Excellent merchandising is the best way to set the tone of your customers’ shopping experience by creating a sense of excitement and curiosity in your store, according to produce display shelving specialist LemonTree Products.

“When looking for ways to keep your customers coming back and shopping for longer in your produce department, you can’t overlook the importance of produce displays.”

Merchandising is critical to helping your produce department stand out from the competition, according to the company, which recommends keeping these factors in mind when reimagining how your departments look and what they can do:

Focus on Seasonal Products

Leaning into seasonal products is a great way to ensure that you’re providing your customers with the produce items they want most. Whether you’re looking to highlight in-season local produce or are stocking culturally relevant foods for celebrations, having what your customers want, when they want it, is essential. Be sure to highlight exciting produce to ensure your customers know you have it and are their go-to destination for the foods they value.

Cross Merchandise Effectively

When you’re looking for ways to improve your produce department displays, be sure to use cross-merchandising. When you pair complementary products with your produce, you can spark inspiration for your customers. Consider highlighting BBQ essentials with favorite summer fruits such as watermelon or pair bakery items with strawberries, blueberries or other berries for creative dessert options.

Highlight the Natural Beauty of Your Produce

Ensuring that your produce looks its best and is accessible to your customers is one of the best ways to improve your produce department. There’s no question that produce display racks and farmers market stands can help improve your stores’ functionality and appeal. Ensure that you’re choosing the optimal display option to highlight each type of produce you have. Doing so will help to enhance the product’s natural beauty while also making sure your customers have no difficulties adding items to their cart.

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