ENCINO, CA - Friendly competition is our industry’s way of encouraging each other to do our best. That is the spirit of the National Watermelon Board’s (NWB) most recent competition, which challenges melon suppliers and produce buyers to create outstanding watermelon merchandising displays. From July 12 to August 15, Dulcinea Farms is partnering with Gelson’s Markets of Southern California to participate in the challenge.

“We will be pushing the envelope by partnering our marketing team with Gelson’s marketing/merchandising team,” said Blair Butterworth, Dulcinea’s Marketing Associate. “We will utilize all things Dulcinea, from bins to end cap signage to the fresh-cut section, taking over the whole produce department when it comes to melons.”

As shoppers peruse Gelson’s produce aisles, they will be met with an array of fresh-cut watermelon bowls, a variety of melon sizes (from personal PureHearts to the Sugar Daddy), and more. Dulcinea aims to be as disruptive as possible while informing shoppers on the unique features of its melons via POS and signage.

Because Dulcinea is a premium watermelon brand and Gelson’s is a premium grocer, this partnership was written in the stars. Blair explained that due to Gelson’s willingness to go all in in terms of the activation and execution, and because the chain is local to Dulcinea’s headquarters, this competition is a fantastic opportunity for the grower to visit stores and engage with shoppers.

“We are known for our superior quality and top-notch customer service, so when a customer sees an expanded display on an item, it automatically begins to stir excitement, which leads to trial,” added John Savidan, Senior Director of Produce and Floral at Gelson’s. “Our produce managers are experts when it comes to customer service and are great at selectively selling items that are of great quality.”

John went on to explain that partnerships are all about trust and follow through, and collaborations such as this can build sales for future items. He stated that it takes a lot of work and planning to get these types of programs off the ground, and they can serve as the building blocks for a great partnership.

“We are very excited to be partnering with Dulcinea,” he continued. “Both teams have put a lot of effort into putting this together. In the end, both parties are all about quality and the eating experience, so it was a good fit out of the gate. We look forward to building collaborations in the future.”

Ultimately, this partnership will bring awareness to local retailers and farms. And with summer serving as the quintessential watermelon eating season, that goal is poised to be met tenfold.

For more unique produce partnerships, keep reading the latest reports from ANUK.

Dulcinea Farms Gelson's Markets