November 2005, Springhouse PA -- Bananas are one of the
most popular fruits for people from around the world, and a key item
in the produce department. Importantly for AgroFresh and SmartFresh
customers, they are also a proven and important indicator of produce
department success for retailers because banana’s are the largest
category in the produce department and the banana section attracts consumers
when they have good color and are bright yellow. The bright yellow color
from stem to tip clearly says "ripe" and the beautiful smooth
peel says "buy me."
With the announcement of the new SmartFresh for Bananas
program, Spring House PA-based AgroFresh has again demonstrated the
vast potential for its flagship product SmartFresh, a breakthrough technology
that temporarily slows ripening to maintain quality. Suppliers of apples,
melons, tomatoes-- and now bananas--appreciate the value of the company's
programs because research shows that both retailers and consumers are
more satisfied with SmartFresh quality produce. Therefore, supermarket
buyers can purchase with more confidence and shoppers will enjoy best-quality
produce from harvest time to check out line.
SmartFresh for Bananas is a unique program that extends
the yellow life of bananas from ripening through shipping to retail
and beyond. With SmartFresh, bananas maintain their firm texture and
beautiful yellow color so packers, shippers and exporters can consistently
offer retailers the kind of fruit that is always in demand by consumers.
The power of SmartFresh and its impact on bananas is reinforced by independent
research when consumers cited lack of shelf life as their number one
complaint, and ranked ripeness and color as the top factors in their
purchase decision, well ahead of price and brand. The appeal of SmartFresh,
throughout the value chain, is that it makes bananas’ yellow life
last longer, so they have a better chance to be bought and enjoyed by
consumers.
According to Raphael Crawford, AgroFresh Vice president for the Americas,
testing confirms that better color and overall appearance added up to
substantially higher purchase intent for SmartFresh quality bananas
compared to control. "Yellow life continues to be crucial even
after the purchase, too," says Crawford. "SmartFresh enhances
consumers’ eating experience by keeping bananas looking great
for extra days. That's important to know when you want to encourage
repeat purchases and customer loyalty."
For Agrofresh and its customers, research statistics tell the story.
A compelling 71%, or one out of every five consumers surveyed, said
they discarded about one-quarter of the bananas from any given bunch
purchased. Simple over-maturity, for instance, can create a memorable
negative experience. Crawford says SmartFresh is changing that. "SmartFresh
extends bananas’ yellow life for up to eight extra days. That
means better bananas on display in stores, and longer-lasting appeal
even after consumers take them home."
Additional recent research by the Food Marketing Institute
lends weight to the notion that having firm and beautiful bananas in
the produce department is a boon to retailers. According to findings,
the quality of the produce department drives consumer’s perceptions
and their decision for where to shop. With tests showing that SmartFresh
quality encouraged behaviors including; eating bananas more often, willingness
to try other produce from the store, perceiving the store as higher
quality, recommending the store to others, and shopping at the store
more often, SmartFresh is clearly supporting and enabling that strong
trend to continue. The message is clear: beautiful yellow bananas not
only grab consumers' attention, but they give the impression of higher
quality and a better eating experience. So where bananas are concerned,
it's important to have a sweet nature but you've also got to have good
looks!
AgroFresh, maker of SmartFresh is a trusted and rapidly
expanding company dedicated to providing consumers around the world
with the freshest and best tasting fruits and vegetables available.
AgroFresh partners with its valued customers to help improve the overall
quality of fresh produce, increase profit and sales, reduce costs and
shrink, providing new opportunities for dynamic growth.
