Convenience is King for Organic

Have you ever felt the joy of stumbling upon an organic option in a place you would never expect it? I had this happen when riding Amtrak from Chicago to Denver. Wandering down to the cafe car, I had little hope of finding anything edible let alone organic. I ordered the Oven Pride vegan burger, thinking that would be the healthiest option and was shocked to see the word organic listed before virtually every ingredient! Delight consumed me and I happily ordered burgers for every meal that trip. This is a perfect example of the loyal sales that come from making organic products more accessible.

While organic companies focus on getting their products into the big retail chains like Whole Foods, they often neglect the fact that customers are shopping in many other places. Organic customers take road trips, hang out in airports, stay in hotels, and have many other occasions to stray from their normal natural foods stores. In those cases they are dependent upon convenience. In a sea of processed food, your organic product is a savior with very little competition.

Quality Assurance International’s Organic Forecast for 2023 points to this trend saying:

Larger organic production, from farm acreage expansion to processing facilities, will translate into organic landing where it is most needed: schools, hospitals, food banks, convenience stores and in mainstream America’s home.

Some companies have already caught onto this and are making snack packs for school lunches or getting in on the protein bar market in gas stations. Squeeze packs and mini bags can get you into vending machines and to-go racks at fast food restaurants.

Craft services companies, caterers, and institutions know that their consumers want organic. Provide them with easy wholesale options that fit smoothly into their operations or cut down on their food prep time.

The truly forward thinking companies will also keep sustainability in mind when making smaller packages. A smaller package usually means more waste, but a well-designed and functional reusable container can easily end up in a lunch box or car cup holder. Reusable containers can be a nice opportunity to reinforce your brand’s commitment to sustainability and a customer’s brand loyalty.

Start thinking of how your product can be most accessible to your customer at all times of day and in uncommon places.

Image by Michael Coté.