Branded vs. private label

With many food items sold in grocery stores, private label has become a more attractive option for consumers during these inflationary times.

But the “brands vs. private label” dynamic is different with fresh produce. And this is particularly true of citrus, said Cassie Howard, senior director of category management and marketing for Sunkist Growers.

“The pull between brand and private label on the shelf concerning price is not the same for citrus as other grocery items. Consumers instead often focus and prioritize bag vs bulk when looking to save.”

Most citrus varieties, she added, are only represented by one brand in store. That said, even with this difference, Sunkist and its retailer partners continue to keep consumers’ inflationary concerns in mind, helping shoppers find the right price for the right value, she said.

Sunkist was the first company to brand a piece of fruit. Its first advertisement dates to the early 1900s.

Capturing attention 

With consumers preferring to shop in-store for produce, especially oranges, Sunkist Growers knows it’s important to capture the shopper’s attention through eye-catching designs and engaging displays, putting the coop’s brand at the center of the shopping journey, said Cassie Howard, senior director of category management and marketing.

“Consumers now more than ever want to know where their food comes from and how it’s grown, and they trust in brands that align with their lives.”

Trust in a brand, she added, also makes consumers more likely to try new products from that company.

Creating “citrus destinations” at retail is not only a great way to build brand loyalty, Howard said. It also helps spur impulse purchases, especially for specialty and seasonal items that might not be on shoppers’ radars when they enter the store. “A lot of times, consumers have shopping lists already created before entering the store, so disruption is crucial.”

One of the key’s to Sunkist’s brand strength, Howard said, is its longevity.

“We’ve been around for 130 years. Our rich, growing history and legacy mean something to the consumer, and we have found success collaborating with retailers on branded promotions and individual store initiatives.”

In addition to limited-edition carton programs, Sunkist has supported brand partnerships through social and digital campaigns and POP merchandising support with the San Diego Zoo, Princess Cruises, and Strawberry Shortcake.

Display contests are also a great and engaging way to bring the Sunkist brand into stores, Howard said.

Retailers can look forward to Sunkist’s grapefruit display contest and Valencia back-to-school campaigns later this summer.

'Showing up'

How Sunkist “shows up” to consumers is crucial, Howard said.

“Consumers want to be heard, and we’re listening to the feedback and applying real-time changes, revamping our messaging and packaging to be more easily recognizable in-store for shoppers.”

That feedback played a key factor, she added, in the rebranding of Sunkist’s California mandarin program and the introduction of its Cali citrus character.

It also led to the full rebranding of its “all pink” cara cara program.

The program’s new bag designs were tested by avid orange shoppers, with the consumers gravitating towards the pink bag and “The Pink Orange” as a simple and straightforward identifier for the cara cara category.

Nearly half of respondents, Howard said, said the new design elicits fun and excitement, and 58% said they would buy if it was “available today.”

With that level of commitment to listening to what consumers want, it’s no surprise that Sunkist is the most preferred non-private label cara cara brand — four times more preferred than any competitor.

And that same level of attention applies to everything Sunkist does, Howard said.

The coop’s annual brand evaluation survey and commissioned studies continue to set it apart, she said, providing fact-based recommendations with marketing and merchandising tools that support what consumers want to see in-stores.

“Our category management tools can now ask consumers directly what matters to them most when shopping at their local grocers. Our ability to collect and leverage consumer feedback into real-time recommendations allows our retail partners to stay innovative, adapt to current trends, and best reach their ever-changing consumers.”

Sunkist also actively monitors its branded campaign performances tracking consumer online engagement, social media impressions, and website visits or click-to-cart results on third-party shopper commerce platforms.

Fresh produce may not be the first category consumers think of when it comes to branding, but it can play a central role. 

This article is an excerpt from the July 2024 issue of Supermarket Perimeter. You can read the entire Branded Produce feature and more in the digital edition here.