At DMA Solutions, we’re in the business of sharing fresh produce success stories each and every day. And we are typically most drawn to and especially excited to spread the fresh produce good news that doesn’t regularly appear on our radars.  Yes, when we as consumers, Internet browsers and blog subscribers learn about a fresh produce success story that does not involve a grower or person from within our industry, we’re intrigued and want to learn and share.

Recently we learned about Katie’s Krops an inspirational cause (and legit 501(c)(3) organization) led by a fourteen year old girl on a mission to fight hunger one vegetable garden at a time.  When Katie was in third grade, she planted a seedling that she received from a program by Bonnie Plants in 2008.  With tender loving care, Katie nurtured her seedling into a forty pound head of cabbage!

Katie realized that her cabbage was special and knew that something so special should be shared (a great marketer in the making!).  After donating her cabbage to a local soup kitchen and realizing what a difference the fruits of her labor made in the lives of families in need, Katie’s Krops has been on a mission to end hunger, one vegetable garden at a time.

We were so inspired after learning about this little girl’s story that we were moved to take action and do something meaningful with our vegetables with the hope that maybe we too could provide a local cause with fresh products that could feed hungry people in our local communities.

We’d like to invite you to make a difference in someone’s life as well.  Simply share a photo of you and your personal garden in the comment box below and we’ll donate $10.00 per photo to Katie’s Krops in the name of “The Folks of the Fresh Produce Industry”.  Hurry!  We’re submitting our donation by July 1^st, so that Katie can help feed hungry Americans on our day of Independence.

Posted by: The Optimist (Megan Zweig)

For years now the DMA team has returned from our industry tradeshows to share the things that blew us away, and United Fresh 2013 is no different! This year’s intimate show packed a powerful punch and left some significant impressions on our team. From the patriotic opening party to the philanthropic efforts our industry showcased throughout, United Fresh 2013 gets a big thumbs up. Read on as we share a few of our favorite things from our week in San Diego!

Favorite Industry Accomplishment – We were blown away to learn that our industry rallied behind the salad bar initiative to raise funds for 436 salad bars to be donated to California schools over the next year.  We are proud of Dick Spezzano, Karen Caplan, Lisa McNeece, and Margaret D’Arrigo-Martin and the rest of the team that worked so hard to make this effort successful and grateful to the companies that contributed. The Salad Bar effort is a huge personal passion for members of the DMA team, and we’re really looking forward to being blown away by our industry’s accomplishments next year in the mid-west!  Check out our full recapof the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools press conference to learn more, and check out this printable infographic to keep the momentum going! Together, we can work to increase the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables across the nation with salad bars.

Favorite Use of Real-Time on the Show floor – We loved Sunset’s live tomato taste test with results tracking on several TVs around the booth.  We sampled five snack size tomatoes: the mini Kumato, One Sweet, Angel Sweet, Zima and brand new Yelo varieties. The results were quickly entered into an iPad app by Annika Mastronardi (who we have also deemed our Favorite Booth Worker).  What a great way to engage booth visitors and encourage interaction by the booth workers, plus the snack size tomato varieties get a big “LIKE” from the DMA Team!

Favorite Philanthropic Effort – As the chaos of teardown began, you may have noticed the sea of people walking around in IFCO t-shirts, kindly asking if you’d like to donate your leftover products to Feeding America San Diego.  IFCO partnered with this area food bank to gather all the donated product in their company’s RPC containers.  We applaud IFCO for investing in this worthwhile effort and continuing to spread the message about the importance of reusing as we work to implement more earth-friendly practices both in our industry and in our communities.

Favorite Female Trifecta – Have we mentioned lately how remarkable the women in the fresh produce industry are? Seriously folks, our industry is blessed with some outstanding women with a true sense of camaraderie and passion for what they do, and that was apparent during this year’s convention. What we loved was the powerful trifecta of stand-out ladies that were honored or recognized throughout the week. First there was this year’s inspiring Woman in Produce honoree, Lisa McNeece of Grimmway Farms. Men and women alike wore orange (the color of carrots!) to the jam-packed reception in honor of Lisa. Her heartfelt speech reminded us of how meaningful the connections and support we receive from fellow industry members can be during good times and bad. Next there was the Women in Produce panel working to inspire the next generation in produce. Lead by Dan’l Mackey Almy, Tonya Antle of Tanimura & Antle, Margaret D’Arrigo-Martin of Taylor Farms, and Heather Shavey of Costco Wholesale, the panel provided key advice from industry mentors and leaders to the next generation of fresh produce leaders in attendance. Finally, we were very excited to learn that Nichole Towell of Duda Farm Fresh Foods was honored with the United Fresh Leadership Alumni of the Year award during a private dinner held on Wednesday evening. Nichole’s leadership in all facets of our industry is motivating and the award is a well-deserved completion of this trifecta!

If you’re a woman in produce looking to connect with other women in the industry, check out the Women in Produce LinkedIn group and stay plugged in all year-long, not just during tradeshow season.

Favorite, Favorite, Favorite New Healthy Snack – CB’s Nuts Organic Naked Pumpkin Seeds are like nothing we’ve ever had before. These seeds come from a special hull-less variety, which gave them a distinctive green color and smooth texture that’s different than the white outer shell we are used to seeing.  While fresh fruit, veggies, yogurt and nuts are our regular go-to snacking choices, we have a new fan favorite that we could not wait to bring back to the office for our whole crew to try out. Check back soon for an Office Eats post featuring these little babies!

Favorite Chef Experience – Royal Flavor’s Bruschetta sample was to.die.for.  Prepared by Chef Martin from San Diego’s Acqua Al 2 Ristornate, Royal Flavor hit a home run with this sample and delightful chef experience.  Drizzled with the chef’s very own extra virgin olive oil, this warm tomato concoction had us craving more. Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to enjoy dinner at the restaurant itself, but we will certainly keep it in mind for our next visit.

Favorite Consumer Convenience Item – We have to admit that as much as we love the sweet taste and unusual texture of pomegranates, we don’t get excited about a few of their less than convenient attributes: cutting and prepping them!  So when we learned about Youngstown Distributors, Inc.’s Pomegranate Seed or “Arils” product, we were hooked! This convenience package contains the arils already removed from the skin and ready to enjoy in a generously sized package. While these aren’t the least expensive produce treat to enjoy, we were happy to learn that the pack contains the arils of 3 to 4 whole pomegranates, making it equal in price to its bulk counterpart. So it might be a splurge, but with the added convenience factor this product offers a value we can’t refuse.

Favorite Before and After – While new packaging often makes a debut on the show floor, it’s not often that you get to see the “before and after” packaging displayed side-by-side. Naturally Fresh took this approach and featured their new salad dressing labels and green lids at United Fresh alongside their current look. We enjoyed this experience because it was an opportunity to appreciate the improvement in visual impact on store shelf. With a more gourmet appearance, we think Naturally Fresh should find success in their packaging investment!

Favorite Use of Banner Stands – While the use of multiple banner stands with matching graphic design is not new to any tradeshow, there is certainly a way to maximize the impact of these super affordable and portable booth structures. Meras Engineering provided a great example for turning banner stands into one cohesive backdrop.  We look forward to keeping our eye out for other companies with wise banner stand strategies, and you can also keep an eye out for fantastic banner stand strategy ideas in our upcoming post: The Anatomy of a Banner Stand.

Favorite Product Display – With so many options for showcasing product and really taking advantage of the natural beauty of FRESH, we love seeing artistic use that doesn’t involve produce heaping out of a bulk box.  JemD Farms took an artistic approach by laying out a sea of color to draw attendees in.  We really appreciated the way they incorporated signage that did not compete with the beauty of the product but still provided very concise and direct information about each product and package. In this case, simple was beautiful and effective.

Favorite Aircraft Carrier – Well, to be honest, this may have been the ONLY aircraft carrier we’ll ever be on, but we couldn’t write this post without mentioning what an awesome experience we had aboard the U.S.S. Midway.  We appreciate the patriotic atmosphere and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to stand amongst so much rich history.

Favorite Convention City – Boy, you certainly can’t complain about coming to San Diego. The city impressed us in so many ways with its perfect weather, walkable streets, delicious cuisine and easy-to-navigate convention center.  We really enjoyed being able to walk from the hotel to the show in minutes. Thank you to the convention organizers at United Fresh for choosing this location so wisely!

All in all there was a tremendous amount of marketing excellence around this year’s United Fresh convention. In order to thank you all for the creative inspiration we soaked in at the show, we’d like to offer you some marketing resources to show our appreciation!

So what were some of your favorite things at United Fresh 2013? Be sure to share your thoughts and anything we missed below. And if you aren’t already subscribed to The Core, you may want to hop aboard that boat! We’re featuring more thoughts and inspirations from the show in the weeks to come, so keep an eye out.

Posted by: The Promoter (Mackenzie Michel)

In today’s fast paced, ever-changing world, it is not enough to simply be memorable.  No, today it takes a lot of work to establish a brand for yourself whether you’re running for political office or trying to establish yourself in an industry where you passionately believe that your talents can make a positive difference.

I’ve become very conscious of the powerful personal brands in our own industry, and recently at United Fresh 2013 in San Diego, it hit me.  There are several recurring attributes that each of the leaders I look up to possess and that I believe are necessary to be relevant and, well, outstanding.  This is my list.

1. Memorable

I mentioned “memorable” at the top of the article because, alas, this is an attribute that I believe one must possess in order to build a personal brand.  This quality takes years of practice and is a direct result of mastering the next six attributes on my list.

2. Authentic

I’m willing to bet that nobody has ever claimed that they’d like to model their career and personal brands after that of a used car salesman.  While in many cases these folks are most likely quite genuine, the stereotype is that the used car salesman is neither authentic nor truthful.  To establish a home run brand, we must model ourselves after those that are admired for their authenticity.

3. Energetic

When you’re establishing a name and brand for yourself, you must show up with enthusiasm and with a positive attitude for forward motion and growth!  When you leave a room, you want the murmurs to sound like this, “Wow!  She really owned the room, didn’t she?  Her energy is precisely what this industry needs.”

4. Connected

Individuals with great personal brands are connected in more ways than one.  They not only shake hands with and toast glasses with the movers and shakers of the world, but also with the up and coming generation of professionals. Great personal brands are typically also connected online via social networks.  This helps them to reach movers, shakers and next generation leaders with the push of a button.

5. Consistent

Being a consistent nurturer and advocate of a personal brand is absolutely necessary in its evolution to greatness.  Consistency helps to mold a personal brand by showing dedication to a thought, a cause or an industry and proves that this person is in it for the long haul.

6. Present

Being present is absolutely imperative in building a strong personal brand.  Whether a person is engaged face to face or via social networks, whatever the circumstance, being present with a purpose helps to further expose the dedication and integrity of a person’s commitment to their brand and their cause.

7. Accountable

Over the last three weeks, I have heard stories from individuals with great personal brands being utterly transparent about the journeys that ultimately helped them to establish their personal brands within the fresh produce industry.  The truth is, establishing an outstanding personal brand is work and mistakes must be made for us to learn and adapt accordingly.  But when we are accountable for our mistakes and willing to share our stories with others, people will relate and, as a result, develop a stronger bond to your strengthening brand.

What attributes do you believe one should possess in order to rock a personal brand like Jagger?  I’d like to hear about your strategies for establishing an outstanding personal brand for yourself.  What measures will you take to mold your brand into something meaningful and impactful for others?

Posted by: The Optimist (Megan Zweig)

This morning during the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools press conference at United Fresh 2013, more inspiring examples of MOMENTUM were announced, along with the impressive results of the fresh produce industry’s California contingent’s efforts.  Announcements included:

• Funds have been raised to place 436 salad bars across California over the next year.
• These salad bars, distributed across 71 school districts, will provide fresh fruits and vegetables to about 300,000 students.
• The 436 salad bar donations far surpassed the group’s goal of 350.

We applaud our friends and colleagues who worked tirelessly to exceed their goal.  And while the numbers are impressive, the words of one student from a San Diego school that is benefitting from a new salad bar are even more impactful and serve as a great reminder of this initiative’s importance to our children, our industry and our communities.

 “Ever since we’ve gotten a salad bar at our school, I’ve been asking my mom to buy more fruits and vegetables so I can eat them at home, too.”

Not only are these salad bars establishing healthy habits among our youth, but they are directly increasing consumption of our fresh products! The good news coming out of San Diego today will motivate many, and The Core and DMA Solutions are committed to keeping that momentum going. Take a look at these facts and then print them out and hang them in your office for daily inspiration – for United Fresh 2014 in Chicago is only 364 days away!

Posted by: The DMA Solutions Team

As social media marketers with a driving passion to deliver results, we can’t help but do a little happy dance when we see a Facebook post that got 100 Likes and 50 Shares or a tweet that was retweeted 20 times. However, social media isn’t all about number of likes, shares or retweets. Sure, those numbers indicate positive traction, but when we get down to it, social media is about creating connections. As written in our recent article Characteristics of Shareable Content, people connect on the World Wide Web for the same reasons they connect in real life -  to build relationships, exchange information and proclaim their individuality. So, it’s important that our social media behavior parallels our behavior in real life. Here’s an infographic that highlights some DOs and DON’Ts of social media behavior. Print it out and hang it up for a regular reminder on how to be real and watch your social engagement grow.

Posted by: The Visualizer (Kelly Pritchett) and The Designer (Molly McGrath)

You’re sitting in your hotel room in an unfamiliar city with time to kill before a meeting and your stomach rumbles. Where should you go? If you’re like me, you’re likely to resort to your smartphone to look for viable options. Some of you may even send out a quick tweet asking for suggestions. You wouldn’t be alone, because countless people do this on social media sites every single day.

Recently at the Social Fresh Conference, Kelly and I learned about how popular hotel chain Hilton recognized an opportunity through Twitter. They created the handle @HiltonSuggests to engage with these Tweeters and extend their hospitality even further. The Hilton Twitter handle became a digital concierge of sorts, searching for users asking for information and providing them with valuable suggestions.

And Hilton didn’t simply limit itself to their own customers. In fact, when a Twitter user mentioned that they are staying at the Magnolia Hotel in Dallas and needed a restaurant recommendation, @HiltonSuggests responded with several options all within walking distance. Talk about service! Not only was this Twitter user not a current Hilton customer, but they were staying with a competitor. By responding to this Tweeter with valuable information, Hilton created a positive foundation for their brand’s relationship with this person, and significantly increased the chances that they will consider Hilton Hotels in the future.

We’ve talked before about the value and success in offering consumers information without being prompted. It really boils down to one of the biggest strategies we advocate for on Twitter: listen and engage. And since we know consumers of fresh produce are asking questions about fresh products every day on Twitter, we had an idea. We are going to spend the next three months using our @FreshIsIt Twitter handle as a FRESH concierge for all of your products.

Just think… @FreshIsIt can listen across Twitter and find consumers asking questions about how clementines are grown, where to find organic strawberries and what to make with avocados. Then, we can suggest solutions using YOUR products, even tagging you and linking to your content along the way. It’s just one more way we can work together to increase the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. We’ll be reporting back to you on the successes we see through @FreshisIt, and we encourage you to watch it happen LIVE along the way, as well!

Posted by: The Promoter (Mackenzie Michel)

Twitter is a wonderful place to make connections and in some cases can spark a new relationship or even a sale, as showcased in the infographic below.  As marketers, it is imperative that we listen and provide solutions when a consumer presents us with an opportunity in the Twittersphere.  The example below showcases an information seeking consumer (@WhyNotFresh), a “Johnny on the spot responding” fresh produce marketer (@FriedasProduce) and a socially savvy retailer (@CentralMarket) in a healthy twitter conversation that likely resulted in the sale of fresh Sangria artichokes.

For insights on how you can polish your social media acumen in 2013, download this easy to read guide featuring more best practices from DMA Solutions.

Happy tweeting!

Posted by: The Optimist (Megan Zweig)

Every day, marketers churn out online content in the form of words, photos, videos, presentations and more. It’s great if these masterpieces reach a brand’s network (otherwise, what’s the point?), but it’s even better if they get shared with a network’s network … i.e. a network’s group of friends that isn’t already part of a brand’s community.

So, what makes online content worth sharing? The same things that make offline content worth sharing. People share information on the World Wide Web for the same reasons they share information in real life – to build relationships, exchange information and proclaim their individuality. Often, content is shared most when people identify with it. So, here are the most common characteristics of sharable content.

Shareable content strikes an emotion.
It’s hard not to share something that carries emotional resonance, especially high energy emotions like humor or anger, according to a report from SEO Moz. Though stirring up anger among your audience might not be the best idea, making people laugh establishes rapport and creates memorability.

Shareable content is often provocative or polarizing.
People share biased content because they agree, disagree or don’t know how they feel about it and sharing it starts a conversation that helps establish or reinforce a stance on the matter. And let’s be honest. Some people share content just to get a reaction from others.

Shareable content defines people.
This is one reason memes became so popular and still dominate much of the digital space. Each time a mommy meme like the one to the right is shared, it’s like the sharer is saying, “Hey, look! That’s me!” Marketers should identify truths about their audience and publish material based on those truths. Content that portrays an audience as they want to be seen helps people define themselves to the rest of the world and is more likely to be shared.

Shareable content is useful.
Infographics, research and content that provide practical value are likely to be shared among an audience that looks for actionable benefits. These sharers could be home chefs and food bloggers looking for recipes and product tips or fellow professionals looking for thought leadership. Marketers should provide meaningful takeaways and their audience will likely pass them along (if for no other reason than to make themselves look smart).

CONTENT CREATION TIP! Find a recipe that works and keep serving it.
Take comfort in knowing that creating shareable content for the web doesn’t have to be a sleep-depriving, stomach-knotting, early-aging process. As Katie Richman of ESPNW says, enough with the “build and trash it cycle.” Shareable content can be created in high volumes on a low band-width by establishing a content flow. This is done by identifying what has worked in the past and recreating it. Like a watchmaker changes the face of his watches without changing the gears, a marketer can change her content without changing the process of making it.  If a graphic promoting Lemon Pepper like the one to the right was shared 50 times on Facebook, perhaps a similar one should be created for Basil, Cumin or Rosemary. In other words, sharing successes can often be templated. As a brand’s marketing landscape changes, these templates can be adapted as needed for maximum sharing potential. So, get out there and create something shareable!

Need more help creating content that is epically shareable? Download our Content Trumps All content creation guide and learn how to generate material that empowers your audience and positions you as valuable resource!

Posted by: The Visualizer (Kelly Pritchett)

Tradeshows provide an unparalleled opportunity for business improvement.  We’ve seen it with our clients and we’ve certainly lived out the benefits of tradeshow participation ourselves.  At no other time are so many business solutions at your fingertips for real, face-to-face exploration.  While we tend to find ourselves focused on logistics,  customer meetings, receptions, networking, and industry celebrations, it is sometimes difficult to consider carving out additional time for more strategic “business improvement” meetings with industry service providers, but those meetings are equally valuable in setting your company on a new and positive course for growth.

A service company ourselves, we have a special fondness for this particular group in our supply chain and appreciate fellow service providers who are building a reputation for their efforts to make our industry the best that it can be.  We compiled a short list of 5 service providers below that will be attending United Fresh this month and deserve a shout out based on the outstanding experience we have had working with and alongside them these last 9 years.

Please take a moment to review these companies’ information and set some time aside during United Fresh to see how any one of them could help take your company to the next level.

Fox Packaging – Booth #728

Improve your product’s packaging appeal and extend shelf-life with Fox Packaging’s expansive line of mesh and poly/mesh bag solutions.

Fox Packaging has spent the last four decades pioneering one-of-a-kind produce bag solutions that reduce product damage, showcase the natural beauty of the product and provide a beautiful foundation for branding and artwork.  Their industry leading mesh and poly/mesh bags consistently deliver a combination of style, form and function that represents a long-standing commitment to product innovation and industry improvement.

Fox Packaging manufacturers and distributes throughout North America and Latin America.  Check out their website at www.foxbag.com.

Harvest Mark  - Booth #215

Team up with Harvest Mark for industry leading traceability solutions and an unparalleled on-pack consumer education tool.

HarvestMark is the leading data and analytics platform for fresh food. Their products help companies with supply chain analytics, traceability, mobile marketing and shopper feedback programs. HarvestMark® PTI is the industry’s #1 traceability solution. More than 400 produce companies are using the HarvestMark system to deliver on-demand traceability and comply with the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI).

Learn more about their products and services at www.harvestmark.com.

Krivanek Consulting – Attending

Develop an actionable plan for your company’s growth strategy and identify areas to focus improvements with Krivanek Consulting.

Krivanek Consulting specializes in strategic planning, management consulting and leadership development for organizations in the global produce supply chain.  A well-recognized authority in business, produce and HR strategy, Julie Krivanek, has 35 years of experience with organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to privately owned family businesses and is also a management consultant and senior advisor to numerous executives and Boards of Directors.

For information on Krivanek Consulting’s strategic planning, succession planning organizational design services, visit www.krivanekconsulting.com.

MIXTEC – Booth #541

Make your executive talent search a success with MIXTEC’s experienced senior-level recruitment team.

MIXTEC Group has been assisting successful companies in agribusiness recruit and hire top talent for their senior-level executive positions since 1984. Their specialized practice is designed to best serve the fresh produce industry’s relationship-driven model.  Their process has allowed them to successfully complete search assignments throughout North America for the “Who’s Who” of the fresh produce, food and agricultural industries with an unparalleled level of expertise.

Learn more about this unrivaled executive search team at www.mixtec.net.

Yerecic Label – Booth #941

Inspire the consumer at point of purchase with Yerecic labels’ impactful, on-pack labels that deliver proven sales results. 

An expert in perishables industry packaging, Yerecic Label has been bringing innovative designs and a lean manufacturing processes to clients’ projects for more than 40 years.  A leader in on-pack labeling, the Yerecic team is constantly working to improve the way messages are delivered to consumers and to provide proven merchandising results for clients.

Check out Yerecic’s innovative label solutions at www.yereciclabel.com.

Though we’ve only touched on this small group of companies here, we recognize that there are many other great service companies who are dedicated to making the fresh produce industry what it is today.  We’d love for you to leave a comment below with your own personal endorsement for a noteworthy service company.

And certainly, if you would like to learn more about DMA Solutions’ marketing services, we would love to sit down with you at United for a brief (and free) consultation to see how our companies can partner.  Just click this link and let us know!

Posted by The Analyst (Marci Allen)

I grew up watching a man we call “Pudge.”
I’m a Texas Rangers fan and I’ll never budge.
It may have started in choir during the second grade,
when we sang the Star Spangled Banner on that Arlington field without any shade.
We’d arrive early with Dad and I’d wish I was tall,
so the players would see me and sign my souvenir ball.
Nolan Ryan would wind up and throw curveballs right down the pipe.
And Juan Gonzalez?
He’d hit it out of the park and we’d cheer him home along that white stripe.
As a little girl, my ribbons were red and blue.
And to this day, my loyalty remains true.
Now we’re watching Darvish and Berkman send us on highs,
while Kinsler and Cruz field grounders and pop flies.
There’s nothing like watching fireworks in the stadium on a summer night.
It’s invigorating, romantic and quite a sight.
And whether it’s with cotton candy, hot dogs or a lemon chill,
when we see the boys win a game, it’s always a thrill.
Regarding the World Series, I believe in forgiveness.
I loved the Rangers before they made franchise history and they still give me bliss.
There’s something special about a major league game.
No matter your city, I bet you’ve felt the same.
I’ll admit, the colors above represent my favorite team.
I just can’t help it, they make my heart beam.
But I also hope these colors can mean something for you.
Perhaps America and her favorite pastime, too.

Posted by: The Visualizer (Kelly Pritchett)