We’ve officially entered the most flavor-obsessed era in food culture. Hot honey and chili crisp have become staples, and black currant was named McCormick’s Flavor of the Year. Even water brands are touting protein-infused flavors. Enticing messaging gets shoppers thinking about the experiences these products will deliver before they even leave the aisle.
What’s usually missing from this consumer-facing fanfare is fresh produce, which translates into missed opportunities for marketers. Despite several strong industry players in the apple and grape categories, for example, the industry’s buzz mostly lags behind CPG.
Costly Disconnects Meet a Moment of Opportunity
In most supermarkets, the dominant messaging for fruits and vegetables evolved through the pandemic to prioritize price, origin, and logistics.
A recent AlixPartners survey found just 13% of regular grocery shoppers think their primary store offers low prices. Two-thirds value deals but say it’s “too much work” to find them.
That makes relying on price-led messaging a limited strategy; if shoppers already find deals difficult to track, produce needs clearer reasons to buy that go beyond a discount.
The industry is also asking shoppers to navigate more choice than ever. With over 65 varieties of fresh apples available today, the challenge is not just breeding better fruit, but explaining taste differences clearly enough for families to choose with confidence.
Health motivates shoppers, but not enough for loyalty. Only 31% eat fruits and veggies daily, according to the 2026 Power of Produce report. Fruit makes up 56% of produce volume, with Millennials and Gen Z buying more for breakfast and snacks. Vegetables remain mostly a dinnertime staple.
Americans’ dining habits are also cycling back to more home-cooked meals. A YouGov survey published in February 2026 found that three-quarters of Americans cook at home at least a few times a week, reflecting a desire to regain control over what they eat and how much they spend after years of heavy reliance on delivery services.
The summer season brings abundant opportunities to flex more flavor muscles, ironically bringing us back to our roots: memory-making juiciness, tangy twists, crisp crunch, and the magic of discovery.
Flavor Wins When It’s the Headline
Center store brands embrace flavor as a core identity. Snacks feature collaborations, and frozen foods promise “restaurant-quality” at home. AI search tools and digital assistants now guide shoppers with direct, flavor-driven recommendations, not just discounts.
The playing field is shifting, and produce has every reason to recapture “flavor” and compete on its own terms.
The evidence already exists within the produce aisle. Honeycrisp apples command premium prices not for convenience or cost, but for their consistently crisp, juicy flavor that is communicated clearly. SweeTango apples and Autumn Crisp, Cotton Candy, and Gum Drop grapes have done the same, sparking social sharing through distinct taste.
Value-added products, such as bagged salad kits with bold dressings or grab-and-go snacks, win when flavor is confidently defined and promoted.
Highlighting freshness and logistics helps reassure value-minded shoppers, but flavor should lead. Roche Bros., a Massachusetts-based supermarket chain, offers a “double your money back” freshness guarantee, with staff conducting daily in-store freshness checks. This tactic can help differentiate a retailer, while bolder messaging about flavors can inspire in-store.
Making the Play for Produce
Retailers can flip the script with these steps:
Start with language. “Fresh strawberries” becomes “sweet, peak-season strawberries.” “Bell peppers” become “crisp and naturally sweet.” Prompt deep, lasting emotional connections through inspiring occasions. A simple audit of website copy, social channels, and in-store signage can reveal how much flavor language is currently missing.
Curate rather than just stock. Specialty retail has long used this approach, guiding shoppers with suggestions such as “if you love Honeycrisp, try SweeTango” or “best this week.” These cues build trust and make shopping seem like a discovery. The produce department can do the same.
Merchandise for meals, not just ingredients. When fresh produce is paired with complementary items and simple meal ideas, it answers the question shoppers are really asking. Inspiring shoppers with veggie-based tray bakes and quiches can nudge them to incorporate more vegetables beyond dinner.
Finally, bring flavor to life digitally. AI-driven search and recommendation tools increasingly reward specific, sensory-rich content. Short videos, ASMR-style clips, and seasonal storytelling can highlight the experience of eating well, not just the health case for it.
Produce doesn’t need a new value proposition. It already has one of the strongest in the store. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the most direct path to real, whole flavor, and more consumers are in the kitchen, ready to be inspired.
The opportunity now is to make sure that when shoppers are looking for something worth eating, produce is the answer they find — not only because it’s a smart choice.
• Tristan Simpson is the founder and CEO of tristan michele marketing, a full-service, fractional marketing firm specializing in the fresh food industry.