A primer to help sell more fresh produce in convenience stores has been published today (9 March) by the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) and the United Fresh Produce Association.
'Building the Business Case for Produce Sales at Convenience Stores' is said to combine analysis of industry and consumer trends with practical ideas to develop an enhanced produce offering in stores.
The new publication is the first from the partnership that NACS and United Fresh formed in June 2014 to identify best practices to grow produce sales in convenience stores, with more than two dozen retailers, distributors and produce companies helping to develop and review the document.
“We have seen a dramatic increase for customer demand for fresh produce at convenience stores, and this resource was developed to communicate the huge opportunities for everyone in the distribution chain, from farm to store,” said NACS chairman of the board Steve Loehr. “A recent NACS member survey reaffirms the importance of produce; 62 per cent of members say that produce is important to their business plans in 2015.”
“Through contributions from NACS and United Fresh Member Companies participating in this effort, we have identified solutions in the distribution and merchandising of fresh produce, which ultimately will lead to new opportunities for produce suppliers, distributors and convenience store retailers to grow sales,” added United Fresh chairman of the board Ron Carkoski.
A first step in this process is to build the business case for selling produce in convenience stores to all three critical groups: suppliers, distributors and retailers.
The publliction includes information such as demand, products and consumer trends that can affect sales success, an overview of produce customer demographics and sales trends in convenience stores, and key elements to consider in developing and executing a successful produce programme.
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