Frieda’s Specialty Produce Prepares For World Vegetarian Month
LOS ALAMITOS, CA - October 1 marks the 43rd annual World Vegetarian Day, and I’m one plant-based consumer who will be ringing in the holiday with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Frieda’s Specialty Produce will also be celebrating this Thursday as it shines a spotlight on immunity-boosting produce with a strategically timed promotion.
“The pandemic has resulted in what we like to call a ‘health trigger moment,’ which is the point where consumers start to rethink their approach to diet and lifestyle. Right now, consumers are making shifts in how they eat fueled by the quest for immunity, which is why World Vegetarian Month is the perfect opportunity to plug into the immunity-boosting benefits produce shoppers are looking for,” says Cindy Sherman, Director of Marketing and Insights.
According to a press release, World Vegetarian Day was started in 1977 and serves to kick off Vegetarian Awareness Month, a month-long celebration of plant-based foods. More and more people are embracing a plant-based lifestyle, and the emergence of COVID-19 has only accelerated that movement. Healthy, plant-based eating is quickly emerging as a way for shoppers to feel in control of their health while also giving their bodies the best chance of fighting off disease. Produce Marketing Association data from August 23 states that according to IRI, fresh produce sales are up over 10 percent compared to last year, versus flat growth at the start of the pandemic.
How can your produce department capitalize on this movement and capture the shoppers’ attention? Frieda’s suggests focusing on plant-based, immunity-boosting items, including the vitamin C-rich Stokes Purple® Sweet Potatoes (with almost four times the vitamin C of an orange sweet potato); turmeric, known for its immunity-boosting, inflammation-fighting properties; and ginger, with its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.
This World Vegetarian Day, be sure to have the fruit and vegetable variety shoppers are seeking for their health and wellness. Don’t miss out on this month-long opportunity to capture a new slice of the plant-based market through the fresh produce department.
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