Retailers should inspire shoppers to get creative in their salad fixings.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

Summer and salads go together. Witness the rise in the share of discussions across social media, menus and recipes for “summer salads” that starts between March and April, peaks in July, and returns to baseline by the end of October, according to Tastewise.io, an AI-powered consumer data platform for food and beverage brands, based in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Getting in shape for bathing suit season is one reason why some shoppers have salads on their minds.

“Health-conscious young adults, leading the ‘food as medicine’ movement, are turning to salads for their versatility and customizability. Salads burst with fresh, seasonal ingredients, offering endless flavor combinations and going far beyond the side dish,” says Kyla Oberman, director of marketing for California Giant Berry Farms in Watsonville, CA.

“We have found a shift for berries to be incorporated throughout salads rather than just sprinkled on top as a garnish or topping. For example, berries can be tossed with leafy greens or cooked and/or used as an ingredient in dressings.”

A second recurring trend, propelled whenever there is a rise in the cost of dining out, is the consumer’s desire to make chef-inspired, restaurant-quality salads at home.

“High-end ingredients have never been more accessible, and shoppers are more frequently using specialty produce items to add sophistication to summer salads,” says Matt Hiltner, marketing manager for Babé Farms Specialties in Santa Maria, CA. “Beyond bagged salad kits, we see an increased willingness from consumers to use fresh components like baby head lettuce, colorful bunched carrots, and specialty radishes in their salads.”

Third, there’s the simple DIY desire to custom-make a salad rather than pouring it out of a bag.

“Many of our shoppers are passionate about creating salads from scratch,” says Jeff Salchenberg, produce program and category manager for New Seasons Market, a 21-store chain headquartered in Portland, OR. “The summer season offers the perfect opportunity for us to encourage them to explore the fresh, local, and vibrant produce available.”

While consumer interest in health, restaurant quality, and customization are top reasons retailers should take time and effort to promote a summer salad theme, the real payoff comes in two ways. First, inspire shoppers to get creative in their salad fixings. Second, make it easy for them to build their basket with salad ingredients.

“Salads start as an empty canvas,” says Alex Jackson, vice president of sales and procurement for Frieda’s Branded Produce in Los Alamitos, CA. “Show shoppers, it’s all about experimenting.”

1. START WITH THE LEAVES

The popularity of Caesar salad has made romaine a favorite green.

“We have a product called Mediterranean Hearts. It’s a combination of two stalks of romaine and one of treviso in a 1-pound pack, ready to chop and enjoy in a salad,” says Bruce Klein, director of marketing for Maurice A. Auerbach Inc., in Secaucus, NJ.

Think beyond typical leafy salad greens like romaine, iceberg, baby spinach and spring mix, says Robert Schueller, director of public relations for Melissa’s/World Variety Produce, in Vernon, CA. “Radicchio, watercress, baby arugula and Belgian endive have increased in sales.”

Endive is a leaf that requires education, according to David Moen, sales manager for California Endive Farms in Rio Vista, CA. “It’s a great item that fills the gap between lettuce and celery. The leaves can carry ingredients like blue cheese and walnuts or be used instead of tortillas to make a keto-friendly nachos salad. The white and red make it stand out on the shelf in a sea of green.”

The company grows red and white endive, conventional and organic, year-round.

“Our ripe local tomatoes and radishes are options for customers looking for fresh, colorful additions to their crisp, summer leafy green salads,” says New Seasons Market’s Salchenberg.

2. THINK OUTSIDE THE SALAD BOWL

Leafy greens have long been the focus when it comes to bountiful salads. However, Babé Farms Specialties’ Hiltner says, “We have noticed a shift in mindset in recent years to where lettuce is not required in a salad, can even take a back seat, or removed altogether. Instead, other veggies have been taking center stage on salads.”

Hiltner says these include root vegetables like raw baby beets, specialty radishes, and colorful carrots shaved, coined, or julienned for a salad. Shaved fennel adds a fresh, licorice-like flavor profile and aroma to a salad. Fennel fronds can also be incorporated into a salad for added flavor or aesthetically pleasing garnish. Whether shaved, matchstick, or julienne cut, kohlrabi adds crunch no matter how you slice it.

“Grilled vegetables can be added to salads to create a vibrant and appealing plate, making it more fun and attractive for kids,” recommends Randee Perea, marketing coordinator for Prime Time International in La Quinta, CA. “Asparagus is known as a grill item, but we want to also have it be incorporated in salads and not just as a stand-alone item.”

According to Noah Robbins, chief executive officer and founder of Ark Foods, in Brooklyn, NY, grilled shishito peppers also add flavor to a salad. “Our selection of peppers, which range from mild to spicy, can also be a great addition to coleslaw, potato, and macaroni salads.”

The company grows and sells serrano, cubanelle, jalapeño, poblano, and Hungarian wax peppers.

3. DON’T FORGET FRUIT

“We are always looking for a way to encourage our customers to add fresh Oregon berries to their mixed greens, with perhaps some nuts to add some crunch,” says New Seasons Market’s Salchenberg.

Similarly, California Giant Berry Farms is seeing a rise in salads featuring flavors worldwide. “Think fattoush salads with fresh berries, Mediterranean barley salad with pickled blackberries and blueberries, and strawberry caprese salad,” says Oberman. “The global inspiration found in these salads also drives the demand for other items in the produce department, as many of their ingredients haven’t been considered a mainstay in the more traditional salad.”

Fresh strawberries can double the basket’s total value, adds Oberman. When strawberries are included, the basket value increases by an average of 49%, according to Fusion/IRI 52-week data ending Jan. 1, 2023.

Employ the excitement of in-season fruit to encourage shoppers to buy more to prepare, as well as eat out of hand, recommends Brianna Shales, marketing director for Stemilt Growers LLC, in Wenatchee, WA.

“Cosmic crisp apples won’t brown once cut and work well in a salad. Cherries are a fruit that is still seasonal, and customers want to enjoy as much as they can during this short window. Peaches and nectarines can mix and match with other fruits in salads.”

Dragon fruit is also in season during the summer.

“Cut and combine our yellow Honey Dragons, red Fire Dragons, and white Snow Dragons for a refreshing salad,” recommends Frieda’s Branded Produce’s Jackson.

4. BUILD A SALAD DESTINATION

Cross-merchandising in-store and out-of-store is one of the easiest and most effective ways to get shoppers to pick up multiple ingredients for a summer salad.

“We suggest retailers create a designated area in the produce section for summer salads. This could be a table or endcap that features fresh ingredients with recipe inspiration located nearby that’s easily visible to consumers. We also encourage cross-merchandising products, such as mini displays of berries next to packaged salads or placing whole head lettuce with berries,” says Oberman.

Salad toppers, like Diamond Foods’ February 2024-launched Crunchy Nut Toppers, are an ideal tie-in to cross-merchandise with salad ingredients. The plant-based product features walnuts, pecans, and seasonings and comes in four flavors, including bacon-free Smoky Bacon Walnuts, dairy-free Garden Ranch Walnuts, Glazed Walnuts and Glazed Pecans.

“A 2022 survey found that the average American eats salad four times per week, and about 70% of salad eaters state no salad is complete without toppings. Our new Crunchy Nut Toppers were a response to the need for new salad topping options that were a better-for-you alternative to popular options like croutons and bacon bits,” says Doug Kozlow, senior marketing manager of Diamond Foods, in Stockton, CA.

One challenge when merchandising around a summer salad theme may be getting that point across to shoppers. One idea is a recipe card via QR code next to the produce display, recommends Babé Farms Specialties’ Hiltner. “To remain current, this QR code should be updated according to the season. In the summertime, for example, a colorful and refreshing beet salad recipe could be loaded onto a QR code next to the display of Babé Farms red, golden and striped beets.”

Retailers can encourage multi-ingredient purchases by sampling demos featuring the final dish. In June, California Endive Farms hosted manned demos at two Raley’s locations where the retailer’s signature Golden State Chicken Salad was served on white and red endive leaves.

Raley’s is a West Sacramento, CA-based chain that operates 121 grocery stores including Raley’s, Raley’s ONE Markets, Bel Air Markets, Nob Hill Foods, Food Source and Sak N’Save.

“Sometimes, the best way to market a food product is through its taste and quality, especially if it’s unfamiliar to consumers,” says Faith Garrard, executive director for fresh at Raley’s. “Endives are crisp and deliciously bitter when enjoyed raw. They pair beautifully with creamy, savory toppings like chicken salad. As the summer heats up, people are searching for easy, refreshing meals, which makes this combination perfect for a quick, nutritious option or a wonderful addition to a backyard barbecue.”

Providing consumers with recipe inspiration before they go shopping is key.

“We recently partnered with the California Walnut Commission in a social media giveaway that positioned California Giant Berry Farms strawberries and blueberries, with California Walnuts as a summer staple — featuring a beautiful salad graphic to inspire consumption. This promotion drew significant consumer engagement,” says California Giant Berry Farms’ Oberman.

Lastly, one way to turn a summer salad promotion into a year-round basket builder is to make it easy for customers to buy ingredients while they look at retailers’ website recipes. The Fresh Market, a 161-store chain headquartered in Greensboro, NC, is a master at this.

For example, there are online recipes for a Watermelon and Peach Summertime Salad and a Summer Panzanella Salad. One click on each ingredient adds watermelon, peaches, lime, jalapeños, fresh mint, garlic, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and fresh basil to their cart.

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Salad Dressings Are Basket Builders 

Salad ingredients plus salad dressings are as natural for basket builders for the produce department.

The produce staff at New Seasons Market enjoy sharing inspiration with its customers. This is especially true when it comes to salad and dressing combos.

“To inspire our customers, we regularly showcase pairing suggestions with signage highlighting the combinations of flavors found in our locally sourced produce. For example, we might pair Yakama Nation asparagus with one of our Partner Brand salad dressings and freshly grated Parmesan,” says Jeff Salchenberg, produce program and category manager for the 21-store chain headquartered in Portland, OR.

“Premium refrigerated salad dressings build incremental sales throughout the entire produce department. That’s because when a customer purchases it, especially one like ours, it inspires them to buy all the additional ingredients for a salad that will pair perfectly with that particular dressing,” says Justin Kane, who heads creative, marketing, and branding for Cindy’s Kitchen, based in Brockton, MA.

The company’s newest salad dressing is its 11-ounce Avocado Lime Ranch, made with 100% premium avocado oil. Cindy’s Kitchen is launching this item exclusively with Sprouts Farmers Market, a 400-plus store chain headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, from July through October.

Additionally, this month, Sprouts is bringing in several new dressings from this manufacturer, including an organic line with flavors such as Spicy Pistachio, Jalapeño Ranch, Creamy Miso and Balsamic.

Cross-merchandising salad dressings and fixings via an in-store display is an excellent way to remind shoppers to buy both.

“Our dressings are refrigerated, so shipper displays don’t work, but displaying dressings in the refrigerated case next to the salad set is effective,” says Kelly Hansen, vice president of marketing for Chicago, IL-based West Madison Foods, who acquired the Marie’s brand last year. “Romaine and Caesar go well, so do blue cheese and kale, and ranch is a nice change to make coleslaw. Three-fourths of our sales come from four flavors — ranch, blue cheese, Caesar and coleslaw. In the summer, our Raspberry Vinaigrette pairs well in a salad with berries.”

Promotions are another profitable way to grow offerings, adds Kate Nees, senior brand manager for Litehouse Inc., in Sandpoint, ID. “We’re always seeking new partnership opportunities with category adjacent brands. These partnerships, cross-promos, and LTOs (limited-time offers) not only grow our presence across the store, but they also allow us to diversify our product mix to help people switch up ‘the same old routine.’”

That said, the 20-ounce Litehouse Homestyle Ranch is the company’s best-seller. Nees adds that the buttermilk-based dressing with bold herb flavor pairs well with any summer salad or veggie platter. Other favorites include Classic Caesar, Chunky Blue Cheese, Balsamic, Thousand Island and Pear Gorgonzola.

Social media can also drive salad and dressing sales. An excellent example of this happened last year, when unbeknownst to Melbourne, FL-based Makoto Dressing Inc., its Honey Ginger Dressing went viral on an influencer’s TikTok video that showed how to make a salad by tossing the dressing with bite-sized chunks of hot house cucumbers and sliced mini bell peppers.

“We use real vegetables, and you can see pieces of fresh onion, carrot, celery, and ginger in our dressings, which makes them a natural in the produce department. Plus, our original Ginger Dressing got its start in a restaurant, so it is restaurant quality,” says David Cobb, production manager and head of research and development.

Beyond salads, salad dressing’s versatility makes it a basket builder on steroids.

“Baby boomers have a spice rack for extra flavor; Millennials have a shelf in the refrigerator,” says West Madison Foods’ Hansen. “We’re seeing younger customers keep various refrigerated products like dressings here, which they also use as dips, marinades, sauces and condiments. That’s a lot of incrementality.”