SALINAS, CA - Convenience and value-added food options have become increasingly important as life’s complex needs and demands require more and more of the consumer’s time. With big food brands reemerging in consumer baskets as shoppers seek to find trusted companies that provide comfort and consistency in times of uncertainty, innovators like Green Giant Fresh™ are being tied into these resurging shopping behaviors.

“Since consumers are now, more than ever, eating three meals a day at home, rather than at work, schools, and restaurants—the demand for convenience and easy-to-make foods has grown considerably,” Tom Byrne, President, Growers Express LLC, shares with me. “The shift to cooking at home is expected to last long after the lockdown restrictions loosen. Overall U.S. store sales of soup rose 37 percent, canned meat climbed to 60 percent, and frozen pizza jumped 51 percent for the week of April 11, according to Nielsen.”

Monterey, California-based Growers Express holds the master license for the Green Giant Fresh brand and manages the licensing program with its many sublicense partners.

As convenience and comfort foods reigned during the initial outfall of the pandemic, Green Giant Fresh notes that it is seeing the same results and behaviors within fresh as well.

More value-added examples include Green Giant Fresh Brussels Sprouts (e.g. shaved, halved, shredded, leaves) which are making it easier for consumers to incorporate this now year-round vegetable for use in more unique ways like roasting, shredded in salads, and a crunchy pizza topper, Tom adds, eyeing his future dinner with ease.

“From avocados and asparagus to Brussels sprouts and broccoli, Green Giant Fresh commands a presence in produce among the top vegetable commodity categories and especially in the value-added space. Green Giant Fresh continues to grow in popularity and add fresh options for convenience solutions for time-starved consumers,” Tom tells me.

As Growers Express manages the Green Giant Fresh program through support and collaboration with its license partners, efforts to focus on the strength of the brand help with the evolution of where the brand is going as well.

“The Green Giant Fresh brand remains authentic and comes from a real place, as it originated. So, as the generations evolve, it has been important to remain true to the core values of the brand which revolve around transparency, authenticity, and dependability,” Tom concludes. “These values are really timeless.”

During today’s COVID-19 challenges, we are learning that the shift in societal norms around food is most likely not going to stop. Partnering with companies like Green Giant Fresh and Growers Express has more than just an air of validity, but of loyalty, comfort, and dollar share as well.

Green Giant Fresh™ Growers Express