From Commodity to Culture

Walk through almost any retail food store, and one thing becomes immediately clear: the produce department is often the most vibrant and visually appealing section of the store. Bright colors, fresh aromas, and an abundance of fruits and vegetables — in a remarkable variety of shapes, sizes and textures — create an experience few other departments can match.

Yet, despite this natural advantage, many produce companies remain largely invisible to consumers. While other food categories have successfully built strong consumer brands, much of produce is still marketed as a commodity — competing primarily on price, availability, or basic nutrition messaging.

In today’s increasingly cluttered marketplace, that approach limits the industry’s ability to capture attention, build loyalty and drive sales.

The next opportunity for the produce industry is to shift from commodity marketing to cultural relevance — positioning fresh fruits and vegetables as part of modern lifestyle and food culture.

One of the most effective ways to make that shift is through experiential marketing and strategic media storytelling. Across consumer categories, brand marketers have learned that consumers do not simply want to hear about products — they want to experience them.

Events, tastings, and lifestyle-driven integrations allow consumers to interact with products in ways traditional marketing cannot replicate. When paired with thoughtful content capture and distribution, these experiences help transform fresh produce from a simple ingredient into something more meaningful: a product consumers recognize, trust, and choose again.

Across the industry, companies investing in experience-led marketing are beginning to separate themselves in both visibility and velocity.

Fresh produce is particularly well-suited for experiential marketing because it naturally engages the senses and invites interaction. Fruits and vegetables can be prepared, shared, and tasted in memorable and unexpected ways, creating an immediate connection between product and consumer.

When fruits and vegetables are experienced within the moments and media that shape consumer behavior, they become more than items on a shopping list — they become part of lifestyle, discovery, and everyday rituals, helping strengthen brand recognition, drive product trial, and support
long-term sales growth.

Increasingly, companies interested in engaging with consumers directly are moving beyond traditional food outlets and integrating produce into broader cultural moments — from major sporting events and marathons to entertainment gatherings, music festivals, and creator-driven experiences. These settings introduce products in dynamic ways, helping companies connect with audiences where culture, lifestyle, and conversation intersect.

Equally important is how these moments are captured and extended.

Experiential environments create powerful storytelling opportunities that live far beyond the event itself. Through video, photography, and digital media, marketers can document real moments of discovery, interaction and enjoyment. When shared across social and digital channels, this content becomes an ongoing narrative that introduces products to new audiences and reinforces brand recognition over time.

These environments also create space for authentic endorsement. When celebrities, athletes, artists, creators, chefs, or media personalities encounter a product in an immersive setting, their reactions often carry more influence than traditional advertising because they feel real, unscripted, and relatable.

Together, experiential marketing and media storytelling play a powerful role in driving product trial — one of the most direct ways to influence purchasing behavior. By presenting fruits and vegetables in creative and culturally relevant ways, companies can reshape how consumers perceive fresh produce. What begins as a moment of discovery can quickly translate into trial, stronger recognition, and repeat purchase.

For the produce industry, the opportunity is significant. By embracing experiential marketing, strategic storytelling, and cultural integration, companies can move beyond the commodity conversation and into modern consumer relevance.

When fruits and vegetables are experienced within the moments and media that shape consumer behavior, they become more than items on a shopping list — they become part of lifestyle, discovery, and everyday rituals, helping strengthen brand recognition, drive product trial, and support long-term sales growth.

Daryn Mayer is the founder of AEFFECT Communications and You Fortified, a modern, healthy living branded media, content, and event company. She specializes in helping produce and better-for-you brands move from commodity to culture through experiential activations, strategic partnerships, and media-driven storytelling that strengthen brand recognition, drive product trial, and support sales growth.