Excerpts from an article in the Produce Retailer 4/12 edition written by Tom Burfield
Growing Latino population can mean big business for your produce department
With their burgeoning numbers in the U.S and their propensity for fresh fruits and vegetables, members of the Hispanic comment make ideal produce department customers.
The U.S. Hispanic population has skyrocketed to 47 million consumers or 16% of the nation’s population according to Hispanic Marketing Insights. Their numbers have expanded well beyond the Southwest and Florida. Hispanic consumers have settled in many major metropolitan areas including: Atlanta, Denver, Las Vegas and Charlotte, N.C. There are even pockets of Hispanics in “secondary cities,” such as Cincinnati and Minneapolis.
Hispanics hail from many countries and each have their own produce preferences. But keep in mind that 65% of Hispanics in the U.S. are from Mexico or of Mexican descent.
Hispanics tend to prefer specific foods, says Rafael Hernandez of Hispanic marketing Insights.
“That includes lots of tropical produce,” says Mary Ostlund marketing director for Brooks Tropicals LLC, Homestead, Fla. “It’s the fruit and vegetables native to Latin cuisines.”
“Yucca, yams, malanga, boniatos, edoos are vital entries in the produce department that want Hispanic trade”, she says. “Hispanic shoppers will patronize stores that offer good quality and price.”
“Studies have shown your Hispanic consumer shops frequently and shops a variety of stores from bodegas to drug stores for groceries,” Ostlund of Brooks says. “Play up how you sell best, and the Hispanic consumer may frequent your establishment more.”
“Venture beyond papayas, mangoes, avocados and pineapples and merchandise starfruit, Uniq Fruit, passion fruit, ginger and other tropicals as well,” she suggests.
