Retailers Encouraged to "Get with the Program" as Zespri's Season Begins
ORANGE COUNTY, CA - With new packaging and a national consumer campaign, Zespri is launching its season in a big way. Its campaign, titled “Let Your Taste Wander,” is designed to reach more consumers than before, with several in-store elements to drive traffic at retail. Additionally, Zespri’s retail trade campaign, “Get with the Program,” encourages retailers to meet with Zespri’s market development managers to create customized retail programs designed for their unique shoppers.
“Zespri is investing in growing consumer demand,” explained Sarah Deaton, Shopper Marketing Manager. “Our SunGold brand awareness has increased over 41 percent nationally and over 117 percent in top U.S. cities year over year. We finished last season with a strong 47 percent growth in our proprietary SunGold variety, with plans to continue to invest for growth in the coming season.”
According to a recent press release, Zespri’s SunGold Kiwifruit is a healthy snack consumers can eat on the go. Simply cut, scoop, and enjoy! Zespri’s new packaging conveys the nutritional information as well as care instructions. Its consumer campaign helps drive this message in addition to encouraging consumers to “let your taste wander.”
The consumer campaign is also aimed at helping shoppers explore outside of their typical fruit selections. As part of the promotion, Zespri encourages consumers to wander and experience new things in their daily lives. Shoppers can earn badges to win prizes, including airline miles and family adventure vacations. The promotion will be featured in Hulu TV, People magazine, Martha Stewart Living, and a variety of health publications.
The company also noted that on average, retailers who fully execute Zespri’s SunGold Kiwifruit programs receive increases in their incremental sales. In fact, a recent third-party study has shown a 96 percent dollar increase when doubling the size of the kiwifruit display to 6 ft x 2 ft. Multiple display locations also help increase sales. Additionally, the third party study indicated that merchandising kiwifruit next to berries and grapes increased kiwifruit sales by 80 percent.
Zespri’s market development managers are available to meet with retailers to customize programs and provide in-store signage along with a digital integrated campaign to geo-target shoppers to reach them at different touch points throughout their day. These digital tools help bring top-of-mind awareness to SunGold and other varieties of Zespri Kiwifruit.
SunGold, Green, and Organic varieties will be available at retail in bulk, one-pound and two-pound clam packs.
Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit will be available May through February. The New Zealand season ends in November and Zespri Kiwifruit from Italy will extend the season through February. The company noted that SunGold Kiwifruit from Italy is grown to the same strict standards, producing kiwifruit that is consistently sweet and delicious.
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