Produce Needs Flavor-First Strategy

The produce industry is at a critical crossroads. Despite research linking fruit and vegetable consumption to longer, healthier lives, the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is sobering: Only one in five U.S. adults eats the recommended daily servings of fresh produce.

This reality poses both a challenge and an opportunity — one that requires a dramatic shift in how we talk about, market, and serve fresh fruits and vegetables.

For decades, the industry has leaned on messages of health, nutrition, and “good for you” benefits to encourage consumption. While these messages are well-intentioned, they are often uninspiring when competing against the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) giants.

Frito-Lay doesn’t market Doritos as “contains some corn” or “good for your cholesterol.” They sell “bold flavor” and “extreme crunch.” That difference in approach and semantics matters — and it’s time fresh produce learned to compete on that same playing field.

The most powerful way to change eating habits is to connect with consumers on an emotional level. Calling produce “healthy” or “nutritious” is accurate, but it’s not what wins hearts and cravings. Flavor, texture, aroma, and experience are what drive repeat purchases and loyalty.

Restaurants understand this truth. Diners don’t order a salad because the menu says “rich in antioxidants.” They order it because the menu says “charred sweet corn tossed with creamy avocado, crisp romaine, and smoky chipotle-lime dressing.”

A recent Pew Research Center survey confirms taste beats health as a motivator nearly two-to-one when people decide what to eat.

This approach is equally critical in K-12 school foodservice. Kids are not swayed by fiber counts; they respond to “juicy melon slices,” “crispy oven-roasted potatoes with sea salt,” or “sweet mango chunks that taste like summer.”

Marketing produce like a delicious treat can help dismantle the perception that fruits and vegetables are an obligation, rather than a delight.

THE COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

The produce industry’s competition is not just other fruits and vegetables — it’s the snack aisle. CPG brands spend billions annually to create crave-worthy products, strategic branding, and campaigns that tap into fun, social connection and convenience. They invest in in-store placement, package design, and relentless sampling.

Fresh produce, in contrast, is often displayed with minimal signage, inconsistent quality, and little sensory marketing. If an orange were marketed with the same flair as an energy drink, its potential would skyrocket.

To compete, the produce sector needs a bold, coordinated strategy built around the same principles CPG brands use.

BUILDING A SEASONAL ROADMAP

While monthly campaigns can be resource-intensive, a seasonal roadmap offers a manageable framework to create momentum all year. Each season offers unique produce stars.

Fall:

Apples, pears, winter squash, and root vegetables can be paired with warm spices or roasted to intensify sweetness. Restaurants can feature limited-time menus with harvest bowls, spiced apple desserts, or roasted squash soups.

Winter:

Citrus fruits, pomegranates, hearty greens, and sweet potatoes shine this time of year. Marketing should emphasize freshness and vitality, “a burst of sunshine in every bite.” Restaurants can incorporate these into winter menus as zesty garnishes, bold salads or comforting sides. Schools can host “winter warm-up” produce days.

Spring:

Spotlight tender asparagus, sweet peas, strawberries and baby greens. Partner with restaurants to feature seasonal salads, flatbreads, or desserts with spring-forward flavors. In K-12 cafeterias, introduce “first tastes of spring” days.

Summer:

Summer produce is already nature’s candy. The marketing opportunity lies in making them the hero of social occasions. Think “grill-ready veggie skewers,” “watermelon wedges for the beach,” and “tomatoes so sweet, you’ll skip the sugar.” School programs can offer grab-and-go produce snack bags.

FOODSERVICE AS THE FRONT LINE

Restaurants, hotels, and institutional dining operations hold a unique power in shaping produce perception. The way chefs describe, present, and integrate produce into dishes can elevate it as the centerpiece or relegate it to a side note.

Leading restaurant brands have shown that produce-forward dishes can be both profitable and popular when they’re treated with the same creative attention as proteins.

A CALL TO ACTION

If the industry wants to shift the one-in-five statistic from the CDC toward a majority, it must unite to make fresh produce the most delicious, convenient and exciting choice on the plate. This requires investment in marketing innovation, foodservice partnerships, seasonal storytelling and consumer experience.

If we want to build a future where fruits and vegetables are a central part of daily life, we must stop positioning them as the thing you “should” eat, and start presenting them as the thing you can’t wait to eat. That means borrowing the boldness of CPG advertising, the creativity of restaurant menus, and the immersive experiences of seasonal food culture.

The produce industry has the product. It has the science. Now we all need the story.

M. Jill Overdorf is founder and president of The Produce Ambassador, which provides strategic insight, brand development, and innovative solutions for the foodservice, produce, hospitality and culinary sectors.