Younger consumers need to be the target of the brassica industry, TNS consumer trend expert Ed Garner told delegates at the Brassica Growers’ Biennial Conference and Trade Exhibition.
According to TNS data, only the likes of broccoli and spinach catch the younger demographics’ attention in store, while the more traditional shopper - or the older consumer - is the main purchaser of cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.
Garner said: “These are your next generation of consumers and you need to pull them in. You need to attract new shoppers and demand a premium for novel products, such as Brussels sprouts on the stalk.”
The brassica sector has seen a two per cent growth in value over the last 52 weeks, but there has been a volume drop, meaning less produce was sold than last year and slightly fewer people are buying into the category.
Garner pointed out that the popularity of some brassica products compared to others is disproportionate. “There is a high buying frequency for broccoli, but it is very low for kale,” he commented.
“The price is up, so sales come down - obviously. But we cannot get away with falling asleep on the price. Promotional noise is up [in the fresh produce aisle] but down in brassicas and this is something to be aware of. If the brassica industry falls asleep on this, it will suffer and it will disappear into the background.”
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