One year on from the international launch of Sweet
Palermo, Rijk Zwaan’s sweet pointed pepper, is already
gracing countless supermarket displays. This sweet
innovation offers some welcome variety in the largely ‘boring’ bell pepper segment and, thanks to the specially designed packaging line, brand recognition is growing by the day.
Consumers can rely on Sweet Palermo for consistently good flavour and
quality, and that is an important message to convey according to Florent Rezeau, Marketing Specialist at Rijk Zwaan: “We do so through a consistently impeccable product and an all-encompassing marketing concept. At Rijk Zwaan, we have devised a toolkit to help all partners tell the same Sweet Palermo story with conviction.”
Sweet Palermo really hits the sweet spot, not least thanks to its brix value – at least 2 to 4 points higher than a standard blocky pepper – and consumer studies confirm that flavour is the main reason to buy. The biggest challenge is enticing shoppers to purchase it for the first time, but Rijk Zwaan lends a helping hand in this respect too. “We’ve developed a partnership model especially for Sweet Palermo to unburden our partners and boost the sales figures. Selected growers produce a high-quality product, retailers provide shelf space and Rijk Zwaan
positions the concept via unique displays, various packaging options,
logos, informative websites, etc. It’s all in our toolkit.”
Enticing shoppers to purchase it for the first time
The story is based on three pillars: flavour, versatility and convenience.
Sweet Palermo’s sweet taste and crispy bite are irresistible every time.
It is a real all-rounder in the kitchen because Sweet Palermo is perfect for cooking but also delicious in fresh salads. The ready-made marketing
strategy means that all links in the chain can set to work immediately.
In terms of future plans, Rijk Zwaan will be introducing yellow varieties
alongside the red option in the coming season. Furthermore, as part of the robust overall concept, the first trials with orange pointed peppers will start shortly.
Manuel Galdeano, President of the Murgiverde growers’ cooperative in Almería, Spain: “Maintaining an excellent flavour”
Murgiverde has been producing and selling Sweet Palermo since 2002.
“An exceptionally tasty pointed pepper,” states Manuel Galdeano.
“Our customers keep asking for it by name.” Sweetness is definitely Sweet Palermo’s trademark, and that should remain so, emphasises Manuel Galdeano. “In our view, the strategy for success is simple: only the very best and sweetest peppers must be allowed to carry the Sweet Palermo brand name. That trait has enabled it to secure its current market status.” And Murgiverde expects Sweet Palermo to
further increase its market share in Spain and France. Galdeano: “I’m
convinced that, once consumers have tasted Sweet Palermo for
themselves, this sweet pointed pepper will become a huge success.”
Mediterranean conditions
In addition to the excellent product quality, Galdeano praises the technical traits of the Sweet Palermo varieties. “We grow them on the high wire with a two or three stem system. The average production is considerably higher than with other pointed peppers and the varieties are well suited to our Mediterranean conditions. They don’t always have all the resistances, however, and that can sometimes be difficult in the spring when the burden of disease is high. But our growers are experts
who can also produce great peppers in the summer months. That’s important because it’s a period of increased demand from northern Europe. We’re currently trialling a few yellow varieties, and our growers are positive about them too.”
Together with Rijk Zwaan, Murgiverde is currently working on a good crop plan for the Sweet Palermo varieties. By creating better alignment between the sowing periods, the cooperative hopes to avoid peaks and troughs in production. “Rijk Zwaan have proved themselves to be a reliable partner. They develop unique products and supply high-quality seeds, so we are very happy to grow a large number of their varieties.”
For more information, please visit sweetpalermo.com.