Nielsen FreshFacts reports that petite potatoes posted double-digit growth. For the 52 weeks ending June 28, 2015, versus the year-ago period, petite potato dollar sales are ahead by 10.8 percent, and volume sales are up 10.7 percent. Petite potatoes now account for 11.1 percent of fresh potato category dollars at retail.
Side Delights Gourmet Petites earned the coveted PMA Impact Award for Excellence in Packaging in 2014 on their way to racking up record sales.
In response to growing consumer demand and widespread retailer requests, the Side Delights Gourmet Petites line is expanding. The company has announced that two new offerings, Sweet Fingerlings and Choice Russets, will expand the lineup to eight options. Sweet Fingerlings are baby sweet potatoes with moist orange flesh and thin, tender skin that eliminates the need to peel. Choice Russet petite potatoes have a classic, delicate potato flavor with a firm texture and thin brown skin, also without the need to peel.
Side Delights Gourmet Petites will continue to be available in their award-winning 1.5-pound stand-up pouch bags with resealable zippers, but shoppers will now have four new packaging options to pick from. All eight varieties of Gourmet Petites will also be available packed in lay-down mesh pillow packs in both 1.5- and 3-pound sizes, as well as in mesh bags with “wine labels,” also in 1.5- and 3-pound sizes. This array of varieties and packaging choices allows retailers to stock the Side Delight Gourmet Petite items that best align with their store’s merchandising needs as well as create the greatest interest with their shoppers.
“From research done by the U.S. Potato Board, we know that petite potatoes have a higher incidence of unplanned purchases than any other form of potato,” said Kathleen Triou, president and CEO of Fresh Solutions Network. “So we created a powerful merchandising tool for our Gourmet Petites line that our retail customers can use in driving incremental potato sales.”
The new shipper display holds 18 packages of Side Delights Gourmet Petites, yet needs only 3.3 square feet of selling space to generate hundreds of dollars in fresh potato sales. The merchandiser is made with UV-coated, high-end Kemi-Lite board for durability, water resistance and stability, and is shipped pre-packed with two dozen Gourmet Petite packages in any assortment of varieties that the retailer chooses. Given the soaring interest in petite potatoes and the compact nature of the Gourmet Petite shipper, retailers can easily merchandise the unit in high-traffic locations like the service deli, fresh meat case or dairy aisle to attract shopper attention, provide a meal solution and drive added profits.
The new varieties and packages of Side Delights Gourmet Petites are ready to ship now. Retailers should contact their Fresh Solutions Network partner for more information or to place an order.
Source: Fresh Plaza