At least 65 supermarkets in the US states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan have already got a ‘living lettuce display’. These ‘store-friendly’ displays keep the Salanova lettuces neat and tidy while they wait to be purchased by shoppers – who, just like the retailers, are wildly enthusiastic. After all, lettuces don’t get much fresher than that. “We only supply to order,” explains Bonner, head of growing at Great Lakes. “Retailers are assured that the lettuces they receive from us have been picked that very same morning. They go straight into the living display, rootball and all. Ultra-fresh in the store and ultra-fresh into consumers’homes. Providing the Salanova is refrigerated immediately, it stays fresh for two weeks. A living lettuce like this really can’t be beaten on shelf life.”
Ultra-clean Salanova lettuce
“And let’s not forget how gorgeous this lettuce looks! The living displays enable shoppers to appreciate its pure and simple beauty. Growing it involves no soil, just water (enriched with nutrients). We combine this with the attractive structure and vibrant colour of Rijk Zwaan’s Salanova varieties. The convenience aspect of the Salanova lettuce makes our product even more appealing: with just one cut, the lettuce separates into countless tiny leaves, ready for use! It’s just as easy as opening a salad bag, but with the added advantage that our fresh Salanova tastes much better. It’s deliciously sweet.”Collaboration with retailers
“To be honest, it’s a win-win situation, retailers enjoy a huge boost to lettuce sales while consumers can buy fresh, locally grown lettuce all year round. The living lettuce displays also reduce the need for packaging, which is good for the environment. Our greatest challenge lies in maintaining the displays: the living displays need to be kept clean, otherwise all the benefits are lost. Since we can’t be in all the stores at once, we have to rely on the retailers themselves – the ball is in their court, but we’ve developed the living display concept in close collaboration with our retail customers; hopefully they are just as proud of the program as we are and they will keep the display trays clean and remove any lettuces that are past their best. We’re now working on fine-tuning the display. After all, it’s a tricky business, presenting fresh lettuce without refrigeration.”Source: Rijk Zwaan Chainmail
