NEWPORT BEACH, CA - If I had to distill summer into a few words, they would be sunshine, celebrations, and barbecues, which can play a key role in seasonal merchandising, according to Kathleen Triou, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fresh Solutions Network®. With an arsenal of unique potato products to boost produce aisle traffic, the company’s Side Delights® brand will get any retailer ready for summer sales.

“Potatoes come in a rainbow of colors and sizes to leverage this summer, which is as much a patriotic celebration as it is a season,” says Kathleen. “When merchandising from May to September, key into the behaviors and emotions consumers bring shopping, like the anticipation of larger group gatherings, the hot temperatures, and feelings of patriotic pride.”

As bigger backyard and house gatherings return, Kathleen urges retailers to highlight easy-to-prepare potato recipes, like potato salad, that satisfy the masses and have less prep time. Also, to keep the kitchen cool when it’s hot outside, she suggests spotlighting items like Side Delights Steamables™ and Bakeables™ that can be microwaved in minutes.

Retailers will want to leverage foodservice trends, like barbecued skewers with petite or quartered potatoes. Cross-merchandising the company’s Grillables™ or Prime Select potatoes with dry seasoning blends, oils, and meat or poultry is another excellent way to boost register rings across the aisles.

Lastly, Kathleen recommends dialing up the patriotic vibes in the produce department by displaying red, white, and blue/purple potatoes in adjacent vertical rows. Take it further by hanging signs with patriotic messages or identifying the local farmers that grew the products for shoppers.

With so many convenient offerings in its portfolio, I asked the President and CEO which ones are her must-haves this season.

“For the summer, my picks are Side Delights Grillables, Petites, and Steamables,” she comments. “Grillables are triple-washed and individually wrapped in foil, making them ohhh sooo easy to throw on the barbecue or in the oven. Side Delights Petite potatoes are pre-washed and don’t require any peeling or chopping. They are a staple in my house as they can be microwaved, roasted, boiled, grilled, and air fried. Lastly, Side Delight Steamables are ready in 8 minutes in the microwave, and I love customizing them with fresh summer herbs, sea salt, and fresh ground pepper. Delish!”

If more help is needed, Side Delights is here to aid its partners.

“We provide stand-up merchandisers and bins, in-shelf signs and digital support for e-commerce sites, and creative posts for social media use,” Kathleen explains. “As a Network, we are more than just farmers; we are category partners that stand by our products and help the retailer elevate the category to delight their customers. We take pride in this responsibility and lean into this role enthusiastically.”

Take Kathleen’s advice and capitalize on the excitement of summer in the produce aisle with Side Delights potatoes.

Fresh Solutions Network®