer-friendly product, they are a great asset to you if you really want to build demand.

Consumers trust them and I trust them. They have a strong willingness to learn more about fruits and vegetables.  We have worked on many projects together and I look forward to a lot more in the future. They are great allies for the produce industry and I wholeheartedly embrace what they do.

Reprinted with permission from Produce Business