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Produce Show Daily Friday, October 20, 2017 4 0 RipeLock Helps Bananas Stay Fresh Longer 1 reason for switching channels. Your store can be the one they switch to! The RipeLock™ Quality System from AgroFresh provides unmatched control over the banana ripening process, helping bananas retain their freshness throughout the supply chain all the way to the kitchen counter. RipeLock enables the consistent retail display of high qual- ity bananas at the color consumers prefer, extends yellow life and delivers the smooth, creamy texture they crave. Studies show that consumers prefer RipeLock bananas over regular bananas more than 2 to 1 (MMR Research Worldwide independent study, February, 2015) when evaluating taste, texture, color, freshness, ripeness and appearance – for both unpeeled and peeled bananas. Research suggests that a successful banana program delivers more con- sistent quality and a longer shelf life of bananas, which will increase cus- tomer loyalty, reduce waste and ulti- mately help drive increased produce sales overall. The RipeLock system consists of two synergistic parts: a specially designed Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) bag and an eth- ylene-inhibiting application. In preparation for shipping to retailers, bananas are placed in RipeLock bags, creating an optimal environment that controls respiration and maintains prop- er humidity during the shipping process, reducing rot and mold. Approaching the end of the ripening cycle, the RipeLock application helps to hold the bananas' color longer, reduce sugar spots and maintain pulp freshness and texture. When the bananas reach the retail back- room, they remain in the RipeLock bags to maintain quality until they are ready for display or consumption. "At AgroFresh, we are committed to reducing glob- al food loss by preserving and enhancing food fresh- ness through solutions that work throughout the entire value chain to optimize the quality of produce. RipeLock is one innovation within the AgroFresh portfolio that helps achieve that goal, while providing substantial value to retailers in terms of increased consumer purchases, enhanced loyalty and mini- mized waste," said Kevin Frye, RipeLock North America Sales Manager. For more information, visit booth #4217, go to www.ripelock.info or con- tact Kevin Frye at 704.962.2872 or kevinfrye@agrofresh.com. It's probably safe to say that to have bananas stay fresh longer than their typ- ical short shelf-life is incredibly desir- able for retailers and consumers alike. While price discounts and promotions are effective in driving traffic to retail, studies show that consumers cite appear- ance and ripeness as the two most impor- tant factors in their produce buying deci- sion (before price). Eighty-six percent of shoppers occasionally purchase produce on impulse based on these two key attributes. Additionally, increasing con- sumer focus on health and wellness fur- ther drives demand of quality produce, and consumers will shop wherever they need to in order to get it, even if it means shopping at multiple retailers to meet their weekly grocery needs. "Better quality/freshness of produce" is the No. Culinary Apple Tempts Shoppers to Stay a While By Micah Cheek Like many retailers, Mary and David Weldy have felt the pressure of compet- ing with Amazon and other sales sites. But Mary and David aren't worried about losing money to online markets, because they have made their store everything that Amazon isn't ― an immersive, informative experience that's worth trav- eling for. Culinary Apple is located in Chelan, Washington, a tiny resort town in the heart of Apple country and on the edge of Lake Chelan. The store actually got its start from being a gift shop and hub for apple tourism. "We shopped for every- thing apple! Apple candles, apple teapots and apple aprons, to name a few. That's how we became the 'Apple Store,'" says David Weldy, co-Owner. "We private labeled our apple jams, jelly and butters. We started selling beautiful apple gift baskets with these items including fresh harvested apples. And then we ultimately got into buying a fudge factory and put- ting it in the store." After separately opening a kitchenware store as well, the Weldys decided to put their two busi- nesses together. "We took the best of each store and developed that. Look at all that fresh fudge! Roasted glazed nuts! [You come in and] all of a sudden you see so many things that you wouldn't expect in a kitchen store," David adds. Dubbed Culinary Apple, the new store has been curated with items for each wave of cus- tomers that will come in throughout the year. During the summer, Chelan's popu- lation swells from 7,000 to 25,000 with the influx of tourists and people who own second homes on the edge of the lake. "We're kicking off our high season now. Our peak time frame is June, July and August," says Mary, Co-Owner. "We have what's called 'Conference Season.' We do conference gifts and attendee gifts. That's March, April and May, and again in September, October and November, which is our harvest time for apples. Even though our visitors and tourists have gone back to the other side of the mountains, we still have our con- ference attendees." Lots of Culinary Apple's kitchen- ware business comes from the seasonal residents who need to outfit their second home with new tools or something they forgot on the trip. "Obviously kitchen gadgets are a huge part of our business," says David. For a time, the store was also outfitted with a wide variety of electric appliance options as well. But as time passed, the profits from small electrics began to shrink. "We don't carry a lot of that product like we used to. We've already eliminated Vitamix, they've sold their soul to Amazon. We were doing Soda Stream, but all the big box stores got involved in it, so we moved away from Soda Stream," says David. "We reduced our electric lines, and got a lot of shelf space for things that turn better with higher margins." The Weldys have created a strong engagement program for customers both online and in the store itself. "We created our own rewards program," says Mary. "We have over 6,000 people in our rewards program. We send them an email, and our monthly open rate for that email is about 22 percent." David adds, "We have so many people coming in for that birthday reward. We send them 10 dollars and they walk out with 100 dollars of merchandise." Culinary Apple also has a schedule of sales that coin- cide with tastings and tool demonstrations. "Because it's Reward Friday, when you let people know they can come into the store and get 20 percent off anything that isn't excluded, we have a lot of people in the store. And a lot of them go to the Gadget Playdate." The return from the Gadget Playdate can be substantial. Mary adds, "I would say on average, we have a solid 30 people that purchase, and they purchase on a pretty good volume. We'll actually have customers come in on Thursday to take a look, and then come in to buy on Friday." When the rewards bring them to the store, customers will meet a Culinary Apple team that the Weldys have serious- ly invested in educating. "We do a phe- nomenal business in knives, and it's because our team knows a lot about knives," says Mary. David adds, "A few weeks ago we had WUSTHOF do train- ing in store for the staff followed by a sales training trip to Seattle for knife skill training by Shun. Then we went to Progressive [International] and did about a six-hour training with them." To make sure their staff is as knowledgeable as possible, Mary and David take their team to as many company training programs as they can. "We gave up about $2,500 in sales by closing our store, we spend about $800 to take our team over, but that was so inexpensive compared to the team building, training and brainstorming. Every time we get back to the store we see how enthusiastic everyone is to share what they have learned. It just pays off dividends." The experienced staff integrates into a store experience designed to appeal to all the senses. "When you come in you'll smell nuts roasting, or someone in the back making fudge. We're still getting lots of baby boomers, so we play that music that appeals to them. It makes them feel good," says David. "Then they're greeted with one of our team. 'Hello, would you like to try a cinnamon- glazed pecan?' And then they get a taste. It's about appealing to all the senses." Culinary Apple has leveraged its fruit-focus theme to leverage deals with manufacturers. "We just completed an agreement with Dexas. They have a beau- tiful apple cutting board that we sell in the store. We have a co-op that looks for apple products to give to their growers for their big annual fall harvest party," says David. "We [also] did that with JK Adams with their apple cutting board. These are the kinds of things we've done to grow our business. You've got to think outside of the box, not just waiting for that next customer to walk into your store, but reaching out to corporate clients and ask- ing for there business. Like our sign says on our front door, 'Culinary Apple a store to experience.'" Eastern Cantaloupe: Sweet Taste Delivered with Confidence Cantaloupes are a staple at many breakfast and picnic tables, and for good reason – they are tasty and nutritious. Whether served alone or in a side dish or as a garnish, can- taloupe is a great addition to a healthy diet. Eastern Cantaloupe Growers Association (ECGA) Certified Growers are committed to delivering a high quality cantaloupe that has been grown and handled to some of the highest safety standards in the industry. Formed in 2012, ECGA certifies grow- ers to a standard that goes above and beyond the National Cantaloupe Guidance docu- ment. ECGA members renew their certifica- tion annually by undergoing two audits, one of which is unannounced during the produc- tion season. These audits cover field man- agement, water testing and harvesting and processing practices. If a cantaloupe is stamped ECGA certified, you can buy with confidence that it has been properly grown and handled throughout the life cycle. "Food safety is our number one focus," said Charles Hall, ECGA Executive Director. "Our growers are committed to the strictest food safety guidelines in the industry and they volun- tarily undergo multiple audits each year to demonstrate their compliance." In a recent consumer study on can- taloupe consumption, approximately 50 percent of respondents were more likely to buy cantaloupe more frequently if they were ECGA certified and 36 percent per- ceive ECGA-certified cantaloupes as safer. ECGA certification offers an extra degree of confidence that sets producers apart from non-certified growers. ECGA certified farms are located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and North Carolina, and account for nearly 5,000 acres of production. Retail buyers can source ECGA-certified cantaloupes throughout the growing season and offer their cus- tomers the gold standard in food safety. "Every ECGA grower complies with the certification standards or their mem- bership is revoked. If a grower is ECGA certified, you can buy with confidence," said Hall. For complete ECGA member contact infor- mation, visit www.easterncantaloupe.com.