Keeping ahead of consumer trends can seem like an insurmountable task sometimes. Personally, I feel the approach to creating trends is a more successful endeavor, but nonetheless we all must pay attention to organic movements in the marketplace. The goal is to catch on to such movements fast enough to capitalize on them and differentiate your business. Consumer attention spans can be brutally short, so you must be quick.

Some food trends, however, turn into long-term eating habits — or at least signal the beginning of a shift in how people consume certain types of foods. Sustainable food and healthier diets are on the minds of many these days and both are core concerns that thread together some interesting market shifts for 2017.

Veggies as the main course, instead of meat, is an ongoing trend that’s been on the rise for a couple of years. Produce is more often taking the place of prime cuts of meat, poultry and seafood on the entrée menu. I recently went to one of the most expensive and “fancy” restaurants in Dallas for my birthday. I won’t name names, but I must say the only parts of the seasonal tasting menu I was impressed with were the elements of produce presented with each course of traditional meat selection. My husband (an avid meat devotee) felt the same.

It was like we were getting a secret message from the chef that they’d rather spend more time focusing on the veggies. They’d clearly spent much more thought and time on creating interesting flavors from the produce than the obligatory scallop or puny, quartered quail. Unusual fungi, carrot ketchup, vegetable chowder, pickled okra, and pickled cherries — these were the stars of the meal. I’d go back to that restaurant, but only for the vegetarian menu.

This was a big shift in the fine dining experience for me. Typically, the fancier the restaurant, the blander the produce. As a nonmeat-eater, I’d end up paying out the wazoo for a bad iceberg lettuce salad or the standard flavorless pasta dish the chef would “throw together” for me. Being a vegetarian at a pricey restaurant always made me feel like the kitchen staff was actively punishing me. Now that veggies are trendy and chefs are putting some energy into crafting better dishes with them, fine dining may finally start to green up in a meaningful way.

My strict vegetarianism lasted about 24 years, so I’m pretty much an expert on faux meat. I was never a big fan of the many soy-based versions of them, though. Shiver. Most are kind of rubbery, slimy and simultaneously bland. It took a good while before there were what I considered decent veggie-based meat alternatives to choose from. The meatless and soy-free food producer Quorn finally hit on something good when they started selling fungi-based meat alternatives.

Most faux-meat products still don’t really replicate the flavors and textures of real meat, and that’s perfectly fine for many vegetarians and vegans. But for real meat lovers who want or need to reduce meat intake, they still don’t satisfy. As reducing meat intake can be both good for the body and the planet, many health experts and environmentalists are pushing for a change in such eating habits. New technology is being used to create produce-based faux “meats” that have both the texture and flavor of the real thing. While this phenomenon kind of creeps me out, it may be just what the doctor ordered for healthier eating.

Juicing has been an unavoidable phenomenon for the past few years as well. I have even gone a few rounds with one or two of the trendy new juice companies that popped up in my area. And while the trend doesn’t seem to be going anywhere right now, some consumers, myself included, are feeling a bit unsatisfied by juice alone, and are looking for substance (and fiber) from our drinkable food. That’s where soup comes in. Soup is the new juice. A big bonus of getting your slurp on is a smaller waistline. Research shows that people who make healthy soups a regular part of their diet weight less and have better overall eating habits. I suspect more soups may be showing up as another main course alternative to meat.

Another up-and-coming trend I love is ugly produce. Reducing waste is a growing concern for many consumers, especially those who shop specialty produce. A lot of produce goes to waste simply because it’s not “perfect” or pretty. Rejecting such perfectly edible produce currently simply isn’t a sustainable practice. Product manufacturers and grocery stores are looking for ways to market and sell the less-than-perfect produce. Reducing waste is another reason some consumers are starting to pass on the fancy juice. You know what less-than-perfect produce is perfect for? Soup! Marry these two trends together and you’ve got a winning message.

Leslie (CPH) owns Halleck Horticultural, LLC, through which she provides horticultural consulting, business and marketing strategy, product development and branding, and content creation for green industry companies. lesliehalleck.com

In the August 1982 issue of sister publication Greenhouse Manager (now Greenhouse Management), Dr. P.A. Schippers, a former Senior Research Associate at Cornell University, speculated on the future of the greenhouse vegetable industry. Its headline was “U.S. greenhouse vegetable market: Feast or famine?” and examined the effects of elevated gas prices in the 1970s on greenhouse businesses. “During the early ‘70s, some experts predicted that the increase in fuel prices … would put the greenhouse grower out of business in a hurry,” the author states.

However, Schippers says that the growers who were most affected were those with “old, leaky glasshouses which needed large amounts of fuel to keep them properly heated.” It was then that we saw a decline in areas that relied on older greenhouses, like Ohio. Interestingly, Schippers mentions a shift from vegetables (mainly tomatoes) back to bedding plants. In Schippers’ words, bedding plants are “season-bound” crops, or plants that are only grown during a specific time of year. Instead of producing vegetables during the coldest winter months, growers were focusing their energy on growing bedding plants during a warmer time period, therefore reducing greenhouse heating costs substantially.

Another shift that Schippers mentions is one that has continued into the present day: relocating production sites closer to cities. “The interest in establishing greenhouses closer to population centers is growing and, once this interest has taken concrete form, it seems likely that a greenhouse industry near metropolitan centers will become a significant source of fresh produce of high quality for these centers,” he says. Later, Schippers makes the case for hydroponic growing methods, as “good quality horticultural soil” may not be found in urban areas.

One factor that’s remained constant is the need to continually innovate to feed populations during the entire year. This month, we’re looking at some of the women entrepreneurs that are doing just that in the world of controlled environment agriculture. We feature four trailblazers whose businesses are advancing the industry and availability of fresh produce in urban areas. One is enabling indoor farmers to better utilize their greenhouse system data to improve operations, while others have cultivated fresh produce and relationships with the community at the same time. Click here to meet these female innovators.

kvarga@gie.net | (216) 393-0290

Twitter: @Karen_GIE

This year’s PMA Fresh Summit conference was held in Orlando, Fla., where more than 20,000 attendees from 65 different countries gathered for education sessions, networking opportunities both on and off the trade show floor and of course, new marketing perspectives. Here are a few of the overarching themes observed throughout the event:

1. Food safety is No. 1.

As the industry nears the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) October 2017 compliance dates, safety proved utmost importance during the summit. Dr. Bob Whitaker, PMA’s Chief Science Officer, presented a session on Day 1 about the importance of food safety in an ever-growing population.

By 2050, there will be an estimated 9 billion people on the planet, according to the World Health Organization. “We want them to consume fruits and vegetables,” Whitaker reported via his presentation. “We can’t grow consumption if people are concerned about safety.”

Dr. Whitaker took a challenge-versus-opportunities approach as he outlined 10 major trends in food safety. These trends included pathogens, technology convergence, the need for talent, data, the legal and financial climate and more. While some of the challenges included costs, the need for more testing and data analysis, opportunities for producers include the integration of food safety as part of a business plan, leveraging technology and developing communications plans that meet consumers’ needs.

2. You can brand yourself on a small budget.

PMA presented speakers with genuinely inspiring branding advice, two of whom included New York Times Bestselling Author of “Salt Sugar Fat,” Michael Moss, and serial entrepreneur (and classic prankster) Johnny Cupcakes.

Moss, who presented during the first day of educational sessions, had a full and attentive audience as he spoke about ways small growers can self-identify by borrowing ideas from food giants. He outlined the potential to collaborate with retail outlets and grocery stores, partnering with local universities to attract a younger demographic, taking advantage of notable spokespersons or characters (i.e. PMA’s eat brighter! campaign), and selling the idea of fun, rather than touting the benefits of being healthy. As an example, Moss referenced a mock broccoli campaign that he helped facilitate, which took this approach to inspire consumption of the healthy green veggie.

Johnny Cupcakes’ name is a moniker the entrepreneur designated himself when he started his namesake company, which, ironically, is not a bakery that sells cupcakes. Instead, his business venture is a T-shirt shop — themed with vintage ovens and refrigerators that display the clothing products, vanilla-scented air fresheners to build on that theme, as well as pastry-box packaging that every customer receives at the purchase. The idea began as an underground phenomenon, one that was a joke to tease customers into craving the frosting-topped treats, but it evolved into a retail success with a cult-like following after building momentum via social media.

Johnny Earle (the owner’s real name) has found his own success, but the company built on that success via collaborations with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Hello Kitty which has created even more influence with consumers. Earle also believes in the power of packaging, noting that, “Good packaging doesn’t get thrown away.” Instead, it continues to work for you to help consumers remember your marketing message.

3. Innovate before adversity strikes.

The final day of Fresh Summit began with a keynote presentation about the “5 Obsessions of Innovators” from another New York Times bestselling author, Josh Linkner.

Linkner, who founded and sold ePrize, which is touted as the largest interactive promotion agency in the world, said that business owners must innovate their businesses before they are forced to react to change. While it may be tough if you’ve utilized the same business model for decades, Linkner swears by the art of humoring our own curiosity, and releasing the “old” to make way for the “new.” Linkner says the ability to do so can “fuel our continued sense of wonder.”

And to do so, it’s not about having the biggest balance sheet, but instead possessing a “tenacity and resilience” to move forward.

One of our favorite examples he provided also came from a broccoli campaign, this one by a brand called Tenderstem broccolini — serving up the tagline “Get Tender Tonight.”

4. The packaging is as important as the product.

We learned this earlier from Johnny Cupcakes — but that message has already been implemented by many of the growers we saw on the trade show floor. Packaging choices are beginning to evolve past the classic bag and clam-shell into more sustainable solutions — like top-cover films that reduce plastic waste — to even compostable containers that can help keep produce fresher longer.

Marketing produce to kids is a hot topic right now. From what I can see happening in the marketplace, produce growers are still reaching for straws when it comes to finding tactics that work. Getting kids to eat their veggies has never been easy, and marketing produce to kids still fundamentally comes down to what kids are willing to eat, or refuse to eat.

I had what could be considered epic throwdowns over eating anything that contained an onion. In fact, I threatened to vomit if I was ever served one, and I followed through on that threat. One episode of my refusal to eat cooked carrots resulted in my being forced to remain seated at the dinner table for hours after dinner was over, until I figured out the orange discs would stick to the underside of the table, at least for long enough to be excused. That ruse lasted about an hour, once the carrots hit the floor. I served hard time for that one.

Biological defenses

Ultimately, good marketing boils down to providing a solution to a need and communicating it in a language that resonates with your target. But it’s not that easy when it comes to combining kids and vegetables. There are both biological and psychological reasons why kids are naturally averse to eating their greens, and even fruit. A sophisticated two-pronged defense if you will.

Biologically, kids need a lot of energy. Veggies are not calorically dense. So, it makes sense that kids are going to go for foods with more calories, carbs and fat content to meet their biological needs. Additionally, kids typically don’t like the taste or texture of veggies because many are bitter. In nature, bitter taste, and even bright colors, potentially indicates poison. There’s food preference research, such as that carried out by the University of Arizona, Rutgers University and others, to show that kids may be more averse to bitter tastes as a natural survival instinct.

As we age and gain experience, we learn what is safe to eat and develop a more sophisticated palette, apart from many husbands — you know who you are — who still refuse to eat their veggies as adults.

Drawing the line

Then there’s the emotional, or stubbornness component. Kids (and husbands) are seeking control and testing the waters of authoritative boundaries. That means refusing to eat something simply for the sake of having the control to do so. No amount of parental pleading, forced eating or marketing may change that dynamic, and can in fact make the situation worse.

Go small

Let’s first look at ways that produce growers and marketers are working to circumvent these natural defenses. One major trend I’ve spotted revolves around making produce cute and small snacks — kid-sized produce, if you will.

Simply making fruit and veggies accessible to kids in smaller sizes, that better fit their little hands and mouths, makes logistical sense. If kids can’t handle a big peach on their own, they may be less inclined to choose it for a snack. The Summer Fruit Heroes line from DJ Forry features to-go packs of peaches, plums and nectarines, all in the 3.5 to 5.5-oz. size, which they intend to be more easily handled by kids as healthy snacks. They have fun names like Neutron Nectarine, Power Plum and Punch Peach. Lil’ Snappers, also marketed as “kid-size fruits,” offers up handled bags of small apples, citrus, pears or mixed bags. Their website offers kid-friendly recipes for foods that include their produce, such as “Apple Smile Sandwiches” and “Lil’ Snappers Critters.”

ROCKIT apples, produced by Chelan Fresh in New Zealand, are a small (1.5x the size of a golf ball) bright red apples packed in a grab-and-go container that resembles a tennis ball container. Their target is the snacking market.

Snacks rule

And snacking is apparently the “new thing.” I know, here we all thought that we were all already experts on snacking. But despite growing waistlines around the country, new innovations in snacking are on the rise in a big way. At the same time, everyone is looking for ways to encourage healthier eating at the kids table. Another marketing trend is to take the approach of marketing produce similarly to junk food — but that approach may not sit well with some parents. Produce growers and marketers do have a good opportunity to get in on the snacking trend in a way that’s good for their bottom line and everyone else’s, and parents are looking for good and authentic motives.

Another major trend is that of leveraging the power of popular cartoon and movie characters to promote produce. There is research out of Virginia Tech that indicates kids make strong connections to non-human entities, and that cartoon-type brand mascots can potentially influence a child’s eating habits now and in the future. As such, food producers need to be responsible with which types of foods they market using such influential characters when targeting children. Healthy food producers can potentially use these non-human brand advocates to help kids and parents develop better eating habits over time.

Narrow the focus

However, ultimately a pepper is still a pepper. And if your kids hate peppers, chances are a cartoon character on the label isn’t going to change that dynamic. Moms I spoke with say the topic of conversation of trying to get kids to eat more produce is almost an obsessive one, both in person and online. It’s a topic that causes a lot of fear and anxiety for moms who worry about their kids’ health. Ultimately, the trick to getting their kids to eat at least some produce seems to come down to identifying one or two veggies or fruits that an individual child will tolerate, then feeding them that offering on a regular basis different ways. That involves getting creative with ingredients.

Get sneaky

This has led many parents to try to follow the advice of book authors and bloggers to hide vegetables in less-healthy foods, or replace certain foods, such as pasta, with similar looking veggies. Think spinach baked into the brownies or spiral cut zucchini noodles. I asked several parents if this approach works for them, but, yet again, the overall response was dismal. In fact, some parents have found the only way to encourage their kids to eat their veggies is to not trick them from the get go. Dallas mom Katrina Kennedy worked to put unpackaged fresh veggies on the table early on and attributes her daughter’s affinity for veggies to “never tricking her or sneaking it in her food.”

Many parents agree that the, “You will clean your plate or else,” scenario is not always a win-win. See my previously referenced cooked carrot story. “If I can give one single example where my kid chose to eat a vegetable, it’s when she has planted, watered, tended and grown the vegetable herself,” says Shawna Coronado, mom, wellness advocate and vegetable grower in Chicago. “Outside of that it's a daily war waged in the mom trenches.”

Responses like these, anecdotal as they are, beg the question — should you try so hard to directly target kids with your marketing, or should you instead focus on mom and dad?

Shrink to fit shoppers

It seems to me that we should take the shrink-to-fit approach to a more tangible level if we want to reach kids with our marketing — or rather for them to reach the produce. I love the new trend I’ve seen lately where grocery stores are offering tiny shopping carts labeled for “future customers.” Why don’t we treat kids like they are already customers now, instead of future customers? How about a store-in-store kids produce section where the displays are kid-high and size appropriate, stocked with produce they can pick up? I can’t say I’ve ever seen one. That way, kids can be physically involved in choosing produce that directly appeals to them, and that gives them the power to make good choices. If they’ve chosen the produce on their own, perhaps there’s a greater chance they’ll eat it rather than it going to waste.

POP solutions

Packaging and POP takeaways that include creative and kid-friendly ways to prepare produce would also be helpful, such as recipes on packaging and recipe cards in displays the kids can also see and select. Mom Nikki Rosen from Dallas agrees. “I think I need help not on how to get my kid to try new veggies, but how to prepare the few they like,” she says.

Most likely, good produce marketing to kids relies on appealing to both mom and kid separately yet simultaneously, and in ways that are authentic. The things that may be important and appealing to moms are factors such as increasing the frequency of produce consumption, organic foods, reduced sugar and diet sensitivities such as gluten content. Kids, on the other hand, want power in the decision-making process, while still choosing foods that seems fun.