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Fresh Florida Produce from Field to Store
In partnership with: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
As you shop in the produce section at your local grocery store, keep this in mind: throughout the winter months most of the fresh fruits, citrus and vegetables you are placing into your cart are from Florida. Everything from tomatoes, snap beans, cabbage and sweet corn to grapefruit, bell peppers, squash, tangerines, avocados and much more.
Thanks to Florida’s famous sunshine and near perfect geographic position, Florida’s more than 47,700 farmers can provide a variety of farm-fresh products to shoppers across the United States – and the globe. Look for sweet strawberries beginning in late November through March, as well as nutritious snap beans and bell peppers, broccoli and a rich variety of juicy citrus. Florida’s hardworking farmers ensure high-quality produce while the great relationships the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has developed with retail chains help place many items in circular ads throughout much of the fall, winter and spring, when Florida peaks in production.
FDACS has implemented robust initiatives over the past decade to promote the “Fresh From Florida” marketing program and products labeled under the “Fresh From Florida” brand to dozens of major retailers, including Publix, Bi-Lo, Kroger and Spartan.
Building Relationships
“Each year we identify dozens of retailers who can provide optimal regional sales opportunities and then we begin the process of introducing our program,” says Dan Sleep, chief of the Bureau of Strategic Development in the Division of Marketing and Development at FDACS.
“Since the ‘Fresh From Florida’ retail program started in 2002, numerous successes can be seen in retail relationships and how sales have been positively impacted,” Sleep says.
“A good measurement of the success of Florida agricultural exports, which have surpassed $4 billion in the last three years, is the relationship built with Canada. Our retail campaigns have assisted increasing sales from $300 million in 2002 to over $900 million in 2014,” Sleep says.
Florida farmers are at the helm of distribution, making sure their fresh produce and crops arrive at retail stores at the highest quality.
“It is literally a work of business art,” Sleep says. “Florida farmers are at the front of the distribution process and are experts at ensuring their numerous products are expertly grown, nurtured, harvested and placed within arm’s reach of us throughout much of the year, whether you’re shopping in Sarasota or Singapore.”
He adds that the distribution system in the United States is perfectly balanced and strives to deliver food truly at its freshest. In most cases, Florida fruits and vegetables move from the field to the store in less than a business day, if not a matter of hours. This distribution strategy not only gives consumers the highest quality of food, but also it optimizes sales, reduces losses and maintains some of the lowest price points in the world for the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables.
A Win-Win
Advertising is another way FDACS keeps retailer relationships strong.
“In some cases, we partner with retailers in our advertising efforts, tagging TV commercials with retailers’ logos and taglines,” says Donna Watson, advertising and media manager at FDACS Division of Marketing and Development. “This added media exposure helps increase awareness and sales of Florida commodities, while at the same time, drives traffic to local grocery stores in that market. It’s a win-win for the brand and the retailer.”
The combination of these advertising efforts and retailer relationships have resulted in Florida products being sold in 65 major retail chains worldwide, which together, represent more than 12,000 stores and close to 500,000 ads annually.
“It’s important to keep in mind each retailer’s unique contributions, so that FDACS can accurately optimize sales for each store,” Sleep says.
“We want to diversify, build options, introduce and feature new products, and remain the most successful marketing support program in the United States.”