Potatoes are indispensable in the Portuguese cuisine. They are the basis of traditional dishes. Sonae, leading retailer in that country, has modernized its display of potatoes. The company also promotes how excellent potatoes are in terms of nutrition.
The Portuguese gastronomy is rich in dishes and recipes. Potatoes play a major role in the daily meals. They are used in soups, cooked, grilled, baked, mashed or prepared in the oven. ‘Traditional dishes continue to be popular,’ says Pedro Camara, Vegetable Procurement Manager at Sonae. ‘Potatoes are a very important product in our range. In volume they represent 28% of our turnover in vegetables.’
For decades potato sales have been fairly stable in Portugal, but a few years ago sales began to decline slightly. Sonae decided to develop a new and more attractive area in its stores to display and sell vegetables. The company also designed a completely new potato segmentation.
‘We noticed our customers struggling to make their choice when shopping for potatoes,’ explains Pedro Camara. Sonae created new packaging. It now has a more natural and attractive look and feel. Rustic and homely.
Information on the new packaging also emphasizes the specific quality of the potatoes in the bag, i.e. suitable for frying, baking or oven. And for every preparation methods there are three or four kinds on offer. The results were good: the stores noted an increase in sales.
Read the full article in the latest InZpire magazine, published by HZPC
