Tom Stenzel, president and CEO of the United Fresh Produce Association, is presenting an overall upbeat picture of the produce industry. Supporting his assessment is an independent consumer panel, whose members say they look forward to buying quality produce and are willing to pay more for it to feed their families.
Stenzel opened the New England Produce Council’s annual expo last week at the Oceans Edge Resort in Brewster, Massachusetts, where he delivered a presentation called “We Are Driving a Fresh Revolution.”
Stenzel said that produce is a profit-making section in grocery stores and is increasing in prominence in convenience stores. Produce, he said, has three great attributes: it has great taste and flavor; it serves as a key to better health; and it offers convenience.
Between 1980 and 2016, per capita consumption of vegetables has jumped nearly 23 percent, with fresh fruit rising 27.6 percent in the same period. Consumer produce spending has added $21 to an average grocery basket. As a whole, produce is now nearly 37 percent of all store sales.
In addition, Stenzel said that, overall, the childhood obesity crisis has garnered attention to health consequences, but the crisis has turned into a positive in creating a new, fresh produce experience for children—noting the use of salad bars in schools.
Stenzel cautioned, however, of the many challenges facing the industry, including labor shortages and immigration problems, water availability, misinformation on food safety, “competitive foods pushback” and small farm/anti-technology romanticism.
The consumer panel consisted of six shoppers from the greater Boston area who discussed produce shopping choices, what they look for and what they like and dislike about produce sections. The consumers agreed they needed more information about produce items: origin, how items are grown and nutritional value.
