One of the hottest trends in the produce industry is packaging fruit and vegetables in convenient containers to make them more accessible. Most of these containers urge consumers to snack on fresh produce in the hopes that the product will appeal to children and their parents. On first look, AMCO’s new product looks similar, but it's their target market that sets them apart.“We're trying to go for older couples with this,” said AMCO’s Mitchell Amicone, referring to their mini cucumbers and grapes which are packaged together. ‘There is defiantly a market for children, some of which we take part in, but we feel it has already been utilized” While he thinks that the convenient packaging and snacking appeal of their mini cucumbers and grapes will still appeal to children and their parents, he also thinks that the simplicity of the product and quality ingredients will appeal to older customers who want something to add to their meals.
“You can easily snack on this at work, add to salads, or any other kind of meal, it is also easy to take on the go” said Amicone. “It has enough in there for a couple of meals.” He noted that the appeal of getting two meals' worth out of one package can also appeal to deal-savvy consumers.
The product can be available year round and it will be grown in AMCO’s Ontario greenhouses. Amicone noted that they will make sure that the entire product is grown in Ontario, as it helps with ease of tracking, quality of product, and helps to reduce handling of the produce which ultimately results in fresher product.
“The grapes are slightly bigger than your average gape but they are just as sweet,” he said. “We're using two main specialty items that we know people really like, it’s been proven, and so we're just trying to keep it simple.” In that vein, he added that the packaging was designed to be visually appealing, sturdy and convenient for consumers. That's all part of their strategy of keeping things simple with a quality product they know will sell well.
“It's simple: two well established products in one package,” said Amicone. “We think it will it will be appealing.”
