Carrots Make Munching Fun

Retailers can emphasize color and nutrition in carrot displays, and boost impulse buys.

Carrots are bursting with opportunity and nutrition. The wide range of products within the category fit diverse eating occasions, providing nutrition, flavor and a chance to make munching fun.

Brian Penfield, produce director, Sendik’s Food Market, Milwaukee, WI, says carrots are a staple product category, but the variation available provides an opportunity to generate additional sales.

“It’s one of those staple categories, but there are definitely opportunities to come up with something more,” he says. “We look at different forms of carrots and take a couple of ways to do, say, bunch carrots, including in the wet case where they are a color break.”

And that’s not all. Penfield uses baby green-top carrots in the case, as they draw shopper attention with bright, contrasting color and cross-merchandise with baby cucumbers.

Color and nutrition are attributes any retailer can emphasize. Penfield says the rich color of red carrots, trumpeting the beta-carotene content, can help drive home a nutritional message. And that ability to combine nutritional messages with the array of carrot colors is a natural way to link them with wellness, flavor and celebration.

Sendik’s offers rainbow packs of organic carrots in red, orange and purple, buying in bulk and doing its own bagging, says Penfield. Although Sendik’s uses circular promotion as a secondary selling means, he says merchandising is critical to the category because carrots have become so much more than a shopping list item and have potential for impulse sales.

KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS

Retailers can tailor carrot products to store demographics. For example, in its Brooklyn, NY, location, Wegmans focuses on organic. Jordan Wise, a Wegmans produce manager, says carrots constitute one of the store’s biggest sales categories, even though it’s only a 6-foot section shared with celery.

At other company locations where he’s worked, Wise notes the category included both organic and nonorganic, but in Brooklyn, “we’re 98% organic.”

Over the weekend, the 6-foot section has a dedicated worker, as the carrot and celery assortment requires constant restocking. And it becomes even more popular on certain occasions. “For the Super Bowl, you can’t hold onto a celery stick or a carrot in this store,” he says.

Rob Giragosian, sales manager, Kern Ridge Growers, Arvin, CA, says differences between merchandising approaches should mirror an operation’s customers. “Each retailer has their unique way of marketing carrots, from store placement to items they promote,” he says. “They know their target audience.”

SHOWCASE DIVERSITY

Strong merchandising can translate into strong sales in the carrot category.

“Retailers need to emphasize merchandising strategies that help consumers understand the diverse uses of carrots, and guide toward incorporating them into their daily routines,” says Karen White, vice president marketing, Bolthouse Fresh, Bakersfield, CA.

“While showcasing the variety of carrot cuts is important, the real goal is to demonstrate how carrots can be used across different occasions and, in doing so, maximize the overall grocery basket mix.”

There’s a broad range of carrots that consumers can use across meal, and even snack occasions. “Different forms/sizes seem to be on the rise,” says Jonathan Lisso, retail sales manager at Nature’s Finest Produce, Pain Court, Ontario. “‘Meal-ready,’ and smaller snacking-sized packages are starting to appear.”

Giragosian says retailers should merchandise to their core customers, but cautions success can be undermined if product is compromised. “Handling is to keep carrots cold and not exposed to heat,” he stresses. “This ensures the estimated shelf life of the products.”

Lisso urges retailers to emphasize freshness above all else. “Ideally, carrots should be refrigerated while on display. Maintaining the cold chain from field to the customer will ensure maximum freshness, product life and satisfaction for the customer after purchase.”

“A carrot is not a carrot. It depends where it comes from, what is the taste and the color.”
— Ami Ben-Dror, Dorot Farm, Melville, NY

Ami Ben-Dror, manager, Dorot Farm, Melville, NY, says to engage consumers, particularly younger consumers, sampling is important, especially today, as carrots emerge in new ways and forms, including new colors that can have variations in taste and texture.

“You need to taste,” he says. “A carrot is not a carrot. It depends where it comes from, what is the taste and the color. We have a particularly high-quality carrot. People, when they try it, try more.”

DON’T FORGET SIGNAGE

Sean Balog, director of sales and marketing, Hillside Gardens Ltd., Bradford, Ontario, says creating a destination display is instrumental. “Position carrots as a staple in the produce section by grouping all types, bulk, bagged and snack-sized, together in one cohesive display,” he says. “This makes it easier for shoppers to see the full range of options and encourages multiple purchases.”

Then, stores should emphasize versatility. “Use signage to highlight how carrots fit into a variety of uses, such as meal prep, healthy snacking and juicing. Messaging like ‘Great for Soups and Stews’ or ‘Perfect On-the-Go Snack’ can inspire shoppers to buy,” says Balog.

Retailers should also promote the convenience carrots provide, such as snack-sized and pre-cut carrots that appeal to busy customers. “Use eye-catching signage like ‘Ready to Eat’ or ‘Healthy and Quick’ to draw attention to these options,” says Balog.

Balog is also a sampling advocate, as such initiatives encourage trial of the various forms and varieties of carrots available in the market today. The flip side is that it’s still important to offer “multi-pack deals or family-sized options to appeal to budget-conscious shoppers, especially those meal-prepping for the week.”

Santerra, which grows in Colombia with U.S. headquarters in Weston, FL, has begun exporting to the United States, mostly into the Northeast. It is bringing in everything from jumbo carrots to multi-colored bagged babies.

Diego Castelblanco, chief sales officer, says, although they may also be positioned elsewhere in the store, it’s important to offer smaller package sizes in the main carrot display. They even can generate multiple purchases, as consumers who buy larger-size carrots may also grab smaller ones, too.

“We’ve found it’s better to do them smaller,” he says. “It’s the right version for a kid or someone who wants a snack.”

Indeed, the company is looking to establish an even smaller size than its current lowest, about 9 grams, with a view to a 4-ounce pack.

Castelblanco says retailers and suppliers should work together to present the carrot category in new ways, so consumers recognize that it’s evolving and even fun. “At the end of the day, it’s a mutual partnership between customers and their suppliers to increase the sales.”

CARROT CROSS-MERCHANDISING

Cross-merchandising opportunities are abundant with carrots, says Lisso, of Nature’s Finest Produce.
“Carrots could be cross-merchandised with almost any other vegetable items,” he emphasizes. “Root veg items, such as potatoes, onions, beets, etc. are often displayed together. Mini carrots are often displayed nearby packaged salads, as they both fall into the ready-to-eat category.”

Bolthouse’s White says consumers are seeking healthier eating options and are looking for guidance while shopping. “Cross-merchandising offers a powerful way to meet these needs by positioning carrots as versatile, health-forward options that fit seamlessly into various meals and snacks.”

Balog suggests pairing “carrots with complementary items like dips, hummus and salad greens. This encourages impulse buys and reinforces their role in healthy eating.”

Cross-merchandising can occur in or out of the produce section. Within the produce department, White suggests cross-merchandising with dips and dressings by positioning baby carrots with hummus, ranch and similar products “to create an easy snacking destination. Highlight messaging around convenience and healthy snacking for families or on-the-go lifestyles.”

To emphasize health and versatility, highlight full-sized carrots beside juicing ingredients like apples, ginger and spinach, says White. “Clear signage or recipe suggestions can inspire shoppers to use carrots in smoothies or fresh-pressed juices, positioning them as a great way to start the day.”

Sets for snacking occasions should feature baby carrots, including in snack-sized packs, near dips, she says, but also notes that stores can effectively post “messaging around convenience for lunchboxes, work snacks or quick bites at home. This encourages shoppers to see carrots as an easy and healthy alternative to processed snacks.”

Snack displays can include products, such as Bolthouse Carrot Shakers Multipacks in Zesty Ranch, Dill Pickle and Spicy Chili Lime flavors, which White says are “ideal for lunchboxes and on-the-go snacking.”
Bolthouse addresses convenience and flavor in multiple ways, including with Bolthouse Fresh Side Dish Sizzlers, available in flavors such as Garlic Herb, Sweet Honey Heat and Herb Vinaigrette. The sauces “make preparing nutritious, delicious meals quick and hassle-free. Feature meal-prep ideas and cross-merchandise with complementary items like proteins or grains,” says White.