Two weeks ago, as I walked the show floor of the United Fresh and FMI Connect convention in Chicago, a vision I have been wrestling with became much clearer to me.
I visualize a large table and around it are all the forces in food marketing. At this table are the processed food giants, major retailers, fast food moguls and even our perishable brethren, the dairy darlings. They are all competitors in the sense that they are fighting for the consumer’s attention and ultimately, their dollars. As a result, the consumer decides who has the opportunity to sit at this table, and a seat means you are in the marketing elite. Historically if you have a seat at this table, your products are likely processed and shelf stable or they are homogeneous and easily assessed. You have deep pockets filled with substantial margins and Mother Nature is not a primary threat to your weekly success. Until now.
What became crystal clear to me as I walked the show floor is that today there is a new seat at the food marketing table and in that seat is fresh produce.
Consumers opened up a seat for us at the table and as a result,