Dole Targets New Generations of Organic Banana and Pineapple Shoppers During National Organic Month in September

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tapping its quarter century of organic produce growing and marketing experience, Dole Food Company is specifically targeting Gen Y, Gen Z and Baby Boomer consumers in more than a dozen U.S. markets identified by Dole for expanded organic marketing efforts due to above-average indexing in organic consumption.

Dole is working with key national and regional retailers to launch a series of social and digital trade and consumer programs touting Dole’s 25 years of leadership growing organic produce and developing retail programs that communicate the health, sustainability and fair trade benefits of organic bananas and pineapples. The digital, social and PR program launches this week in honor of September’s National Organic Month and continues through mid-October.

Dole is focusing its efforts on current and emerging organic shoppers in cities that have shown the highest propensity to purchase as well as recent demographic changes leading to shifting organic fresh fruit and vegetable buying and consumption habits across the country.

As one of many examples, Dole’s category development team recently documented that a properly merchandised in-store Dole Organic Banana program can generate up to 15% more in dollar sales than conventional banana programs. 

Dole was one of the world’s first produce providers in 2000 to offer organic bananas and pineapples at scale and has remained the industry’s top organic grower, distributor and marketer of the two signature fruit varieties ever since, according to the company.

“We successfully predicted the initial demand of organic consumers almost 25 years ago and are anticipating another season of growth from a new generation of shoppers attracted to not only the health advantages but also the distinct environmental benefits associated with organic, including soil fertility, enhanced biodiversity and sustainable land management,” said William Goldfield, Dole’s director of corporate communications.

According to Goldfield, Dole’s expanded organic produce outreach efforts reflect consumers’ constantly evolving expectations. “More than ever, today’s shoppers possess a growing interest in natural foods. They want the brands they buy to align with their values on everything from climate mitigation and social issues to health and wellness and food security and safety. Expanding our organic and fair trade messaging has become essential to engaging the now-sizable percentage of socially and environmentally conscious shoppers who continue to fuel growth in fresh produce — not just in emerging organic markets but nationally and even globally.”

Dole is looking to further partner with retailers to develop customized marketing toolkits and tactics that help them reach new organic shoppers. These may include co-branded digital ads, in-store signage, point-of-sale displays and activations, customized recipes, retailer newsletters and new product launches and tastings — which are being combined with Dole’s social media pages, nutrition blog, website, online recipe library and network of media and blogger contacts.

To learn more about Dole’s organic programs, visit its Organics webpage or speak to your Dole Banana or Pineapple sales rep. For original Dole recipes, nutritional insights and information on Dole products, visit www.dole.com or follow Dole’s Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), Pinterest and TikTok pages.