When the mercury rises, so do the opportunities in the produce department. But while shoppers are hot for summer flavors, retailers need to be cool-headed about which promotions actually move the needle, and which ones just look flashy. Let’s dive into real strategies that spark action, increase basket size, and grow topline sales, backed by both industry experience and AI-powered insights from EmpowerFresh.
The Power of Multiples: Salad and Berry Wins
Certain categories thrive under “multiple pricing.” Fresh cut salads and berries, in particular, are known impulse drivers that benefit from promotional formats like:
When you give shoppers permission to mix their favorites, while signaling a deal you reduce decision fatigue and drive volume. In fact, EmpowerFresh’s AI reveals that mix-and-match berry promotions and price multiples consistently deliver double-digit dollar growth compared to single SKU markdowns.
Elastic Pricing: Cherries vs. Melons
Not all produce behaves the same. Some items are price elastic, meaning small price changes can have big impacts on sales and profits.
EmpowerFresh’s algorithm learns this behavior by analyzing historical performance, competitor pricing, and seasonal demand curves so you’re never leaving money on the table. Understand that many “list type” items are consistent in movement despite retail (low impulse) see the best dollar generating spot for best profitability!
Theme It to Win It: The Psychology of Fun
Promotions with energy are more likely to stop a cart. Consider catchy campaign themes:
Not only do these names capture attention, but when layered with the right pricing and placement strategy, they create memorability and urgency. Use AI to help you A/B test champaign language, pricing, and timing to determine which combos create the strongest sales spikes.
So… What’s Really Working? (Hint: You Need EmpowerFresh)
The truth is: anyone can run a promotion. But the retailers who profit from them are those who know which ones:
That’s where EmpowerFresh shines. Our AI-powered platform doesn’t just digitize your ordering, it analyzes performance down to the SKU, pricing zone, and promo type. So instead of guessing which BOGO or berry bundle worked best, you can know exactly what to repeat (and what to retire).
Final Slice
Don’t just run promotions, run strategic ones. Use EmpowerFresh to guide your decisions with data-backed insights and real-time results. Whether it’s maximizing cherry profitability or designing the perfect kabob promo, we’re here to make sure your produce department sizzles all season long.
Want to see EmpowerFresh in action?
Let us show you how our AI-driven platform can transform your summer sales.
Request a demo today → https://empowerfresh.com/contact-us