Power of Produce 2017 finds three-quarter of shoppers plan their produce purchases pre-trip, and an even greater 86 percent of shoppers readily admit unplanned fruits and vegetables purchases frequently end up in their cart. That’s what makes produce a unique store item; it falls into both a planned and an impulse buy category.

Lucas Darnell, director of member relations and advocacy for the eastern region of FMI, visited with Jon Hurst, kitchen manager, and Curvin Hurst, owner, of Oregon Dairy in Lititz, Pennsylvania.

Today many food retailers see their mission to be a key partner in health and wellness in the communities they serve. This vison is backed by FMI’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2017 research that 45 percent of consumers perceive their primary food store as being an ally to help them achieve their wellness needs.

Consumers want to know this fact – they want to feel like the store where they shop and where they get their favorite things shares their broader values. But they want to see behind the numbers to what these efforts really mean. Data is always impressive, but how food retailers tell the story of sustainability to consumers matters more than ever.