Promoting Tailgating Favorites in Produce

Guerrilla merchandising inside and outside the department lifts game-day sales.

Tailgating remains a key sales driver for fall and winter produce sales. Effective merchandising techniques, including proper display planning and cross-department promotions, can encourage shoppers to place more produce items in their baskets.

“Tailgating has become a beloved seasonal tradition, and its food-centric nature creates many promotional opportunities for the produce industry,” says Susie McKinley, director of the Division of Marketing and Development, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), Tallahassee, FL.

“Tailgating has become a beloved seasonal tradition, and its food-centric nature creates many promotional opportunities for the produce industry. Each week, football fans search for fresh inspiration for what to bring to their next tailgate.”

— Susie McKinley, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Tallahassee, FL

While tailgating has traditionally centered on heavy foods, including chips, wings, burgers and alcohol, retailers can capitalize on the mammoth seasonal occasion by placing fresh produce in a starring role. Avocados and party trays are naturals for such displays, but other produce, including sweet onions, watermelon and pistachios, remain essential game-day items.

FOOTBALL FRENZY

As Harps Food Stores operates in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee and Kentucky, tailgating promotions are important to its more than 100 stores that are in the middle of football country.

“Tailgating items are very important to produce sales because produce fits naturally into football food,” says Mike Roberts, director of produce operations for the Springdale, AR-based chain. “Fall football brings families, friends and communities together, and food is a big part of that. For supermarkets, it creates strong weekly opportunities around snacks, grilling, dips, trays and easy meal solutions.”

Avocados are one of the biggest opportunities for Harps, especially when tied in with guacamole ingredients and dips. Tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, peppers, potatoes, corn, celery, baby carrots, veggie trays, salsa, dips and cut fruit all play a role.

“Tailgating is no longer just about the traditional chip-and-dip mindset; it’s an evolution toward healthier eating habits,” says Joe Nava, vice president of sales and business development for West Pak Avocado, Murrieta, CA. “Avocados are at the heart of this shift, offering consumers the fresh, heart-healthy ingredients they crave to elevate their tailgating experience.”

Tailgating offers a massive opportunity for the produce department to pivot from traditional summer merchandising into a highly lucrative tailgating season, says Stephanie Barlow, senior director of communications for the National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB), Orlando, FL.

“Shoppers increasingly want flexibility,” she says. “They still enjoy traditional game-day foods, but they’re looking for lighter options that don’t sacrifice flavor. Fresh produce helps balance heavier

SEASONAL SHINE

“Tailgating is an important seasonal opportunity for the produce industry because it gives retailers a reason to make fresh products part of a high-traffic, high-energy shopping occasion,” says Tara Murray, vice president of marketing for ¡Yo Quiero!, a Rhome, TX-based dip maker.

“For produce departments, that creates a strong opportunity to drive sales through fresh dips like guacamole and salsa, fresh-cut vegetables and fruit trays,” she adds. “When retailers merchandise these items together as a complete tailgating solution, they make it easier for shoppers to build the party in one stop and increase the opportunity for impulse and incremental purchases.”

Sports and food bring people together, says Diana Salsa, vice president of marketing for The Wonderful Co., Delano, CA, which experiences sales lifts in its pistachios during tailgating season.

“Tailgating and football season are important occasions for the produce industry because it brings consumers together through snacking, sports, and entertainment.”

— Diana Salsa, The Wonderful Co., Delano, CA

“Retailers can promote tailgating items by leaning into the excitement and energy of the football season,” says Salsa.

“Consumers are already shopping with game-day occasions in mind, so incorporating seasonal signage, themed displays, and dedicated football promotions can help capture attention and inspire purchases.”

With heightened consumer interest in health, fresh produce items in tailgating events make sense.

“Produce has the potential to be a strong sale due to health concerns, salads, fruit and veggie platter — they make for a family-friendly environment,” says Robert Schueller, director of public relations for Melissa’s/World Variety Produce, in Vernon, CA.

CONSIDER OTHER ITEMS

While sweet onions might not be the first produce item that comes to mind when shoppers think of tailgating, game-day occasions provide a prime showcase to highlight their versatility. From homemade guacamole, salsa, and onion dip, to iconic sides, like onion rings and fresh toppings for burgers and brats, sweet onions work well in many dishes, says John Shuman, president and chief executive officer, Shuman Farms, Reidsville, GA.

“Tailgating provides great opportunities for fresh-forward merchandising and cross-promotions throughout the fall and winter months,” he says. “It’s no secret that tailgating items are major sales drivers during the fall and winter months.”

Retailers must carefully consider their displays, and to truly capitalize on the tailgating season, “retailers should move beyond basic fruit placement and instead create an avocado destination,” says West Pak Avocado’s Nava.

“By prioritizing grab-and-go convenience and offering a variety of bag sizes and fruit ripeness, coupled with catchy, high-traffic displays, retailers can meet consumers exactly where they are. Success isn’t just about stocking the shelf; it’s about strategizing supply, offering ready-to-eat ripeness, and cross-merchandising with other guacamole and grilling ingredients to simplify the shopping journey ahead of any game-day event.”

The most effective displays are large, eye-catching, and ideally at the front and center of the department, says Shuman.

“We suggest that our retail partners utilize onions to anchor tailgating displays, given their versatility and position as a key ingredient in a variety of different appetizers and sides,” he says. “Merchandising sweet onions alongside high affinity items and tailgating favorites builds baskets.”

BOLD FLAVORS DESIRED

The most popular tailgating items are those that are easy to dip, top, share, and add to a larger spread. Guacamole continues to be a game-day staple, along with salsa, queso, bean dips and vegetable trays, says Murray.

“We’re seeing strong interest in bold, layered flavors that still feel approachable,” she says. “Shoppers want familiar formats, but they also want something that feels new. That makes items like jalapeño dips, roasted salsas, Hatch chile flavors, candied jalapeños and authentic Mexican-inspired recipes especially relevant.”

Retailers are increasingly creating one-stop tailgating destinations by merchandising around the tailgating theme, rather than individual categories, says Salsa.

“Displays that tap into the excitement of football season and make game-day shopping easy tend to perform best,” she says. “Dynamic displays and eye-catching point-of-sale (POS) materials can help drive visibility and impulse purchases as consumers stock up for tailgates and watch parties. Consumers are shopping with a specific event in mind, so displays should clearly communicate game-day relevance and inspire consumers to stock up for tailgates and watch parties.”

BOOSTING OTHER STORE ITEMS

Cross-promotions in the produce department and beyond serve as great tools for driving sales by increasing basket size. They create valuable meal solutions for busy consumers and often inspire trialing of items that shoppers might not typically purchase.

“The best approach is to merchandise by occasion, not just by item,” recommends Harps’ Roberts. “Customers are shopping for burgers, guacamole, snack trays, dips, and grilling items, so we need to make those connections easy.”

Placing a secondary bin of whole watermelons in the beverage aisle next to beverages and mixers with a sign for “Watermelon Kegs” encourages shoppers to hollow out the watermelon as a natural drink dispenser. Similarly, spot-merchandising whole melons in the meat department near charcoal and ribs highlights water-melon’s smoky compatibility for grilling or as a refreshing side dish, advises NWPB’s Barlow.

“Cross-merchandising by occasion rather than department makes shopping easier,” she says.

FDACS works closely with retailers to promote Florida-grown produce. To meet demand for Fresh From Florida produce, which ships during the fall and winter, FDACS shares seasonal, tailgate-friendly recipes throughout the tailgating season with its more than 1.5 million social media followers.

“Cross-promotions are a great way to promote Florida produce through building the elements of a full dish, like crisp Florida vegetable garden wraps made with Florida peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, lemon, arugula, cream cheese and sandwich wraps, setting the customer up for success in gathering all the ingredients,” says McKinley.