Does What You Grow on Your Farm Spark Joy?
January 27, 2020 Knowing what your customers expect is the foundation of exploiting opportunities heading into the new year. But in the fast-changing landscape of the modern world, that can be hard to know and often a moving target.
The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) recently published an Environmental Scan that took a deep dive into forces impacting the specialty crop industry. PMA researchers interviewed industry experts and read industry and consumer publications from around the world to identify issues that will affect the produce and floral industries over the next three to five years.
The scan focused on changing consumer expectations. One of its findings is the pace urbanization is picking up. If you live anywhere near an urban area in Florida, that’s become abundantly clear. These urban consumers live a fast-paced life and have come to expect convenience and wide availability of choices when it comes to the fruit and vegetables they purchase.
The digital world we live in has created an environment where people are interested in “building a better me” and “health is the new wealth.” Social media has led consumers of all ages to pay more attention to their personal image.
While this is not necessarily new, consumers are seeking transparency on how and where produce is grown. They want to feel good about eating a healthy product, which gives fruits and vegetables a natural edge. They also want to feel good about buying produce that was grown in a responsible and sustainable way. This should inform marketing approaches going forward.
There is a growing body of evidence indicating that eating fruits and vegetables helps improve mental well-being — another buzzword in our fast-paced, stressed world. The scan also noted consumers are seeking simplicity in a spiritual awakening or sorts. They are embracing a life with a simpler design. Consider the wildly popular Netflix series “Tidying Up” — a show about trashing all the clutter and unnecessary stuff in your home and environment. Charities like Salvation Army reported a spike in donations after the series aired as people tidied up.
The show’s host Marie Kondo coined a term that if an item in your environment doesn’t “spark joy,” then you don’t need it. As the PMA scan notes: “Consumers are finding joy in the simple things, like cooking at home and using fresh ingredients, providing opportunities for the floral and produce industries to appeal to the experiences consumers are seeking.”
As our world becomes increasingly digitized, the desire for physical property will be outpaced by the desire for digital connectivity and real-world experiences — one driven by the other. The more our life and work moves online, the more we will value simple, real experiences with others.
The scan added: “These consumers respond well to cultural storytelling, authenticity, and craftsmanship.” If you can market what you grow around these things, consumers will take notice and seek out your product.
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