Success with Burpee: Foodie Nation Rise

Tim Duffin

If you’re still selling the same 10 tomatoes in your edibles program that you’ve sold for decades, it’s time to make a change. Newsflash: You’re boring today’s consumer! Sounds harsh, but it’s true; we’re fast becoming a “foodie nation” and the everyday red slicer just won’t cut it.

Today, the specialty food segment is a nearly $80 billion industry. Your customers are visiting farmers markets in record numbers. They’re traveling and exploring global dishes, and they’re educated and exposed to so much more vegetable flavors, textures, shapes and colors than ever before. Don’t miss your chance to connect to this rising segment.

Pictured: As a cross between a patty pan and zucchini, Cupcake Squash has a soft, edible skin, and its shape is the ideal “bowl.”

“Foodies” are a group who approach eating as more than simply satisfying hunger or convenience. They are all about the experience. Let’s explore what’s influencing this segment and how Burpee can show them all they can achieve right in their own garden space!

For foodies, fresh, local and special are essential to their culinary adventure, but the consumer demand for locally grown (or fresh-grown) food is driven by more than just environmental concerns. There are social, health and economic concerns as well. According to a study presented at the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference in 2014, shoppers perceive that local food gives them the opportunity to:

Obtain food with superior quality (freshness, flavor, ripeness, enhanced shelf life)
Learn about farming and gardening practices
Trust the integrity of their food amidst safety concerns

The same study also called out the increased consumer demand for unusual or heirloom varieties of vegetables, which often have unique flavor profiles, but can be difficult to find. Since their heirloom nature makes them prone to shipping damage, sometimes the foodie’s only choice is to grow it themselves. That’s where your revamped edibles department comes in!

Make it Foodie Fresh
To help foodies unleash their inner gourmet in the garden, Burpee experts have trialed and selected the following vegetables and herbs for the Foodie Fresh collection:

Eggplant Meatball
Herb Celery Peppermint Stick
Pea Masterpiece
Pepper Cherry Stuffer
Tomato Chocolate Sprinkles
Tomato Madame Marmande
Squash Cupcake

These varieties and others in the Burpee portfolio are recipe-ready and unique enough to please those discerning palates. They’re loaded with rich flavor, but best of all they’re easy to grow. Turning foodies into successful gardeners is a sure way to build repeat customers. It’s keeping them inspired that’s the key and it’s easy with several of the selections listed above. For instance, Eggplant Meatball creates tasty “Meatless Monday” recipes with its high moisture content and dense texture. Its low seed count means a less bitter flavor, making it perfect for grilling eggplant “burgers” or adding homemade marinara to ground eggplant “meatballs.”

Squash Cupcake also lets gardeners get creative in the kitchen. As a cross between a patty pan and zucchini, its skin is soft and edible, and its shape is the ideal “bowl.” Foodies will roast and stuff Cupcake with their favorite flavors to impress dinner guests.

Not to be outdone, Pea Masterpiece is both edible AND ornamental with hyper-tendrils that froth around the plant for an appealing look, and they can also garnish a delicious spring entrée. Another easy-breezy variety to grow, gardeners can harvest and enjoy Masterpiece at several stages of maturity for sweet, fresh flavor.

Foodies take over, one dish at a time
In the kitchen, food prep has become entertainment and self-expression. It’s an activity that engages all of the senses, which is hard to come by in this digital era. “Food” is also the fastest-growing category on Pinterest and gets the most repins. Nearly 89% of the U.S. population goes online to search for recipes. Sure, cookbooks are still a top source, but they’re rapidly being replaced by websites like Allrecipes.com and epicurious.com.

According to The New York Times, the food subscription box market in the U.S. could grow by as much as $5 billion over the next 10 years. These weekly boxes come in all flavors—from the savory to the sweet—with ingredients provided by farming partners, selected at peak freshness. Blue Apron now delivers 5 million meals a month, up from 500,000 just 18 months ago.

Food is also a great bridge to the generation gap. Both Millennials and Boomers relate over recipes and food appreciation. Their restaurant and travel habits play a big part in this inspiration. From the globally oriented younger generation to the empty nester seasonal vacations, eating and exploring unique foods is their sought-after experience. And they’re bringing those experiences home.

The rise in foodie behaviors shows how this next generation’s tastes will shape the futures of restaurants, grocery stores and even farms. The National Restaurant Association’s research and knowledge group have found new foodie interests are reflected in the group’s menu trends with the provenance of various food and beverage items, unique aspects of how they’re prepared and presented, plus the dietary profiles of those meals (Hudson Riehle, 2014 Restaurant Industry Forecast).

So how should you capture a foodie’s attention?

Support the foodie experience with food and wine events in-store
Offer recommendations for recipes and employee favorites
Connect online through social media (photos are king!)
“Geek out” on popular foodie topics: Canning, home brewing, kimchi, etc.
Leverage mobile couponing (show them love)

Take a critical look at your vegetable and herb offering. Are you providing the plants to meet their needs? Starting with the Foodie Fresh collection from Burpee is one way to pique their interest. Dressing up your store with appropriate signage and bench cards is another way to make it special. (Point-of-purchase material is free from Burpee, too!)

Celebrate your culinary diversity and encourage the exploration of new flavors. You’ll find a receptive home for this veggie excitement with foodies, which will lead you to a season of success. GT

Contact your Ball Seed or Burpee program representative today or visit BurpeeHomeGardensBrand.com to learn more about the Burpee Foodie Fresh collection.

Tim Duffin is Burpee Brand Manager for Ball Horticultural Company in West Chicago, Illinois.