DENVER, CO - The longer I’m involved in the fresh produce world, the more I learn about the fruits and vegetables I consume. As a trade news writer, I’m now privy to a wealth of resources, including Kayla Dome, Global Marketing Manager of Retail for Potatoes USA. I recently sat down with Kayla to find out how retailers can engage with consumers to capitalize on this staple category and maximize profits.

In a recent collab, Potatoes USA tapped Kantar Insights Consulting to gather information for a Fresh Potatoes Path to Purchase study from potato shoppers at food retailers, mass merchandise retailers, club stores, and grocery online shoppers. The results?

“Potatoes are a performance vegetable. The research found 84 percent of shoppers knew they wanted to buy potatoes before they went into the store, but only 66 percent knew what type they were going to purchase, showing marketing opportunities both prior to shopping and in-store,” Kayla tells me.

The Path to Purchase study offers an in-depth breakdown of where and how consumers are interacting with fresh potato marketing to drive sales at retail.

“One interesting aspect the Path to Purchase study found was that since most consumers know they are purchasing potatoes ahead of time, secondary locations away from the primary potato location were one of the biggest driving factors in repeat purchases of potatoes,” Kayla continues. “This placement not only reminds consumers to add potatoes to their next shopping list but helps consumers decide what type of potato they are buying if it’s already on their shopping list.”

Since grocery delivery and pickup are continuing to rise in popularity, the study also focused on consumers’ online shopping activity. While only about 12 percent of consumers were purchasing fresh potatoes online, they were spending three times as much on potatoes alone as in brick-and-mortar locations. This shows the category is cementing its hold as a pantry staple.

“In our Path to Purchase study, we talk about the different ways to impact the consumers and what’s the angle that’s helpful in driving their decisions,” Kayla explains. “For instance, we’ve found when potatoes are purchased, other categories are purchased alongside them as well. These are the categories we really want to look at.”

Not only is cross-merchandising a helpful strategy, educating consumers on the nutritional value is key as well. Kayla further informs me that Potatoes USA provides great resources to help retailers educate consumers on the different nutritional values potatoes have to offer that can help facilitate a very active lifestyle.

Of course, Kayla isn’t just offering me this super spud info. Potatoes USA is providing its Fresh Potatoes Path to Purchase Study along with its Merchandising Best Practices guide, which highlights the optimal ways to market potatoes on shelves including which produce to display next to, how to organize the varieties, and what POS materials best emphasize the category. For retail help, the marketer also provides handouts and guides to aid in setting up impactful displays and drive more potato profits.

For more developments, tips, and insights in the fresh produce industry, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

Potatoes USA