Best Practices For Fall Merchandising

A changing season provides ample opportunity to drive sales with changeups in produce.

Fall offers an opportune chance to promote produce.

Yoke’s Fresh Markets in Spokane, WA, with 19 stores, is motivated to merchandise fall items. “Come fall, people are looking for a transition,” says Jim Sullivan, produce merchandiser. “People are spending more time at home, so we really embrace the change into the local fall items. We want to take the energized fall feeling in the air and put it into our produce department.”

“Enhancing displays with targeted promotional and merchandising strategies can invigorate the appeal of fall produce,” adds Mark Cotê, regional produce supervisor for Redner’s Markets in Reading, PA, with 44 stores.

By highlighting seasonal offerings and creating an inviting atmosphere, retailers can capitalize on consumer interest in fall produce, driving both visibility and sales, Cotê says. “Creative signage, thematic decorations, and strategic placement of merchandise can attract and engage customers, potentially leading to increased sales.”

At Highland Park Market in Farmington, CT, with three stores, fall in New England is one of the best times of the year to use strong merchandising to boost sales, according to Brian Gibbons, produce director.

“Both inside and outside sales are great that time of year,” he says. “We strongly push locally grown apples, pears, apple cider, cranberries, concord grapes, pumpkins, gourds, mums and hard squashes.”

Fall provides a new lineup for the department to focus on — more potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, all types of squash, mushrooms, celery and carrots, says Kathleen Triou, president and chief executive of Fresh Solutions Network in Newport Beach, CA. “These are the building blocks of satisfying stews, soups, casseroles and slow cooker meals, as well as fan favorite side dishes.”

Fall is one of the absolute best times to promote and sell produce, agrees Vic Savanello, vice president of produce merchandising and business development at Katzman Distribution in Burlington, NJ.

“Great fall crops, such as local jacket cauliflower and long-stem broccoli, come to mind immediately, not to mention all the varieties of hard squashes,” he says. “Brussels sprouts jump in sales dramatically. Easy snacking items for the lunchbox also become a big part of our merchandising plan.”

FOCUS ON FALL

Stores are encouraged to keep fall merchandising about fall. “The commodities and categories fall offers are second to none, and making a statement with merchandising will drive sales and create the experience customers are looking for,” says Brian Dey, senior merchandiser and natural stores coordinator at Four Seasons Produce in Ephrata, PA.

“The commodities and categories fall offers are second to none, and making a statement with merchandising will drive sales and create the experience customers are looking for.”
— Brian Dey, Four Seasons Produce, Ephrata, PA

“Keep displays and promotions centered around fall commodities,” Dey adds. “Although there are normally still good supplies of stone fruit available, promotions and larger displays of fruit should be geared toward fall.”

To keep fall merchandising practices vibrant, retailers should innovate with seasonal themes, colors, and displays resonating with customers, advises Cotê.

“Introducing new recipes, highlighting local produce, and leveraging sustainable packaging can enhance appeal,” he says. “By staying attuned to consumer preferences and market trends, retailers can continually refresh their approach, ensuring the produce department remains engaging and profitable each fall.”

Best practices include using display bins, themed displays, creative arrangements and cross-merchandising, says Audrey Desnoyers, director of business development and key account management for Oppy in Seattle, WA. “Display bins attract attention and add color. For example, our 2024 Ocean Spray-branded cranberry bins are sure to catch the eye and feature our amazing growers.”

Bright, vibrant, easy-to-see displays are best, says Chad Hackenbracht, president of Tastee Apple in Newcomerstown, OH. “We have seen our full-print digital display bottoms work great on our gourmet chocolate apple program,” he says.

A unique, multi-product, eye-catching display dedicated to a specific holiday or shopping season can drive sales increases, says Bil Goldfield, director of corporate communications for Dole Food Co. in Charlotte, NC. “A striking produce display of clean, well-organized, perfectly ripe fruits and vegetables alongside other complementary products is bound to get noticed.”

Yoke’s tries to motivate its stores to be more creative inside the stores. “We do contests for visible, creative apple and pear displays,” says Sullivan. “We’ll send out a big promotion to the stores to get them excited about doing something.”

COMMUNICATE WITH CUSTOMERS

Stores should not assume shoppers know about fall items. “Signs in key fall commodity categories touting nutritional messaging, providing new recipes or usage ideas catch the eye of the shopper and give them new ideas for how to use classic ingredients,” says Triou.

Use displays to educate shoppers on how to decorate and use the product at home, suggests Lindsey Lance, director of marketing for Bay Baby Produce in Mount Vernon, WA. “A display can be as simple as a mock tablescape or porch-scape.”

Oppy’s online tactics help communicate. “We use banner ads, digital coupons, and recipes to merchandise in this space,” says Desnoyer. “Digital coupons provide an extra incentive for consumers and tend to have good redemption rates. Seasonal recipes, especially during this time when people are spending more time indoors, are a great way to inspire cooking and baking with a range of products.”

QR codes from The Giumarra Companies in Los Angeles, CA, facilitate direct access for consumers to its dedicated Lemonade apple and persimmon websites. They also collaborate with key retail partners on digital coupon campaigns, says Gary Caloroso, regional business development director. “The key lies in developing comprehensive omnichannel marketing strategies for these products.”

Michigan Apples has a robust social media presence that has grown significantly over the past decade. “With our focus on reaching and engaging with consumers online, we can provide information, resources and solutions to our target audience,” says Diane Smith, executive director of Michigan Apple Committee in Lansing, MI.

Stores can look to suppliers for support. “We love sending our teams of field merchandising specialists out to our customers’ stores to help create displays,” says Savanello, of Katzman Distribution. “We love training and guiding our customers, who appreciate that extra bit of salesmanship and merchandising expertise.”

CAPITALIZE ON HOLIDAYS

Fall offers a plethora of special occasions for merchandising: back-to-school, tailgate parties, harvest festivals, Halloween and Thanksgiving, says Dole’s Goldfield.

Fall offers many special occasions for merchandising: back-to-school, tailgate parties, harvest festivals, Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is the biggest produce holiday of the year, and it’s imperative to have all the customer needs in stock and ready to go, Four Seasons’ Dey says.

“Hard goods, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions and hard squashes, will be at the top of shoppers’ lists. Celery, cranberries, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, mushrooms, and herbs are also staple Thanksgiving items that should have front-and-center attention and placement in your department.”

Holidays are a prime time to showcase the versatility of pomegranates and different usage occasions, according to Jennifer Hirano, vice president of marketing for POM Wonderful in Los Angeles, CA.

“Consumers are looking for unique culinary ingredients to spruce up meals such as salads, smoothies, yogurt and charcuterie boards or as a festive garnish for holiday cocktails,” she says. “POM Arils are a great replacement for summer berries, and with some great antioxidant health benefits. We typically see use of POM Arils and POM Juice during key fall holidays such as Rosh Hashanah, Halloween and Thanksgiving.”

Rosh Hashanah is celebrated in early October, so nice displays of apples and pomegranates, with honey tie-ins will boost sales in areas with more Jewish shoppers, advises Dey. “The wet rack will also be a destination point for this holiday, with commodities including spinach, beets, leeks, chards, and carrots on the top of shopping lists,” he says.

Savanello recommends targeting Halloween party entertaining. “Halloween has turned into one of the biggest celebrating holidays of the year, and we, as an industry, can capitalize on this occasion even more,” he says.

JAZZ apples’ thematic Halloween promotion provides creative display bins featuring apple jack-o’-lanterns. “These significantly boosted sales by engaging children and parents looking for fun, healthy snacks during this time,” says Desnoyers.

SPOTLIGHT APPLES AND PEARS

Apples and pears should be highlighted in grand fashion, says Dey.

“A large apple display in early fall is not only a draw, but an opportunity to build basket size,” he says. “With apples at the core (pun intended) of your displays, building basket growth with tie-ins and impulse-sale opportunities are endless. Think apple cider, apple pie shells, caramel and peanut butter dips, just to name a few. These are great ways to increase sales, not only for your department, but the entire store.”

Effective merchandising is crucial in driving increased sales of apples, says Giumarra’s Caloroso. “We offer a range of merchandising tools, such as display bins, grower stories, sign toppers, floor decals, and more, specifically designed to enhance the visibility of our apples in retail displays,” he says. “Our consumer-oriented website includes recipes and product information and is accessible via QR codes featured on in-store signage.”

Retailers can capitalize on apples by creating attractive displays, offering promotions, and educating customers about different apple varieties, suggests Marcus Albinder, operations manager at Hudson River Fruit Distributors in Milton, NY.

“Design visually captivating, seasonally themed displays strategically placed in high-traffic areas,” he says. “They should emphasize apple varieties with clear labeling and engage customers through interactive features such as sampling stations and recipe cards.”

Every year in October, Yoke’s does an Applepalooza promotion. “We focus on five apple varieties,” says Sullivan. “We do an 88-count apple in totes, partnering with a local supplier out of Wenatchee. Then, we also offer the apples by the pound at a really low price. Over that one week, we probably sell more apples than we normally sell in a month. A crucial point though is to have quality apples in the tote. You want customers to be happy and repeat the purchase.”

In addition to standard apples, Yoke’s sources gourmet “covered” apples from a local specialty company. “We carry four different varieties, from caramel to dark and white chocolate,” says Sullivan. “We run those all the way to Thanksgiving. They give us extra sales.”

Jason Bushong, Giumarra general manager in Wenatchee, WA, says, during the fall, they feature their exclusive Lemonade apples in partnership with their domestic growers: Apple King from Washington state and Rice Fruit Company from Pennsylvania.

“We provide compelling, personalized marketing strategies, comprehensive in-store and online merchandising support, and tailored programs aimed at sustaining consumer interest,” he says.

Bundling items has proven successful in the past. For example, Katzman worked with stores to cross-merchandise bagged apples, half-gallon apple cider and a fresh-baked doughnut package. “The key to the promotion was to retail all three items at the same price as ‘three for’ (3/$X),” says Savanello.

DON’T OVERLOOK STAPLES

New options in potatoes, pumpkins and squash can drive sales and excitement in these staple fall items. In the height of the holiday season, potatoes should be especially well-stocked, stresses Triou of Fresh Solutions Network.

“This should include a full assortment across bulk, bagged, microwave, and value-added options,” she says. “Convenience is still king during the fall when families are running kids to school, to/from after school sports, and working. So products such as our Side Delights Steamables, Bakeables, and our newest convenience item, Amazables!, are family favorites.”

Pumpkin and gourd assortment creates visual appeal and increased sales opportunity. Yoke’s brings in a huge variety of pumpkins. “We don’t have just orange pumpkins,” says Sullivan. “Our supplier gives us a huge variety, including Cinderella and Ghost. We build big displays of these out front to give our stores a different look.”

Bay Baby’s Lance suggests mixing up fall ornamental pumpkins with painted pumpkins, as well as mums, sunflowers and other fall floral items. “Keep your finger on the pulse for new innovative items, since calling out ‘new’ can catch the attention of the consumer,” she says. “Our new Exclusive Licensed NFL and College painted pumpkins can give a produce or floral department a boost in sales for any big football weekend. This product opens another stream of revenue.”

HIGHLIGHT SPECIALTIES

Additional items, such as cranberries, chestnuts, persimmons, pomegranates, herbs and even bananas, can add flair and ring to fall sales. Fresh pomegranate season kicks off in October. “Throughout the fall and leading up to the season, we highlight the seasonality of the fruit —consumers only get to enjoy fresh pomegranates for a short time, so that supply and demand helps promote,” says POM’s Hirano. “It’s a ‘get it before it’s gone’ mentality.”

To help educate new and existing consumers, POM includes POS and QR codes on bins, with everything from recipes to how-to-open videos.

Pomegranate demand seems to grow every year, says Savanello. “At Katzman, we’ve made this fruit more accessible to consumers by launching Bloom Fresh pom aril cups, with a spoon conveniently placed under the lid, making it a great grab-and-go snacking item,” he says. “We also carry a 2.2-pound foodservice bag. It’s been creating a lot of excitement for us.”

For whole pomegranates, POM has found displays are the best driver of trials. “Fresh pomegranates are typically purchased on impulse, so having a strong display section at the front of the produce section is a great way to optimize sales,” says Hirano.

Persimmons are ideally suited for Halloween and Thanksgiving festivities, due to their vibrant orange color, according to Giumarra’s Caloroso. “We have developed recipes, such as our savory persimmon prosciutto bites and oven-dried persimmon chips, that consumers can enjoy at Halloween parties,” he says. “For Thanksgiving celebrations, our smoky persimmon and butternut squash soup recipe offers a flavorful and comforting addition to the dinner table.”

Fall is also chestnut season. “Chestnuts evoke creativity when it comes to display,” says Rick Feighery, vice president of sales for Procacci Brothers Sales Corporation in Philadelphia, PA. “We suggest gravitating toward endcaps, but product should be refrigerated. They dehydrate quickly if not refrigerated. They are often put with nuts, but shouldn’t be — they’re more of a fruit than a nut.”

Procacci offers chestnut roasting machines to customers. “Stores get the fragrance of roasting chestnuts in the lobby, which permeates everything and increases sales,” says Feighery. “It’s also important to ensure POS is available to educate customers on how to properly roast chestnuts at home.”

Another key fall item is cranberries. “This is the quintessential fall fruit for holiday recipes and decoration,” says Oppy’s Desnoyers. “Avoid placing fresh cranberries on wet racks. Instead, keep them dry near berries and grapes or in display bins during holiday weeks to ensure fast-moving sales.”

Ocean Spray’s Thanksgiving cranberry promotion includes large display bins with interactive features, which Desnoyers says has increased visibility and higher sales.

Yoke’s Sullivan notes the importance of sufficient supply during Thanksgiving, especially for herbs and cranberries. “One of our biggest issues is getting stores to order enough product, particularly herbs,” he says. “If you run out, shoppers will go to another store. I’d rather be long on these than lose customers to another store.”

Holidays are especially good for merchandising fruit baskets. Feighery explains that 95% of fruit basket sales are from the 10 days before Thanksgiving until after Christmas. “Fruit baskets are all about visible displays and keeping the product looking good.”

In addition to the obvious fall produce choices, Goldfield recommends added emphasis on bananas, given the fruit’s association with back-to-school and snacking.

“Savvy retailers and produce managers can leverage the banana’s staying power by leaning into the fruit’s premium nutrition story, classic taste, low-unit price, and unsurpassed value as a healthier, economical alternative to breakfast and energy bars, snack foods, post-workout recovery sports drinks and just about everything in-between,” he says.