Consumers notice New Electricity at Trader Joe’s

 

Regular readers of this blog know, Trader Joe’s is one of the most consumer focused, consumer interactive, consume participatory branded food retailers in the world according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  Why less friction in the supply chain.

Global grocer Aldi is Trader Joe’s sister company and understand supply chain problems was top of mind when it came to selecting a new supplier for fresh leafy greens.  Once again Trader Joe’s showed why and they are a leader. Let’s take a look and see why there is new consumer interactive participatory electricity at Trader Joes.

So, indoor vertical farming leader Kalera now offers three whole-head varieties of its sustainably grown greens — Crunch, Butter and Frisée — at a retail price of $2.99 in the produce aisle at 40 Trader Joe’s locations in Texas. The hydroponic produce, which Kalera touts as ultra-clean and non-GMO, is grown in the Orlando, Fla.-based company’s Houston facility.

Jim Leighton, Kalera’s president and CEO, stated, “The Trader Joe’s consumer base is undeniable, as the store is well-known for its low prices on quality, exclusive foods,”… “At Kalera, we pride ourselves on innovatively growing nutritious, affordable and accessible greens, making our expansion into Trader Joe’s an excellent decision for our consumers.”

Kalera employs climate-controlled environments and sustainable farming methods such as water recycling and plant nutrient formula optimization to grow nutrient-dense greens without the use of sprays or chemicals. The company said its 86,000-square-foot Houston facility is the largest vertical farming facility in Texas and produces 10 million leafy greens annually. Its products are also sold at Kroger stores in the Houston and Dallas metropolitan areas and at H-E-B locations throughout the Lone Star State.

Leighton continued, “Our Houston facility continues to triumph in the regional produce market, providing clean greens that are directly put into the refrigerators of Houston residents,”. “While we are a company that thinks globally, we act locally and understand that change begins at home.”

Kalera, which distributes produce in grocery retail stores across the United States and internationally, said it has expanded its overall retail store count by 25% in 2022 and is on track to top 40% by the end of the year. The company operates farms in Houston, Orlando, Atlanta, Denver, Munich and Kuwait, and five farms are under construction in Seattle; Columbus, Ohio; Honolulu; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Singapore.

In a Battle for Share of Stomach

Fresh Matters

According to Johnson, “Brand relevance is in part driven with innovation in new food products in combination with new avenues of distribution all of which are the platform for the new electricity.” 

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh foods, smaller footprint, developing brands, fresh flowers, grocerant positioning, fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food that is portable according to Johnson. 

For international corporate presentations, regional chain presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions.  His extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert, and public speaking will leave success clues for all. For more information visit GrocerantGuru.com, FoodserviceSolutions.US or call 1-253-759-7869