Tops Promoting Local Produce

Williamsville, NY – Produce managers from Tops Friendly Markets’ 71 stores rolled up their sleeves today and hit the field to learn first-hand about the locally grown produce that is sold in all Tops stores. At the same time, the managers took part in a photo shoot that will be the basis of an in-store campaign to promote local produce and local growers.

“Our customers want to be confident that their produce is fresh and locally grown,” said Tops Friendly Markets President and CEO Frank Curci. “With Tops once again under local ownership and management, it is more important than ever for us to build the relationship between Tops and our local growing partners. That’s what our homegrown campaign is all about.”

The homegrown campaign, which will be launched this summer, has a central theme of informing Tops’ customers where the produce they purchase comes from. The campaign will include in-store signage that shows where the local produce comes from and tells who the local growers are. Tops is working with local marketing firm The SKM Group to develop the homegrown campaign and in-store signage.

Produce managers from each Tops store, including 38 in the Buffalo-Niagara region, toured Eden Valley Growers today, one of the Buffalo areas largest growers’ consortiums, along with their conglomerates, Amos Zittel & Sons, Salzman Farms and Agle Farms, all of whom supply the local produce sold in Tops stores.

“The produce managers had the opportunity to experience the quality and selection of fresh produce such as corn, peppers, lettuce, and apples that we ship to stores on a daily basis,” said Rick Wright, produce and floral marketing manager at Tops. “The growers that we worked with today represent those farms that supply all Tops stores with fresh-from-the-field, homegrown produce.

“When our produce managers are able to see, smell and touch the products first-hand while that produce is still on the vine, tree, or plant, they are better educated about the product and better equipped to explain the benefits of homegrown produce to their customers and associates,” Wright added.

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