By Yentzen Group

The Covid-19 pandemic changed how the world's industries work, especially the fruit and vegetable sector.

One of the biggest lessons that this pandemic has taught us is to remind us of the susceptibility of the fruit and vegetable industry to external factors. Unfortunately, it is not only important to cope with its impacts in the present, but also to prepare ourselves for the consequences of medium and long term.

It is for this very reason that the manner in which we face the challenges of the pandemic - which we expected to be more under control after vaccine implementation - as well as how companies plan their futures, is crucial for determining what will be required in the long term.

Yentzen Group ranks as the leading provider of information, consulting services and events for the horticultural industry globally, helping fresh food industry organizations learn, proper and build a better future.

Yentzen Consulting & Research is one of its divisions and it is a consulting firm specializing in market analysis and research that is permanently monitoring and investigating the changes that affect our fruit and vegetable industry, both nationally and globally.

Estefanía Echeverría from Yentzen Consulting & Research commented that "our studies seek to reveal the variables that will affect our clients' business in the short, medium and long term."

Along these lines and realizing the fruit and vegetable industry has to adapt in uncertain environments, Yentzen Consulting & Research develops key studies that allow firms around the world to make better decisions and prepare, as well as strengthen, their tools to face future challenges.

Therefore, having key information from the industry allows efficient and effective decisions to be made, and at the same time, strengthens relationships with internal and external clients. "The studies that we have done for various companies in the industry corroborate the quality and leadership that our company delivers," Estefanía Echeverría said.

The five key trends for fruit and vegetable industries

According to Yentzen Consulting & Research, the five key trends for industries are as follows:

• Your final consumer wants to be closer to you:

Technology has made it possible to get closer to those family members that, physically or for health reasons, you cannot have by your side. This has also created the need to feel closer to companies. Clients seek to know who you are and to know your processes, your suppliers, your objectives, what differentiates you, and if your interests align with theirs. They look for that connection over the product and there is an emotional need to connect with you.

It is essential to be able to connect with your client. Know them. Know what they want, where they are, what their preferences are and what they value.

• Change in circumstances, new opportunities for your product:

"The most valued sales lines during the pandemic have been those that allow making easy, simple dishes or those with a considerable nutritional and medicinal properties," Lisa Raschia, leader of the fresh vegetables and fruits area of M&S said. As a result, new product opportunities have been created that are better suited to a new "normal" way of life.

The trends for a couple of years had already been predicting it and today, more than ever, the world seeks simplicity and investment of our time in what we really value. This makes life easier to enjoy what actually matters to us and allows us to be more efficient. Doesn't the same thing happen to you?

As a company, you must now understand how the client has changed, what is their new or modified lifestyle and which of their preferences open up new opportunities.

• Are you part of caring for our planet?

Today, retail has a better understanding of what determines final consumers' decisions when buying products. The importance of caring for the environment, incorporating social responsibility and the sustainability of the services and/or products they offer will be of great value and focus, according to Ben Horsbrugh from GlobalGap.

In fact, PMA reports in "The Future of Global Produce Consumption" of 2020, that 84% of global consumers consider the social responsibility of a company when making decisions about a purchase.

It is important that you are already identifying improvements in production processes and distribution of your product or service in favor of the environment. However, this may suggest high investment and technological developments that are not in your control today.

There are actions independent of high investment that are still valued and create a positive impact. For this, it is essential to start by communicating achievements in areas of social or environmental responsibility as well as communicating goals or projections that you have. But the important thing is that your strategies actually take these objectives into consideration because consumers will expect you to meet them.

What is the risk of not acting on this trend? Clients will either prefer a company that is more closely linked to caring for the environment or they will seek information on processes/actions by means that are not necessarily valid, leading them to inappropriate sources of information.

• Prioritization of purchasing locally:

The pandemic has encouraged local purchases, prioritizing national production over foreign production, allowing us to open ourselves to the opportunity of domestic market development.

This is due to various behaviors seen over recent years, such as the strengthening of support for small businesses, as well as the trends already mentioned to reduce the impact on our planet by reducing transport costs or carbon emissions.

The same barrier created during the pandemic by the breakdown in several distribution chains (nationally or internationally) contributed to consumers having to adapt to buying local food, opening up a new market and opportunities.

New specialized companies are being created so that fresh and local fruit reaches the home. It is precisely these businesses, with high logistical development that you must keep an eye on because they are companies that may initially seem low in volume, but will develop in the face of the increased demand from end consumers that have the tendency to purchase within the community.

• Traceability and transparency:

As the pandemic reopened the focus on standardizing and prioritizing the safety of fruits in the production processes and handling for transfers from point A to B, it also identified and deepened the confidence gap toward large companies.

Tommie van Azyl, CEO of ZZ2 said regarding "The Future of Global Produce Consumption", that "this mistrust can be addressed by creating a system that reassesses channels, prioritizing the transparency of the product and its origin. This can be achieved by integrating your suppliers in the product communication, or by teaching consumers about harvesting processes, transfers, protocols and work ethic."

"Having a more globalized, transparent, robust and technology-supported distribution chain is necessary to meet future demands, and that there is enormous potential in the development and use of technologies to achieve such transparency throughout the distribution chain, reducing fruit fraud and improving fruit safety," Linda Carobbi, Corporate Director of Savino Del Bene said.

For these reasons, it is important that businesses create trust through the traceability of their products. Yentzen Consulting & Research said: "Make the measures that are valued by your clients transparent as there are studies that indicate that certain practices may not seem significant, but for the client at the time of purchase are decisive factors."

"Although the pandemic and its consequences have not yet managed to stabilize, we are experiencing changes at a global level with significant impact for the fruit and vegetable sector. The actions you take today are fundamental for your future."

For more information or for Yentzen Consulting & Research to conduct a study for your company, please contact Estefanía Echeverría at the following email: info@yentzenconsulting.com. Visit our website https://www.yentzengroup.com/research/.