“Canadian fresh produce consumption trends are in line with global trends,” says George Pitsikoulis with Canadawide. “In general, people eat more fresh produce and one of the key drivers is ethnic diversity. The influx of people from the Middle East for instance into Canada has resulted in increased consumption of white zucchini as well as coriander and mini/Persian cukes. The last category now takes a dominant position within the cucumber segment,” added Pitsikoulis. They have become a big part of the greenhouse offerings out of Leamington, Ontario. Canadawide also brings them in from Mexico and some are flown in from Lebanon and/or Jordan to meet demand from consumers who are looking for cucumbers with a more special flavor.
“Free publicity is another driver of increased produce consumption,” mentioned Pitsikoulis. Media extensively write about the health benefits of fresh produce and nutritionists and chefs of cooking shows play an important role in consumer education. Consumers learn how to use fresh ingredients in a simple and convenient way, generating lots of traction for the industry.
Dual promotion: conventional versus organic
Within the fresh produce category, Pitsikoulis notices an uptick in organic sales. There is still room for growth. “If people can choose between organic and conventional at the same price point or very close, people will go for organic,” shared Pitsikoulis. Retailers are aware of consumers’ preference for organic and are now starting to put organic and conventional side by side. This enables the consumer to see the difference and compare. In flyers, Pitsikoulis notices a trend where stores promote a conventional item at an aggressive price point and in that same ad block, the organic alternative is priced at a promotable level as well. It is like a dual promotion of that item.
