IDDBA’s Whitney Atkins, VP of marketing, and Heather Prach, VP of education, spoke on how current trends will shape the future of the association, its members and the industry.

Prach said consumer buying patterns are evolving faster, and “if our industry and individual companies don’t stay ahead, it’s easy to fall behind. The trends we launched in December are proving to be growing, and they’re solid and they’re safe. They are overarching concepts that are taking us through this current fresh grocery climate.”

She said flexibility is what it takes to stay ahead. “We need to be fluid and flexible and evolve from rigid and legacy patterns.”

IDDBA’s five guiding trends are written using data analysis, consumer responses and take into consideration a shopper survey conducted in May, with 1,500 consumers giving feedback, Prach noted. 

“These five trends really enable the manufacturers, retailers and marketers to tell the consumers’ stories, which is exactly what What’s In Store Live 2023 does. What once was content marketing has now become storyteller,” Prach said.

She added it is important to consider the five generations of shoppers when discussing trends and consumer insights, as their preferences, behaviors and actions vary greatly.

They are: the Silent Generation (1928-45), Baby Boomers (1946-64), Gen X (1965-80), Millenials (1981-96) and Gen Z (1997-2012).

The silent generation is the oldest group. Often referred to as traditionalist, its members are generally conservative in their shopping habits and tend to prioritize quality over price. 

Baby Boomers are known for consumerism. They tend to prioritize convenience and value for money. Generation X is known for financially conservative behavior, and includes cautious spenders. They’re also tech savvy and prefer online shopping. 

The Millennials are tech savvy and heavily reliant on e-commerce. They prioritize experiences over material possessions, and social responsibility and brands. 

Generation Z are digital natives whose shopping habits are shaped by social media. They value personalization, authenticity and sustainability. Members of Gen Z tend to be the most willing to invest in higher priced products that align with their values. 

“There’s a sizable current divide in consumer behaviors right now, with the rapid change in technology and large viewpoints on governance,” Prach said. “As new generations emerge with their unique characteristics, this will create further shifts in consumer trends and expectations in future decades.”

She said the number of Millennials has exceeded the Boomer ranks, and Gen X is expected to surpass the number of Boomers in 2028. 

“Soon, it’s predicted that the amount of households led by people under 40 will outweigh the amount of people over 40,” Prach said. 

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has passed, inflation is taking its own toll on consumers. Debt levels are rising and savings decreasing.

“All of this has resulted in wages not keeping up with inflation rates,” said Prach, adding that cutting the SNAP emergency fund has greatly affected the dollars spent on food for nearly 25 percent of consumers. All of this has continued to “keep a very home-centered world,” she said. 

While this is in favor of food retailing, it also presents challenges that come with change. “However, where there’s change, there’s opportunity,” Prach said.

Following IDDBA’s five guiding trends is one way to maximize those opportunities. The trends include: Whole Health, Whole Heart and Whole Self; Consumer Defined Convenience; the ABCs of ESG; Worth the Value; and Innovation and Technology.

Atkins said there is no longer just one type of consumer. “The need for balance – in-store, online and through marketing messaging is evident.”

Whole Health, Whole Heart and Whole Self

Healthy combines physical health and emotional well-being, Prach said, as consumers are more educated about nutrition and physical health and want to know what they’re putting in their bodies. 

“It is no longer taboo to talk about mental health or the overall pursuit of happiness,” she said. “There’s almost 80 percent of people that relate emotional well-being and healthy. There’s a balance here to combine indulgence as a treat and happiness, while still remaining healthy.” 

There’s not one definition for healthy. It can vary based on viewpoints that are generational or regional, on food allergies or results-based diets. 

“There’s a wide range of these physical callouts that each individual is looking for,” she said.

Any and all attributes of a product should be clearly called out, as shoppers have become label readers. 

“I think we were all riding a fine line of mental stability and uncertainty in the last few years. So there’s great comfort in indulgence. Consumers are looking to indulge occasionally and feel good and celebrate.”

Dominique Delugeau, IDDBA board chair, stated in a video message that people are looking for cleaner, better ingredients. They also are looking for smaller portions of higher-priced items.

“People want to eat less of the best…it’s an indulgence, but they’re not going to necessarily walk away from a certain cheese because of the price” but perhaps will buy less of it, he said.

Prach noted that today’s families are smaller and more people are living on their own, with 70 percent of households without children. 

“The average household right now is 2.5 people and that’s the lowest rate that we’ve ever seen. Sizing for the meal planning and the amount of guests is important here for health, for value and for waste concerns. Offering sizing options is key to covering your customers’ needs. Healthy plays out in many ways.
Atkins said today’s marketing strategy plans are built around segmentation, targeting and positioning. While mass marketing still plays a role, consumers want and expect personalization through the technology of loyalty programs, social media and e-commerce.

Prach said 77 percent of consumers surveyed say it is fine to occasionally eat some treats. Retailers are creating balance in the merchandising and portion sizes from deli and bakery. 

Consumer Defined Convenience

The second guiding trend, consumer defined convenience, is continuing to grow in grocery retail, foodservice and c-stores. 

“The on-the-go lifestyle is back…feeding the family has become a balancing act between money, health, taste and time,” Prach said. 

Pizza is an example of this convenience. It can be ready to eat and still be customizable, served hot and in-store. Retailers can customize a bake-at-home option or one that consumers can create with some pre-made ingredients. 

“This is a great illustration of how life is about continuums and how that can really play out by taking one concept with many options of execution. Home cooking burnout helps our categories and fuels this trend.”

Prach said 41 percent of shoppers are cooking mostly from scratch, while 50 percent mix scratch with semi- and fully-prepared items. Just 9 percent is mostly shopping fully prepared items. 

Shoppers want convenience as an option, and this is led by grab-and-go options, where 55 percent of consumers want easier shopping in the grab-and-go, Atkins said. She also noted that shoppers may be thinking of future meals while they’re in the store. They want to know their local retailer will have a reliable selection of grab-and-go, along with easier preparation items.

Providing customization for the consumer is pushing the demand for ordering systems, delivery, make-on-demand and staffing for rush times.

“Home delivery and e-commerce have been difficult for our categories to execute in retail, but they would be worth the investment. There’s a bit of margin loss with the delivery services, but 46 percent of shoppers are wanting that option,” Prach said. 

Maximizing the e-commerce platform to give recipes, meal solutions and meal planning can increase sales. Prach said there’s also room to upgrade sandwiches to fresh baked bread in the deli, or a small indulgence upgrade to brioche bread, bagel or croissant. 

“Service is still important to our departments for customization.”

Cross merchandising is another way to increase sales with a focus on convenience, Atkins noted.

“Cross merchandising has always been a way to grow sales and profits. It’s also designed to scream convenience,” she said.

Loyalty shopper data is invaluable when addressing the need for personalization, Atkins said. With this data, retailers can make plans to address overall shopper profiles in a store or group of stores.

Also, delivery and takeout present a “huge opportunity” for grocery retailers, as 60-80 percent of people are doing restaurant takeout whereas 30-40 percent are doing grocery retail takeout or delivery.

“There’s a huge gap here. And where there’s a gap, there’s an opportunity to close it,” Prach said. 

Atkins said loyalty will emerge by adding marketing messages to ensure implementation. The same cross merchandising and marketing can be used on e-commerce platforms. 

“Curbside is here to stay. It’s convenient, it’s quick and it provides options for the family meal, or even that moment when you remember you were supposed to send treats to school,” she said.

Restaurants innovated quickly with curbside as a means to survive during the pandemic. Retail delis can now take advantage of the consumer adoption by working with online technology, Atkins said. 

“Marketing has to create the narrative, whether it’s ad plans, digital ads, social media. But the store has to deliver,” she said, noting that adoption of these programs or offerings takes time.

“Convenience will forever lead the forefront in consumer shopping behavior. Consumers will be forever time starved, that’s never going to change,” she said.

Atkins added that c-store operators have been focused on the future of their customers, even pre-pandemic. That led to their success in leading innovation and technology to meet the customer where they were.

In helping to attract consumers during the busy breakfast hours, Prach said What’s In Store Live is showing opportunities in breakfast. Two technology components in bakery include a coffee bot and a bread bot.

“The coffee bot is a full solution to adding a coffee shop feel to the bakery without needing to use the extra labor. And there’s a bread bot. Warm bread comes out every six minutes. These are not shown to replace these categories but to be used in addition – to bring theater, free of labor and to create a consistent product that your customers can learn to rely on,” she said.

The ABCs of ESG

ESG – environment, social and governance – is becoming more widely known and talked about among consumers. Atkins said a colleague broke it down as follows: Sustainability is what a business does; it is internal. ESG is how a business reports. It is external.

Prach said ESG is going to be much more important to the later generations who grew up learning the importance of the planet and recycling. “ESG now takes that conversation beyond just recycling and sustainability for the environment. It is shifting cultures to model a full 360 impact. It is taking into consideration the amount of energy used in all aspects of the product life cycle.” 

According to Atkins, ESG is important “because consumers say it is,” adding that “it is forward thinking for the future of our food supply.”

Prach said as interest in the planet and animal welfare are growing, it is important to call out those attributes on packaging. “Consumers are interested in a story. They want to know the backstory of the ingredients and the personalized stories of the producers, the farmers and even the animals involved.”

Atkins said ESG reports the story, “which comes full circle and helps you retain and gain internal stakeholders like investors and employees while retaining and gaining customers.”

Worth value

Guiding the fourth trend is a reminder that value is in the eye of the beholder.

Prach said this trend’s message is not about price but about affordability and products being worth the value. 

“Consumers are really seeking ways to save. Some of these benefit us as retailers, whereas some others really mean that we have some pressures of our own,” she said.

Consumers are trying many different things – buying less, wasting less, looking for deals and promotion. “Teach customers how to use the full product and their leftovers while lowering your in-store spoilage as well,” Prach said. 

Several concepts of this may be seen in What’s In Store Live, such as getting creative with boards and snacking. “Anything can be added to a board. This is a great way to get creative with ingredients you have left in the cupboards or the fridge.” 

While consumers are reducing their restaurant spending, there is an opportunity for retailers to maximize growth in dairy, deli and bakery for dinner, as well as lunch and breakfast.

As consumer concern over inflation continues, shoppers are looking for value in the traditional sense of the word, Atkins said. They are planning their shopping trips, comparing their store with competitors for prices and promotions.

“Saving is top of mind, and this is how shoppers are making the decisions,” she said.

Identifying store brands in the deli and bakery departments can appeal to the 46 percent of consumers who are more likely to purchase store brands. Creating and supporting digital solutions, along with personalization, “continues to be imperative in the buyers’ journey,” Atkins said.

She noted that IDDBA offers year-round value through its What’s In Store digital reporting and monthly category reviews, along with live and on-demand webinar series.

Prach said dairy, deli and bakery have a household penetration of 98-99 percent. “It’s not about getting the customer to our areas, but it’s more about getting them to purchase items that they wouldn’t normally grab.” 

Innovation and Technology

In discussing the fifth guiding trend, Prach said the pandemic caused the industry to jump five to 10 years forward in the area of e-commerce “because there wasn’t a choice.”

She said technology is about creating efficiencies. “In its current state and into the foreseeable future, it can be partnered with customizing and service to continue to deliver those positive experiences.”

On social media, influencers are growing. Prach suggested retailers let their team and customers celebrate the brand or store. Digital price tags reduce labor and self-checkouts are commonplace.

She suggested creating an app and a subscription program to build loyalty. Digital screens allow for instant change and marketing and can be used to drive sales or in idle time.

“People are learning how to cook, how to use ingredients and get inspirations digitally. Three of our generations are using digital much more than any other source,” she said. 

Prach also suggested staying ahead of viral trends and merchandising.

“Food is fuel and nutrition as much as social and entertainment. It is now becoming art in the presentation and a fun way to explore flavors. Social has brought food to the top of the conversation…but remember, the digital and the social worlds move fast. So you need to stay ahead and take some risks here.”

Atkins said retailers shouldn’t be afraid to create experiences in their apps but should make them easy to use. Offering payment options also is important.

Atkins said the market size of the global online food sector was reported at $770 billion, with $460 billion attributed to the grocery delivery segment and $300 million in meal delivery.

She noted that it is estimated that it will reach $1.4 trillion in 2027. 

“So if we go back and think about the five generations of shoppers, it would likely be unreasonable to think every shopper will use online, ordering and shopping through an app. But when you think of the growth numbers I mentioned, those are huge dollars that simply cannot be ignored. Retail companies recognize the importance of having shoppers’ attention, whether in store or online.”

Prach said the What’s In Store Live area this year is focusing on innovation and technology. “We’ve got AI and automation; they’re being explored in every industry and food is no exception.”

In addition to the coffee and bread bots, virtual reality is being used to train employees on how to clean a slicer. 

“There’s a much higher retention rate for employees who walk through the whole process rather than using videos and job guides. Think of this for broken glass, spills, the slicer cleaning, stressful customer interaction, etc. All can be completed through virtual without using up additional labor.”

A delivery bot may be seen on the show floor. Badger Technologies has a bot that scans for planogram execution and out of stocks.

Show attendees were encouraged to visit the What’s In Store Live area to see these and other examples of IDDBA’s Guiding Trends.

For more information about the show, visit iddba.org/iddba-show/about/iddba-2023.

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“I think it’s interesting, as we start asking customers about their eating approaches, most customers said they don’t like using the term diet…and what’s really interesting, ‘my personal diet’ is the second highest rated eating style, behind ‘healthy heart.’”

Stein said 65 percent of customers are trying to follow some type of eating behavior, and “health mindedness” is very much on their minds.

Also, nearly 70 percent of customers say they are looking for callouts or information when they are shopping in the department “so they can understand what resonates with them.”

According to Stein, retailers must be talking about nutritional callouts in the bakery department.

FMI also asked consumers about better-for-you approaches. For example, when asked what they thought about artificial coloring, the response was split in half between those who prefer it and those who don’t.

“What I really thought was interesting, is when you look at what resonates with them for better for you – real ingredients; the use of fruits or vegetables to avoid things that they think are bad for them, like artificial flavors; smaller portions – and this really applies to the products that they often make at home.”

FMI is telling retailers they must address health and well-being in the bakery, Stein said. Talking about indulgence can also be part of that topic through portion size and mental health – people wanting to be able to indulge. “I would really strongly recommend that, as an industry, we think about that.”

Convenience is another factor driving consumers. This includes how the bakery is laid out. Nearly 81 percent of customers said commercial should either be in the bakery or adjacent to it.

“They want to see the commercial bread pretty close to that…clearly that resonates with them.”

The report also looked at when consumers are shopping during the day. Stein said a large number of people are shopping before 2 p.m., “so they’re looking for freshness. And they understand that the earlier you shop, the fresher the product is going to be, the more abundant choices you’ll have.”

On sustainability, Stein said almost 73 percent of those surveyed wanted to see multi-use packaging. “They’re looking for functional packaging. If that package performs for them, helps the product integrity, keeps food safe – they’re all for that kind of packaging.”

At the same time, however, about 75 percent of those surveyed are concerned about environmentally-friendly packaging.

Consumers also want to be able to see through the packaging to view the product, with 93 percent expressing that desire. “So we really have to be careful how we’re taking labels and things of that nature and hiding product, single cake slices, things of that nature. You really want to be able to highlight the product.”

On the topic of value, Stein said the report breaks it down into four areas: quality, relevance, experience and convenience. While during these inflationary times consumers are money conscious, sometimes they make decisions contrary to that. One example is the growth in produce departments of value-added cut fruit and cut vegetables.

“We all know on a per-pound basis that’s much more expensive than buying fruit or veg in its regular form, but for them that convenience is a value.”

When looking at value in the bakery department, FMI talked to consumers about impulse purchases. “Clearly, the eyes decide,” Stein said. “If you look at the eye-catching displays, a lot of customers go in and end up buying products that they had no intention of buying.”

The report found that bakery “is clearly a big impulse area.”

As far as freshness factoring in what consumers buy, more than 56 percent said they are looking for the date and time it was baked or processed. The majority are conscious of fresh and consider items that say “baked today” or “made in-store.”

“These are other other things that you can shout about in your bakery departments so it resonates with the consumer,” Stein said.

When talking about innovation, he said the report looked at why that customer is buying in the store versus at home. The report found that 61 percent said they wanted the item to be made in the store.

The Power of Bakery report is available on the FMI website, at FMI.org.

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Pasch will play a role in advancing the company’s merchandising transformation, developing strategy and driving results in a major segment of SpartanNash’s business.

“Brandon is a skilled leader in merchandising, with extensive experience across many categories within the retail and grocery industry,” said Bennett Morgan, SVP and chief merchandising officer.

“We’re thrilled to have his unique perspective and unyielding work ethic to help improve the in-store guest experience at our retail locations and for our independent wholesale customers.”

Pasch joins the team following the recent hire of Arpen Shah as VP of merchandising strategy and analytics, last month. These additions reflect the company’s commitment to its merchandising transformation, which leverages key insights to drive enhanced category planning, promotional effectiveness and customer-centric innovation.

The company recently shared it has entered the next phase of its merchandising transformation, and Pasch’s leadership will be pivotal.

Pasch most recently served as VP of merchandising, center store at Giant Eagle Inc., a supermarket chain with more than 400 retail locations. Prior to Giant Eagle, Pasch held leadership roles in merchandising, planning and buying at Meijer and Target. He also served as a financial analyst at Ford.

SpartanNash has a diverse group of national accounts, distributing grocery and household goods, including its Our Family portfolio of products, to locations in all 50 states, in addition to distributing to the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Djibouti, Korea and Japan.

To support its distribution business, it operates a network of distribution facilities and a nationwide transportation fleet. In addition, the company owns and operates 147 supermarkets – under the banners of Family Fare, Martin’s Super Markets and D&W Fresh Market.

For more information about the distributor, visit spartannash.com.

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This will be the fifth greenhouse for Little Leaf Farms, and the brand’s second greenhouse in Pennsylvania. With the expanded capacity of 10 additional acres of indoor production of fresh, sustainably grown lettuce, Little Leaf Farms will increase its retail presence to about 5,000 grocery stores.

The expansion news was shared at a ceremony the brand hosted on May 31, welcoming Gov. Josh Shapiro and other state representatives to celebrate Little Leaf Farms’ growth in Pennsylvania. Little Leaf Farms owns 180 acres in McAdoo and has rapidly grown to be the largest producer of indoor-grown leafy greens in the state. The company opened its first 10-acre greenhouse in July 2022 and expects to employ more than 170 by the end of 2023.

“We believe in the CEA industry’s role in the path to more sustainable produce production and are focused on our mission of delivering fresh and delicious leafy greens to consumers,” said Paul Sellew, founder and CEO.

“We continue to build on our ambitious plans for growth and our expansion in Pennsylvania is a testament to how we’ve been able to continuously scale our efficient production and operations. We’re thrilled to have increased our retail sales by more than 50 percent in the past year and to be the No. 1 brand of packaged lettuce sustainably grown through CEA in the country.”

These 10 additional acres under glass represent a significant capacity increase, enabling Little Leaf Farms to harvest more than 20 million pounds of leafy greens yearly across its sites. The new greenhouse will employ Little Leaf Farms’ technology and efficiencies, including advanced heating, cooling and lighting systems, as well as utilize the sun and fresh rainwater.

The greenhouse will also integrate the brand’s hands-free automated grow system, which means the leafy greens are untouched from seed to packaging and never require washing. Little Leaf Farms’ lettuce is farmed 365 days a year, harvested daily and delivered from greenhouse to grocery store in 24 hours.

“Pennsylvania has a proud agricultural heritage, and our agriculture sector is a key driver of our economy, contributing over $132 billion to our economy and supporting nearly 600,000 jobs,” said Gov. Shapiro.

“I want to plant a flag and show the rest of the country that Pennsylvania is a leader in agriculture, job creation, and innovation – and Little Leaf Farms’ investment in our Commonwealth is proof that the future is being grown right here in Carbon County. Pennsylvania is open for business and my Administration will continue to support our farmers, scientists, and entrepreneurs who want to grow and thrive here in the Commonwealth.”

The brand also presented a $10,000 donation to Feeding Pennsylvania, a local nonprofit that works to secure food and other resources to reduce hunger and food insecurity across the state. The funds will be distributed to Feeding Pennsylvania’s member food banks to assist individuals throughout the area facing food insecurity.

“Feeding Pennsylvania is thrilled to partner with Little Leaf Farms and to accept this $10,000 donation, which will be allocated to each of our nine member food banks serving all 67 counties of Pennsylvania,” said Shea Saman, interim CEO and CFO.

“Food Banks in Pennsylvania and across the country are facing growing financial challenges due to rising demand for food assistance, increasing costs for food and other operating expenses, and disruptions to the supply chain for essential food commodities. This financial support will help food banks bridge the gap to ensure that they can continue to meet the growing needs of communities across Pennsylvania.”

For more information on Little Leaf Farms, visit littleleaffarms.com.

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The company is using a user-friendly platform to ensure regulatory and financial compliance for every fresh, canned and frozen seafood product created at its four Alaskan facilities.

“For more than 100 years, Peter Pan Seafoods has taken pride in its reputation for producing the highest quality seafood products from Alaska,” said Hart Schwarzenbach, director of quality assurance.

“We require many certifications throughout our operations to guarantee that our standards of quality, safety and operational excellence are met and to ensure that our products are harvested and processed sustainably and responsibly. Now, we can maintain compliance documents for all of our suppliers, have easy access to those documents when needed and save time in the process.”

Peter Pan Seafood has established a set of criteria for regulatory, legal and financial documentation and is using an automated solution to process and evaluate each document as it comes in. This enables Peter Pan Seafood’s QA/QC team to have a granular view to compliance and food safety levels for each of its suppliers at any time, from anywhere.

“Peter Pan Seafood has continuously demonstrated its commitment to delivering the highest quality products to its customers while ensuring safety and consistency among its suppliers. They’ve called that standard their ‘North Star,’” said Randy Fields, ReposiTrak chairman and CEO.

“We’re proud to be part of their day-to-day operations and look forward to helping them to achieve even higher levels of compliance from here.”

Peter Pan Seafood and its suppliers are now a part of ReposiTrak’s more than 110,000 facility connections in 100 countries, sharing documents and data to improve supply chain safety and increase product transparency.

For more information, visit ppsf.com.

To read more seafood news from The Shelby Report, click here.

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The 2023 harvest runs through September, and is forecast to be among the top five strongest in the last 20 years, estimating a haul of around 37 million fish. This means plenty of wild sockeye salmon in restaurants and grocery stores nationwide, making this sure to be the summer of sockeye.

In 2022, Bristol Bay had the largest wild sockeye salmon harvest on record, bringing more than 60 million fish (104 percent higher than the 20-year average). While this season is unlikely to top that record, it is still anticipated to be 40 percent greater than the average annual run recorded since 1963. The flavor-packed fish is available at retailers nationwide at seafood counters or in the freezer case with many promotions running throughout the summer.

Retailers across the U.S., from national chains to regional specialty stores, are gearing up to bring fresh Bristol Bay sockeye salmon to customers this summer throughout more than 8,000 stores, coast to coast.

“We are very excited to kick off the season,” said Andy Wink, executive director of the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association. “With the harvest projected to be similar to years past, consumers can expect wild sockeye to be widely accessible and affordable for all of their summer meals and cookouts.”

Bristol Bay, Alaska is home to the largest wild salmon run on the planet and produces half of the world’s supply of wild sockeye salmon. Its six major river systems support thousands of fishermen and millions of wild sockeye salmon. The pristine environment has been the foundation for 130 years of sustainable harvesting by generations of small boat fishermen.

In 1959, Alaska became the only state to include sustainable fishing within its constitution, meaning consumers can feel good about how it’s harvested and know that all Bristol Bay sockeye salmon is wild and sustainable.

Alaska sockeye, also known as red salmon, is one of the most popular salmon species due to its deep crimson color and rich flavor. The fish is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA), which are essential for promoting heart health, suppressing inflammatory responses and improving brain function. Sockeye is also naturally high in many essential vitamins and minerals, and boasts the highest vitamin D content of any salmon species.

Wild sockeye salmon can be found fresh throughout the harvest season, as well as frozen, canned or smoked year-round. Bristol Bay fishermen often freeze the catch just after it leaves the water, locking in nutrients, maintaining quality and helping to reduce food waste.

For more information and cooking tips, visit bristolbaysockeye.org.

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This week, Olli Salumeria announced its new curing process and formula that eliminates added nitrates and nitrites, producing salami that is free of all preservatives.

Most modern salami has added nitrates and nitrites, either as a synthetic or through natural sources such as cultured celery juice powders and sea salt. These additives stabilize the product during curing, making them safe for consumption. Fueled by recent discoveries in food science, demand for “clean label” products has risen with consumers seeking minimally processed foods with natural ingredients.

“Salami making is steeped in tradition and many of our products are based on my family recipes dating back over 170 years, yet we also strive to innovate and modernize the process,” said Oliviero Colmignoli, president and founder.

“Our preservative-free formula is a breakthrough that produces a great-tasting salami which delivers on what consumers want the most – quality, clean-label products without compromise to flavor.”

Olli’s curing process eliminates nitrates or nitrites and instead relies on a simplified salt cure in combination with naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds – the same healthy compounds that doctors recommend in moderate consumption of berries, dark chocolate and red wine.

“Our preservative-free formula is proprietary but it effectively relies on antioxidants and basic salt to complete the curing process, instead of using any nitrate additives,” said Enrico Porrino, Olli Salumeria’s director of research and development and master salumiere.

“It’s a health-conscious option that still produces the same complex flavor and sweeter, less acidic taste people associate with Olli Salami.”

Olli’s new preservative-free formula debuts with the company’s Olli Salamini and Olli Salamini and Curds Snacks – a new line of salami sticks that cater to the growing trend of high-protein snacks. The company’s new preservative-free process uses emerging technology that requires a methodical approach to ensure quality and safety standards.

The company will apply this technology to its other product lines, starting with all 10 varieties of Olli Chubs and two new preservative-free sliced salami varieties in 2023, with the goal of expanding this process to its product lineup – Olli Pre-sliced Salami, Olli Bulk Salami, Olli Snack Packs and Olli Antipasto Trays.

All other salami products in Olli’s portfolio that have not yet received the preservative-free formula are still cured through a process that utilizes salt and alternative curing agents sourced from natural ingredients.

“At Olli, we believe in simplicity. We make the world’s best-tasting salami through a combination of simple ingredients, simple processes and a lot of patience,” Colmignoli said. “Our slow curing preservative-free process has been extensively tested to ensure the highest safety and quality standards in the industry, and that difference is evident in the rich flavor of our product.”

For more information on Olli Salumeria’s preservative-free salami and other product details, visit olli.com/preservativefree.

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April fresh produce sales reached $5.9 billion. “The strengthening demand for fruit in reaction to deflationary conditions is a very positive sign going into the summer months,” said Joe Watson, IFPA’s VP, retail, foodservice and wholesale.

“There is typically a lag between improvements in pricing levels at retail and strengthening demand. We certainly saw that for fruit as well. But fresh fruit has experienced positive unit and volume growth for two consecutive months now and that bodes well for continued strength going into the big summer and grilling seasons.” 

Weekly fresh produce sales averaged between $1.41 billion and $1.57 billion. “April year-over-year weekly sales comparisons were highly affected by the timing of Easter and Passover which moved forward by week,” Watson said. “This explains the sales pressure the third week of April when going up against last year’s Easter sales. 

“The difference in inflationary levels between fresh, frozen and canned is staggering,” said Jonna Parker, team lead, fresh for Circana. “The average price per pound for fresh produce was flat whereas the price per pound across frozen fruits and vegetables increased 21.3 percent between April 2022 and April 2023.”

Fresh produce pound sales had been trailing behind year ago levels since April 2021, but had seen steady improvements since the third quarter of 2022. In April, pound sales exceeded year-ago levels by 0.6 percent.

The increase in fresh produce volume sales was driven by fruit, that experienced a 2.1 percent increase in pounds sold in April compared with April 2022. Vegetables did not quite reach year-ago levels, but moved within one percentage point of the April 2022 levels. 

“Fruit sales were a mix of dollar gains and losses and a mix of unit gains and losses in April,” Parker said.

“Avocados are a perfect example of the pricing conundrum in the current marketplace. The average price per pound for avocados was down 26.6 percent in April 2023 versus April 2022. This prompted a year-on-year increase of 10.5 percent in pounds, but it meant dollar sales fell by 19 percent.” Other items with increased volume sales were melons, mandarins, pineapples and mixed fruit. 

Items with increased dollar sales in April compared with last year were berries, bananas, melons, pineapples and mixed fruit.    

“Vegetables experienced a more mixed performance in April,” Watson said. “Three items increased pound sales, being onions, peppers and cucumbers, though more managed to grow year-over-year dollar sales with the help of price increases.

The dual power of value versus convenience can be seen in sales for both lettuce and salad kits, the number three and four sellers. However, whereas lettuce grew dollar sales, salad kits’ sales decreased in both pounds and dollars. 

In April, fresh vegetables added $41.6 million in additional dollars versus April 2022 whereas total fruit lost $10 million year-over-year. 

Berries were the biggest contributor to new produce dollars, followed by potatoes, melons and lettuce. Melons increased on the combination of inflation and increased demand, whereas the additional dollars for berries, potatoes and lettuce were inflationary gains.

While the meat department had the highest sales in April at $6.5 billion, produce was in second. While the meat department experienced a decline in dollar sales, the produce department was the only one to achieve dollar and unit growth versus April 2022 levels. 

For more produce news from The Shelby Report, click here.

The post Consumers Increase Produce Purchases Due To Favorable Prices appeared first on Shelby Report.

Eardley recently reflected on his years in the industry and his plans for retirement.

Growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Eardley worked at his father’s small supermarket when he was young. While in college, he began working part-time with D&W Food Centers in Grand Rapids. That job led to an almost 30-year career with the company.

His boss at D&W asked Eardley to take over the deli. Even though Eardley said he didn’t know much about the department at that time, his boss recognized his love of food. “He said, delis and bakeries need to take care of a customer need…so we really started focusing on what the customer need was that we were filling and how did we do that.”

Eardley recalled how the late Carol Christison, then president of IDDBA, took him in the mid-1990s to San Antonio for a retail management forum and introduced him to H-E-B. When D&W was sold, H-E-B reached out and asked him to come to Texas. There, he served as director of deli, cheese and prepared foods. 

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Eardley served on the board of directors for IDDBA. Christison died in March 2014, and the board began a search for her replacement. Two board members contacted Eardley and asked for input as to what to look for when hiring a new president. 

He put together a position paper on six influencers, or foundational elements, that he saw as changing the industry: food safety, consolidation, technology, competition, lack of young people seeking jobs in the industry and building a sense of community and connection. After reading his paper, the board asked Eardley to interview for the position. “They agreed with what my vision was and hired me.”

Beginning his new role in August 2014, he said the first thing he did was “to learn.” He sat down and talked with every staff member, from receptionist to vice president. He brought back the association’s long-range planning committee to help define IDDBA’s role going forward.

After looking internally and externally, they came to realize that buyers and sellers intersect around food. 

Eardley said he often talks about bakeries and delis being less about products and more about customization to customer needs. “We give you that opportunity to customize the product mix – what you need – instead of telling if you want this, you have to buy this.”

IDDBA is “an essential resource and a leader to enable those buyers and sellers to align. And if they’re aligned, then we can deliver those relevant solutions to the consumer to fill their needs. We help them find the answer to their needs.”

As IDDBA has evolved over the years, Eardley said changing the show to become customer focused, making it easy to shop and have conversations was important, along with providing education and relevant information to members.

“I feel great that we’ve moved those things forward.”

The COVID-19 pandemic and two years of no IDDBA Show and no revenue was one of his most difficult challenges. “We had to focus very much on how are we going to hold ourselves together so that we can fill the needs of the industry as we come back together. I think we were able to do that.”

He said IDDBA staff has “done a phenomenal job” working alongside the board of directors and to achieve the long-range planning goals. 

“It’s a challenge. It’s managing through change, but I think those things that challenge you make you stronger in the end. I firmly believe that Dave [Haaf, new president and CEO] and the leaders that are here are going to be able to come back around.”

While he can’t predict the future, Eardley said he believes the areas of deli and bakery need more networking, not less, adding it is “very necessary to still get the industry together in one place.” 

Consolidation of companies, new technology and increased competition are bringing different people to the show now.

“I think that IDDBA is uniquely positioned to bring the people together to find solutions for the evolving industry.”

Eardley said the association is focused on attracting young people to the industry, whether through scholarships or bringing students to the show floor. This year, a group of culinary students from Los Angeles will be working in the What’s In Store Live area.

“They’ll see our show floor, and they’ll have time to have conversations and networking opportunities with the exhibitors and retailers. They’ll be able to see how the work comes together in the supermarket world. And we’re hoping that some of those culinary students are going to say, you know, this is a much better opportunity for our future than working in a restaurant.”

Noting that a number of his contemporaries are retiring, Eardley said “it’s pretty necessary that we bring new, free thinkers who can really take our focus of taking care of a customer with needs for higher quality food and take them to a whole other level.”

Eardley, who describes himself as focused on lifelong learning, said he is looking at retirement as a career choice. He has a three-ring binder, separated into sections – needs, wants, desires and directions. He has a bookcase filled with books he has wanted to read over the years but “never had the time to do it the right way.” He wants to devote time to reading, exercising, relaxing, volunteering and staying in contact with people who can challenge his thoughts and ideas.

“If you don’t challenge yourself, you’re going to get old and you’re not going to be happy. I hope to have conversations, and I hope that somebody decides that I can help them, whether it’s my ideas, my knowledge, my skill sets. I would hope that somebody could see that value to their work. Whether it’s a phone call or whether it’s a consulting gig, I’m wide open to that as long as it’s positive for me and positive for them.”

Eardley will miss the staff and board of directors at IDDBA and all the people who have helped him to learn, grow and evolve over the years.

“That’s why I have that call section in my book. I don’t ever want to lose those connections with all the people that are out there. It’s pretty amazing how many people do so much and stay so connected in this industry.”

Eardley will be recognized at a celebration for his retirement at 6 p.m. June 5 at the IDDBA Show.

For more information, visit iddba.org.

To read Eardley’s retirement announcement shared by The Shelby Report, click here.

The post Outgoing IDDBA Executive Readies For Retirement After Show appeared first on Shelby Report.

Hershey’s Kisses Milklicious chocolates build on the permanent Kisses portfolio. The candy is wrapped in light-blue foils that are adorned with glasses of milk.

“Inspired by the special tastes of childhood, Hershey’s Kisses Milklicious candies feature a rich and creamy chocolate milk filling that is guaranteed to add a bit of delight to any time of day, and unlock fond memories of drinking chocolate milk for the whole family,” said Katie DeCapria, brand manager.

“We’re excited to bring Kisses brand fans the chance to enjoy a filled product variation year-round.”

The candies are available in 9-ounce share bags.

The Hershey Co. is a snacks company with about 19,000 employees around the world who work with more than 100 brand names in 80 countries. The company’s brand names include Hershey’s, Reese’s, Kit Kat, Jolly Rancher and Ice Breakers, and salty snacks including SkinnyPop, Pirate’s Booty and Dot’s Pretzels. 

To learn more, visit thehersheycompany.com.

For more candy and snacks news from The Shelby Report, click here.

The candy company also recently unveiled new research highlighting how shoppers in 2023 are making candy purchase choices based on the occasion and their physical, mental and emotional needs. To read more about the company’s research into better-for-you candy porfolios presented by The Shelby Report, click here.

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