Consumer Expectations Pt2

I'm Bob Larson. We talked yesterday about how technology is changing the world at every turn, even for Fruit Growers and how they present their product to consumers looking for convenience.

George Szczepanski with the Produce Marketing Association says Social Media is a major player in branding your product in today's market ...

GEORGE SZCZEPANSKI ... "Social Media presents an opportunity for conveying information to the consumer beyond what can fit on the real estate of your package. There's an opportunity for brands to share their story, and we certainly have a lot of really good stories here in the Northwest of family farms who are sending some really high quality products out there."

Szczepanski says it's important to be mindful of the changes, but also to leverage the way you're distributing ...

GEORGE SZCZEPANSKI ... "I think that one of the real central changes is that consumers aren't only going to the grocery store and only asking the clerk in the produce section and only making breakfast, lunch and dinner. Those may be important, but they are also consuming at snacks. They're getting their information online and they're buying their produce from other channels including delivery, C-Store, Club Store, and even meal kits which are really gaining traction. So looking to continue to expand channels of distribution and methods of distributing information, to not lose that core business with the retailer, but to keep adding to it."

Szczepanski says convenient packaging and convenient delivery sources are going to be key for producers moving forward.