MERCHANDISING TIPS:
Ontario peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, nectarines, apricots and fresh grapes are the glamour fruits of summer and the all-time seasonal favourite in the produce department. Grab your customer's attention to their arrival by building quality in-store displays throughout the summer. This is a great way to spark memories and generate immediate sales.
Alert consumers of the upcoming season! Advertise the expected arrival of the Ontario tender fruit season. Develop and display a large oversized calendar or chalkboard in your department highlighting the arrival date of each tender fruit commodity and their expected availability period.
Advertise these seasonal favourites in your weekly flyers. The Ontario Tender Fruit Growers has a variety of product and recipe photographs for use in your ads. And don't forget to utilize Foodland Ontario's logo in all your ads for immediate consumer recognition that you are featuring locally grown produce.
And don't stop there! Provide customers with the Ontario Tender Fruit Growers' website address www.ontariotenderfruit.ca for additional information and recipe ideas.
SIX SUGGESTIONS FOR SUCCESS: Display Tactics for Increased Sales
Option 1: Attract shopper's attention by building quality displays or featuring our bin display showcasing locally grown peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, apricots and fresh grapes. Research indicates that displays of locally grown fruits account for an increase of 25% or more in sales. Please find an image of the Ontario Tender Fruit Growers' merchandising bin display under the marketing material menu then go to in-store promo material.
Option 2: Display peaches, nectarines, pears, apricots and plums together in a TREE RIPENED theme to emphasize quality and freshness of Ontario's tender fruit. Strive for colourful displays with creamy colours or yellows, not greens.
Option 3: The basket is synonymous with Ontario peaches. In excess of eighty percent of peaches sold annually are purchased in this traditional container. Leverage the basket's popularity to increase sales of other Ontario basket items such as nectarines, pears, plums, apricots and fresh grapes by creating an out of the basket display.
Option 4: In bulk, display Ontario peaches, nectarines, pears, apricots and plums at different stages of ripeness to allow customers the option of buying ahead for home ripening or for immediate enjoyment. Consider having brown paper bags nearby to educate consumers on the correct ripening process.
Option 5: Create incremental sales by displaying Ontario tender fruit in the cereal, dairy, bakery aisles or anywhere outside the produce department, just use your imagination. Give them a reason to buy. Emphasize that Ontario tender fruit is a healthy snack for kids to take to camp, on a picnic and in their lunches for back to school.
Option 6: Cross merchandise! Increase sales by building a one-stop shopping display for preserving - include jars, sugar, pectin, pie shells, pound cakes, freezer bags and recipes in your displays.
ADDITIONAL information:
HANDLING
Cull displays often to ensure the customer is not seeing or receiving shriveled or spoiled goods. Never stack/pile Ontario tender fruit bulk displays more than two layers deep and keep them accessible to allow for minimal handling. Never dump tender fruit on your display place gently on the shelves.
PREPARATION & SAMPLING
Offer unique preparation ideas through recipe cards or helpful tips such as grilling tender fruit on the BBQ, including them in salads, or in wrap sandwiches.
Use in-store sampling to promote volume sales and educate consumers on selection, care, storage and preparation of Ontario peaches, plums and pears. A sweet juicy taste is the best way to get consumers to buy! Have staff sample slices of peaches, pears and plums throughout the season. An educated staff key to increased sales.
PRICING & PRODUCTION
For pricing information please contact your shipper/distributor.
CONSUMER INFORMATION FOR ONTARIO TENDER FRUIT: RIPE HERE! RIPE NOW!
An informed customer is a repeat customer. Educate customers on proper selection techniques for Ontario tender fruit. Consumers should choose peaches on the basis of size, colour and fragrance. Give your customers the #1 Ripening Plan for Ontario Peaches:
1. Select fruit that is firm and fragrant. Ripe fruit will give off a delicate sweet aroma and be soft to the touch (not mushy).
2. Remove immediately from the container in which it was purchased and sort according to ripeness.
3. Store ripe fruit in the refrigerator or enjoy right away. Ripe fruit requires refrigeration to maintain freshness.
4. To ripen firm fruit quickly, store at room temperature and out of direct sunlight in a loosely closed paper bag for a day or two. Note: Plastic bags are not suitable for ripening fruit, as they will trap moisture and air, which can cause premature spoilage, so always use paper bags.
5. Once ripe store tender fruit in the refrigerator for up to one week or enjoy right away. Never store unripe fruit in the refrigerator, as this will cause internal breakdown causing the fruit to taste mealy and dry.
6. Store different varieties of fruit separately, as storing them together will encourage spoilage. In fact, a bowl filled with lovely colours of fruit will spoil far more quickly than almost any other storage method.
7. Don't wash fruit prior to storing. Washing will strip away some of the natural protections in the skins which allow the fruit to store longer. Once you are ready to eat the fruit, wash it under clean, running tap water -- even if you won't be eating the fruit's skin.
8. To peel peaches quickly, place fruit in boiling water for 30 seconds, remove and cool in ice water and slip off the skins.
