Luke Sears Dishes on LGS Specialty Sales Citrus Platform and Exclusive Offerings
NEW ROCHELLE, NY - Peeling back the rind on a premium piece of citrus fruit is a gateway into the heart of many opportunities: nostalgia, craving, demand...and the consumer wallet. With trailblazing partners like LGS Specialty Sales elevating the buy-side game, there are even more chances to drive a successful citrus program home at retail this fall.
“We’re currently in the heart of Chilean W. Murcott season. We’ve seen a strong supply of W. Murcotts so far and expect that to continue through mid-November,” Luke Sears, President and Founder of LGS Specialty Sales, shares with me, mapping out the growing and harvesting tour that LGS’ program will take this autumn. “We’re currently shipping Chilean W. Murcotts until the second or third week of November when we’ll transition into the northern hemisphere. The company is experiencing strong quality this season with an earlier start to harvest than we saw in the previous year. Internals are at their peak, which means it’s the best-tasting fruit of the season.”
With a steady market leading us into October, Luke reflects on the variables that have changed during a pandemic year, but also how the company is rising to the occasion and adapting to generate successful opportunities.
“This year, we noticed that the lack of a traditional ‘back-to-school’ season threw things off a bit. However, with the strong promotions we have in place, we expect demand to pick up, especially considering the high-quality fruit we’re importing from Chile,” Luke expresses. “We utilize social media targeting to drive shoppers in stores to purchase our Darling Clementine® brand. We also have the option of pink packaging for our clementine line to be used for different occasions throughout the year like our upcoming promotion during Breast Cancer Awareness month in October.”
With the capabilities to produce POS for any of LGS’ items when requested by a retailer, the international operation is primed and ready to expand the possibilities of promotions in the produce department.
In addition, LGS is running its “One Step at a Time” consumer sweepstakes to elevate the limited-time pink Darling Clementine packaging. The sweepstakes were inspired by the company’s annual support of the Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure.
“We’re passionate about encouraging our community to care for their bodies through movement, nutritious food, and tackling daily stress ‘One Step At A Time.’ We’re thrilled our consumers are able to purchase the pink Darling Clementine packaging to raise awareness for a cause so close to our hearts at LGS. To elevate the promotion and drive consumers in stores to locate the pink clementine packaging, we’re utilizing social media advertising, email marketing, and influencer partnerships as well.”
Upcoming, LGS is expecting a strong supply of fruit from October through early November that the team is excited for retailers to experience.
Interested in learning more about the bountiful opportunities LGS Specialty Sales can create? Check out the platform at PMA Fresh Summit where the virtual show will most surely go on!
