Retailer Viewpoint: Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are gaining traction as a flavorful, versatile option for snacks and meals. Their health appeal remains strong, and consumers are exploring easy recipes that highlight their versatility. As dietary, lifestyle, shopping and cooking habits evolve, retailers are working to keep sweet potatoes affordable and available to shoppers.
“The past year we’ve seen the sweet potato category go from fall-focused to a weekly staple,” said Jeff Salchenberg, Produce Program and Category Manager for New Seasons Market. “Consumer demand is focused on health, convenience and functional nutrition. The main driver being the rise of GLP-1 weight-loss medications. Users are eating smaller total volumes. Sweet potatoes are rich in nutrients, high in fiber and low glycemic. Combined with the ubiquity of air-fryer cooking, shoppers are looking for smaller, uniform profiles that roast quickly, as well as convenient formats that integrate into weekday meal prep.”
“Sweet potatoes have remained a strong category,” said Catherine Gironda, Produce Category Manager for MOM’s Organic Market. “Over the past year, we have seen a steady shift in consumer interest towards purple and Japanese sweet potatoes. Our customer is health-conscious and looking for the best value. Recent trends have highlighted the health benefits of these varieties and people are eager to try new ones.”
Consumers’ interest is expanding beyond traditional orange sweet potatoes to include organic, purple and white varieties. Retailers are helping shoppers explore these options and learn how to use them in home cooking. “We only stock organic sweet potatoes in our stores and offer the full rainbow of varieties,” Salchenberg said. “We use our visual merchandising to show off the different varieties and encourage customers to try something new.”
“We stress the importance of informing the customer,” shared Gironda. “Grocery shopping can be intimidating with a number of varieties to choose from, especially when purchasing on a budget. Different varieties have different purposes and best methods of preparation. I start by asking the customer what they’re making. A Hannah sweet potato is excellent for a new take on a breakfast hash. If you’re in the mood for a guilt-free sweet treat, baked Japanese sweet potatoes really hit the spot!”
Sweet potatoes are a year-round staple, with demand soaring around major holidays such as Thanksgiving and Easter. Retailers plan for these seasonal peaks while addressing the challenges related to them.
“Navigating holiday spikes comes down to early grower alignment and aggressive display management,” Salchenberg for New Seasons Market said. “We collaborate with supplier partners 8 to 10 weeks out to secure consistent sizing (jumbos vs. mediums) and predictable volume. In-store, we mitigate holiday aisle congestion by deploying secondary freestanding displays.”
“We work very closely with distributors and use forecasting long before the holiday peak to ensure no surprises with the increased demand,” Gironda of MOM’s Organic Market said.
Retailers shared the factors they weigh when evaluating potential sweet potato growers and suppliers. “Reliability and storage technology are top priorities,” Salchenberg for New Seasons Market said. “Because sweet potatoes are a year-round category, we look for suppliers with solid curing and micro-climate storage processes that ensure high quality in late summer before the new-crop harvest. Sizing consistency and cosmetic grade are equally critical—shoppers judge produce with their eyes, so skin appearance and uniform shape drive initial conversion.”
Gironda of MOM’s Organic Market explained, “The most important factors in a sweet potato supplier are taste, quality, and consistency. We like to offer our customer #1 sweet potatoes and try to avoid any sizing inconsistencies. Our customers trust us to have the very best product on the shelf and we aim to meet that promise every day.”
Retailers shared the in-store strategies having the greatest impact on sweet potato sales. “Visual color breaks show off varieties and encourage customers to choose new varieties,” Salchenberg for New Seasons Market said. “[We’re also] merchandising smaller potatoes in our paper totes. This is a newer program for us as we have seen demand for smaller sizes increase.”
“At MOM’s, we let the product speak for itself,” Gironda with MOM’s Organic Market said. “Our displays are clean and well-organized so that customers can clearly identify the varieties that we carry. Produce Managers are equipped to handle any customer questions that may arise, making the shopping experience easy.”
During the next five years, the sweet potato category’s biggest challenges and opportunities will emerge on both sides of the aisle: growers will need to manage costs, while consumer preferences will shape dietary trends.
“Rising farm and transportation costs and the popularity of the GLP-1 diet shifts will put pressure on the industry to keep up with demand,” Salchenberg for New Seasons Market said.
