A24-Unc—tef Farming, Saturday, February 1, 1997
Vegetable Conference Offers Marketing Ideas For Produce
Grocery Chains Want
Local Produce
(Continued from Page A 1)
distant slates.
With 112 stores to service
Richard Shefchunas representing
Riverside Markets said, “We are
looking for growers to come to us.
We use fanners who farm from
10-2.000 acres and will consider
whatever you have to offer.”
Robert Hartman said that Giant
Foods (not to be confused with
Pennsylvania Giant’s chain) made
a decision three years ago to purch
ase local produce. The plan has
increased sales significantly in the
chain’s 174 stores and the chain
plans to open 40 new stores in the
northeast The new stoics in Pen
nsylvania will be under the name
Super G since the company does
not hold the sole rights to “Giant”
in this state.
“We are the new boy on the
block in Pennsylvania, and we
welcome you with open arms,”
Hartman told growers.
Through displaying television
commercials, slides, and newspap
er ads, the two companies demon
strated how thoroughly they incor
porate local growers into their
advertising promotions.
Several growers in the audience
who already supply products for
the two chains reported enthusias
tic satisfaction with the fairness of
their treatment.
Both supermarket chains use
buyers to supply from as little as
The annual meeting of the State Horticultural Association
offers a place to find out about new products and new
methods of marketing. Here Hank Mllstein, left, of Old Plan
tation Spice offers free samples of mulled cider spices to
Bob Ross of Du Pont, Del.
Farmers’ Markets Attract City And Country Dwellers
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Faming Staff
HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.)
Selling successfully at a far
mer’s market requires attractive
displays, a friendly personality,
and diversity of food items accord
ing to panel participants at the
Vegetable Conference held this
week in Hershey.
Four growers who operate
stands at different markets shared
secrets of success during a panel
discussion on Tuesday.
“The panel represents different
parts of the state and different
types of markets.” said Jeff Patton
who moderated the session.
Ernie Greaser who operates
Woodside Farm in Quakertown
told how he has watched fanners
succeed and fail at the market he
attends.
“You must sell yourself. After a
sales presentation, ask how many
one store to as much as their distri
bution centers. Both stores do
much more than buy local pro
duce. They make a big deal out of
spotlighting the farmers.
Riverside Markets photographs
growers with their produce and use
the photos in ads and in-store
promotions.
Giant runs television commer
cials with Hartman inspecting loc
al fields with the farmers.
Although Hartman and Shef
chunas are sensitive to growers
needs since they have grown up in
families, the emphasis on promot
ing the farm lifestyle is not senti
mental, but means mote dollars for
the chain stores.
The customer wants fresh taste.
They want local produce.
“We believe Pennsylvania
grows the best fruits and veget
ables in the world and we want to
promote that. We went to the fields
to take the pictures,” said John S.
In addition to using the photo in
newspaper ads, the store also puts
a blown up photograph with the
farmer’s name and town on a easel
to display it with the produce. The
produce is heaped on baskets to
portray freshly gathered, abundant
produce.
“We started with 20 growers
and now have 60. We plan to
increase to 80-100 within the next
year,” Shefchunas said.
“We used to think you couldn’t
would you like?” Greaser said. He
referred to a survey that showed 20
percent of the people buy after a
sales presentation (offering tips,
care, and a way to use the product)
but that percentage rises to 80%
when the salesperson asks the per
son how many he or she would
like.
“Ask for an order. People hate to
say, ‘no,’ he said
Arrive early, set up a neat dis
play by color. Use continuity every
week. Change confuses people.
Surround yourself with friendly,
courteous help.
Help must know varieties of
produce and how it is used.
Greaser uses what he calls “ver
bal press releases.” such as telling
a customer, “cantaloupes will be
ready next week.” That way the
customer will come expecting to
buy cantaloupe and won’t buy
elsewhere,” Greaser said.
See Next Week’s Issue For More On Vegetable Conference
Panel members share tips tor successful selling
Daniel Janoski, Lois Klinger, Paul Hauser, and Ernie
Institute is at far right.
get variety from Pennsylvania pro
duce but we were proven wrong.
Local grown is the best in the
world,” Shefchunas said.
“We can’t say enough about the
quality and are willing to pay extra
for packaging because customers
are willing to pay for quality.”
The Riverside chain is so confi
dent of the superior quality of the
produce that they have a 200%
guarantee attached to home-grown
produce.
This, of course, encourages
growers to provide quality and
variety.
“People buy with their eyes.
Quality has got to be there. We
have a good ‘marriage’ with the
growers but will move out of the
relationship if the grower becomes
sloppy,” Shefchunas said.
The Riverside chain also dis
plays a special sign with a clock to
move the hands to indicate when a
fresh shipment of in-season pro
duce such as com is expected.
The Giant chain also uses signs
to identify growers with the pro
duce. In addition, they run five
three-minute commercials
throughout the growing season
showing farmers planting and
harvesting crops.
"We used no actors —only farm
families,” said Hartman who ties
the ads to increasing five times the
volume of produce sold. In addi
tion, customers who come for the
produce buy other items, which
resulted in a 21 percent of overall
income.
If customers complain about
prices being high. Greaser said
“Justify the price, then immediate
ly ask how many can I get you.”
Don’t try to sell anything that
you wouldn’t buy yourself,”
Greaser said
Some pitfalls to avoid are sitting
in chain people won’t want to
bother you. Having unsupervised
children or youth operating the
stand almost always is detrimental.
Paul Hauser, a Lincoln Univer
sity grower, described the market
where he sells as an upscale small
town market
"Look to create real or psycho
logical differences, not only
among vendors but supermarkets,”
said Hauser, who stresses that a
person's attitude must show that he
loves marketing to be successful.
“Visual appearances are impor
tant Fill containers until they
Representatives from retail chains say they changed
their minds about using local produce in recent years. Pre
vkntf ly they enppeousiy believed that variety was limited.
Now they are convinced that Pennsylvania grows the best
fruits and vegetables In the world.
During the three-year period
that the Giant chain has been work
ing with farmers, changes have
been made. Giant now pays far
mers weekly. Payment is not based
on auctions or the cheapest price
but open market prices.
“The success of any program
depends on three things: People.
People. People,” Hartman said.
“We are willing to work with you
to support our firmly as you work
with us to support your family.”
This working together has
resulted in growers setting up fax
machines and answering services
bulge. The more you put in, the
more you sell,” he said. Also,
make sure that traffic flows easily
around your stand.
Hauser prefen flat tables, and
places high demand items at the
end so that while customers are
walking to the other end to pick up
an item, they will be enticed to
pick up more items on the way.
“When a customer asks for
green beans, Hauser counters,
“What kind would you like, Ken
tucky Wonders?” Or, if they ask
for tomatoes, say, “I prefer Ger
man Butterballs.
“Soon customers won’t just buy
any red tomato but will seek out
your stand because you’re the only
one selling the variety they want
“Comments such as these also
reinforces the idea that everything
I sell, I grow.” Hauser said.
He is a firm believer in the value
of offering samples. So what if a
at farmers’ markets. From left,
Greaser. Cary Oshlns of Rodale
so that ordering and supplying pro
duce at the right time is simplified.
“I, as the buyer, am not the boss.
You as the grower arc not the boss.
The boss is Mrs. Consumer,” Hart
man said. “You need unmake a
profit and so do we. We want you
back next year.”
To encourage up front commu
nication, appointments are set up
with growers to discuss and work
out problem areas.
Hartman said that $l2 million
was paid to Maryland area growers
last year. “We are glad to put that
money back into the community.”
he said.
few eat several pieces or some kids
pick up a handful, the majority will
buy,” he said.
Hauser does a lot of what he
calls cross selling. This means sug
gesting another product by asking,
“Have you tried our cantaloupes?”
“Cse recipes. Tell someone how
to cook an item, and theyTl buy it,”
Hauser said.
Lois Klinger of Catawissa oper
ates a stand at a small market.
“The same factors that are
important at large markets are
important at the smaller ones,” she
said.
She cautions against taking lef
tover produce from one market to
another. “Never take it to market if
it doesn’t look fresh,” she said.
Lois grows a variety of unusual
vegetables. While they is not a
large volume of demand for some
thing such as okra, it often entices
(Turn to Pago A2S)