Top Tips For Merchandising Melons

Strategies to help maintain a successful display and increase retail sales.

The average American consumes about 24 pounds of melons per year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service. Retailers can capture and add to that amount with some attention to merchandising.

“There’s significant potential for growth in melon sales,” says Kristina Garris, executive director of fresh for Bashas’ and Food City Stores in Arizona and New Mexico, with over 100 stores. “Melons are versatile, with various flavors, textures, and health benefits, making them a popular choice for many consumers.”

“Melons are versatile, with various flavors, textures and health benefits, making them a popular choice for many consumers.”
— Kristina Garris, Bashas’ and Food City Stores

There are plenty of opportunities to drive melon sales with effective promotions and merchandising tactics, Garris says, adding seasonal promotions, particularly during the summer, are highly effective. “Creating attractive in-store displays with clear signage, appealing arrangements, and shelf-talkers emphasizing freshness and seasonality can also boost sales.”

Mark Côté, produce merchandiser for Redner’s Fresh Markets in Reading, PA, with 44 stores, sees significant opportunity through strategic promotion and merchandising. “Eye-catching displays near the entrance or checkout can drive impulse purchases, while cross-merchandising with complementary items, such as prosciutto, yogurt, or fruit salad kits can boost sales.”

Seasonal promotions, sampling and digital coupons can also attract more buyers, Côté adds. “As consumer demand for fresh, healthy snacks grows, melons can expand in sales, especially with effective in-store marketing and education.”

Maintaining strong merchandising throughout the year is crucial since it reinforces the value, health benefits and versatility of the product, all of which are key factors driving watermelon sales, explains Juliemar Rosado, director of retail and international marketing for the National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB) in Winter Springs, FL.

“In-store demonstrations, promotions and sampling can convert interest into sales and potentially foster repeat customers,” she says. “Combining multiple products in these experiences often yields success, boosting sales and showcasing the versatility of each item.”

1. FOCUS ON FRESHNESS

A successful melon display begins with freshness. “Freshness is critical, since customers expect melons to appear ripe and ready to enjoy,” says Garris. “It’s essential to regularly check the quality and remove any overripe or damaged fruit. Temperature control is crucial for maintaining flavor and texture, especially in warmer climates.”

Building strong partnerships with top-quality suppliers is key to ensuring Bashas’ and Food City offer the freshest fruit to customers, Garris says. “For instance, we’re thrilled to collaborate with Martori Farms (Kandy label), a local cantaloupe grower based in Arizona. They produce some of the sweetest, juiciest melons in our backyard.”

Regularly rotating stock keeps ripe, high-quality melons on hand and prevents spoilage, adds Côté. “An organized and visually appealing display, enhanced by proper lighting and clear signage, attracts customers.”

Rachel Syngo, chief marketing officer at Melon 1 in Punta Gorda, FL, cautions that watermelons are especially susceptible to ethylene gas. “Often, watermelons are stored in ambient rooms due to their large box size,” she says. “This is often near bananas or other ethylene gas producers and will speed up the breakdown process of a watermelon and shorten its shelf life overall. This should be avoided.”

2. MAKE APPEALING DISPLAYS

Successful displays should be visually appealing to capture customers’ attention, asserts Jordan Carter, vice president sales and marketing at Leger & Son in Cordele, GA. “Get creative,” she says. “Pair whole and cut fruit together. Big opportunities to play up melon displays are during peak season.”

Create an attractive, easily accessible display, suggests Garris. “Using eye-catching signage highlighting the health benefits and seasonal appeal of melons can drive sales and draw attention.”

Keeping bins stocked and looking nice is important, adds George Szczepanski, executive director for National Watermelon Association (NWA) in Lakeland, FL.

“It’s not appealing when shoppers see a bin only a third full,” he says. “If a consumer has to reach deep into the bin and grab a watermelon, it can be daunting. It’s harder than picking up almost anything else in the department.”

It’s no different than any other fresh food, agrees Syngo. “Consumers don’t like to purchase the last watermelon on the shelf or in the bin. At a minimum, one full bin of watermelons should be well-maintained and rotated through for freshness. However, a large display with four-plus bins in the front of the store or produce section is eye-catching, and, if possible, should include multiple varieties of watermelon, such as whole seedless, pre-cut, and personal size.”

“Consumers don’t like to purchase the last watermelon on the shelf or in the bin. At a minimum, one full bin of watermelons should be well-maintained and rotated through for freshness.”
— Rachel Syngo, Melon 1, Punta Gorda, FL

According to NWPB’s Rosado, a well-executed display should highlight key health and nutrition benefits, and include selection tips near the bins to help customers easily choose the best watermelon.

The NWPB’s annual retail merchandising contest, running June through August, aligns with peak summer interest, National Watermelon Month in July, and National Watermelon Day on Aug. 3.

“As one of our longest-running and most successful summer programs, this contest benefits both retailers and consumers by encouraging creative displays and diverse marketing strategies that draw attention and drive watermelon sales,” says Rosado. “Past participants have historically seen an average sales increase of 25%.”

Merchandising watermelons makes sense in multiple areas outside of the produce department, adds Syngo. “Stores see success when watermelon is merchandised near the front door, and these are often impulse buys,” she says.

3. KNOW YOUR VARIETY

Melon varieties for grocery stores include cantaloupe, honeydew and seedless watermelon. “These are high-demand staples with strong consumer appeal,” says Côté.

Creating displays with multiple melons adds interest. “Make displays eye-catching and fun,” says Shani Nir, management with Ayco Farms in Pompano Beach, FL. “Cantaloupes and personal watermelons especially make great anchors for a melon set, surrounded by smaller displays of other specialty varieties to drive impulse sales.”

According to Bashas’ Garris, watermelon is a beloved staple and top-seller, favored for its size and versatility. “Cantaloupe is a high-demand melon with strong customer loyalty, often chosen for breakfast or a quick snack,” she says. “Honeydew is a milder, refreshing alternative to watermelon and cantaloupe, praised for its subtle sweetness. Personal watermelons are ideal for smaller households, particularly in Arizona, where convenience is a priority.”

Stores should also consider adding variety with pre-cut. “Offering pre-cut options and strategically placing them near complementary products further enhances profitability and customer engagement,” says Côté.

Pre-cut options are perfect for customers seeking convenience, agrees Garris. “Innovations in packaging, such as pre-cut options, are contributing to sales growth by appealing to more consumers.”

4. ADD SPECIALTY MELONS

Specialty melons can drive premium sales. “Popular specialty melons include Galia, Canary, Crenshaw, Hami, and the new Tiara melon,” says Côté. “Retailers should position these varieties near traditional melons in a separate section to emphasize their unique qualities and higher value. Clear signage and sampling can educate customers and encourage purchases.”

Some of the more popular specialty melons for Bashas’ include Casba, Orange Honeydew, Crenshaw, Santa Claus and Hami. “Specialty melons are best featured by either dedicating a section to them or placing them next to the main melon display to encourage cross-selling,” says Garris.

Ayco offers a variety of melons, including Hami, Galia and Melosauras. “Carrying melon varieties beyond the core assortment can differentiate a retailer, attract new consumers and add color that creates interest and brings attention to the category,” says Nir.

Stores can add fun and profit with additional colors of watermelon. “Yellow watermelons are having a moment at retail in recent years,” says Syngo of Melon 1. “If a retailer is going to sell yellow watermelons, colorful signage is helpful for consumers. It is also helpful if the retailer cuts some of the watermelons into quarters or cubes for display and sale.”

Yellow or orange flesh melons can be challenging to source, but stores can make a really appealing display of these, says NWA’s Szczepanski. “This provides the opportunity to surprise and delight shoppers.”

5. TASTE AND EDUCATE

Tasting and education are important for shoppers. “If a retailer can sample watermelons at the start of the domestic watermelon season (March, April and May), shoppers will be impressed with the taste, and sales will follow,” says Syngo. “Retailers can reach out to their suppliers or the NWPB for educational information to share.”

“Tasting is believing,” adds NWPB’s Rosado.

In-store sampling sells. “When shoppers are presented with the opportunity to taste new or specialty varieties, they are more likely to purchase,” says Ayco’s Nir. “Sampling eliminates the risk of not knowing whether they will enjoy the product after purchase.”

In-store sampling is great for pushing impulse purchases, suggests Carter of Leger & Son, but engaging and educating must also be a key strategy. “Give shoppers an experience, such as cooking demonstrations via social platforms. Share where and how the fruit is sourced. Promote health and provide nutrition facts, as well as tips on quality and ripeness.”

To successfully merchandise melons, emphasize their versatility and health benefits, says Garris. “Using signage that features recipe ideas can inspire shoppers and make them more likely to buy. Educating consumers on how to select ripe melons can also increase confidence and sales.”

6. PUSH WITH PROMOTION

Successful melon merchandising entails a creative mix of tools to engage shoppers. “Seasonal promotions, sampling, and cross-merchandising with complementary items enhance sales, consistently crafting an inviting, memorable shopping experience for every observing customer,” says Côté.

Ads and coupons are effective for watermelon sales, states Syngo. “If a retailer has watermelons on ad, they should feature watermelon imagery on the cover of their weekly ad digitally and in print. Watermelon on sale is a proven driver to draw consumers to come into retail stores.”

Melon 1 has collaborated with multiple retailers for large promotions in recent years. “We have seen incredible sales volume increases when a promotion is in conjunction with Memorial Day, Fourth of July or Labor Day shopping,” says Syngo. “We have also worked on projects with retail partners where we have moved a lot of volume on a non-holiday week by pushing an aggressive ad, such as ‘2 for $6’ on watermelon sales.”

NWPB offers a range of educational tools and point-of-sale materials for retailers to showcase watermelon. “Additionally, our Watermelon Learning Lab is a great tool for retailers to brush up on watermelon marketing tips and best practices,” says Rosado. “The ‘Retailers’ section of our website is a great resource for watermelon at retail, including retail kit, assets, informational videos and more.”

Stores can collaborate with watermelon queens/ambassadors for help with promotion. “Our National Watermelon Queen does about 150 promotions a year,” says NWA’s Szczepanski. “We also have chapter queens/ambassadors who travel for educational and promotional appearances in retail settings, at fairs and festivals, and at conventions.”