Western Grocer Serving the industry since 1916
NEW TRUFFLES NOW LISTED AT TJX CANADA
Yuma, AZ (February 8, 2023) – Natural Delights Medjool Dates are now listed at all 554 TJX Canada stores with several SKUs including all three flavours of its new Truffles: Chocolate Blueberry; Chocolate Cherry and Dark Chocolate with Probiotic Added. The products will be on shelf later this month.
TJX operates 554 Winners, HomeSense and Marshalls stores across Canada, and a Canadian listing of this kind is a first for Natural Delights as the brand expands into new sales channels.
Natural Delights is prepared to meet the growing needs of the brand in Canada with strategic additions to its sales and marketing staff and by boosting its Canadian promotional budget. “As we continue to invest in large-scale marketing initiatives to drive sales, we are also better equipped to provide helpful tools and resources to our sales team, retail partners, and ultimately the consumer,” said David Baxter, director of marketing for Natural Delights.
Dates, a 2023 Whole Foods Market’s Top 10 food trend, represents sales of over $45 million annually or 7 million pounds/3.2 million kilograms in Canada*. Natural Delights enjoys a 56 per cent market share and continues to lead the date category in this country, the brand’s leading international market.
Natural Delights is well positioned to achieve its growth goals based on the increased consumption of Medjool dates in Canada. And global sales, including those in this country, are expected to play a huge role in reaching the brand’s targets, along with a focus on developing innovative snacking lines and capitalizing on the growing healthy eating trend.
Market research by Mintel shows that Canadians cite ‘eating healthy’ as their top wellness priority. More than 75 per cent of Canadians say that the pandemic influenced them to shop for more natural and organic foods. Also, 39 per cent of Canadians are buying more organic products and 33 per cent are buying more natural products now than pre-Covid according to a Lightspeed/Mintel survey. Further, 58 per cent agree that ‘simple ingredients’ is an important health claim.
Natural Delights sees a big retail opportunity by driving more consumption and getting new users into the category. According to the brand’s research, organic Medjool date SKUs and healthy innovative items like Mini Medjools and Truffles align with the product attributes Canadian shoppers want.
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About Bard Valley Natural Delights®
Natural Delights® Medjool Dates, the leading Medjool date brand in Canada, is a naturally sweet, whole fresh fruit grown in the Bard Valley at the intersection of Arizona, California and Mexico where a very specific set of growing conditions are met. Water conservation, sustainable energy and connection with their community are the pillars of their organization. The Bard Valley Date Growers lead the industry in farming and best harvest practices. Every farm is subject to the same stringent certification process to ensure that every Natural Delights Medjool Date is grown to exacting standards. For more information, please visit naturaldelights.com.
*Nielsen Date Category Data 52 Weeks, ending 10/8/22 for Total Canada Excluding Newfoundland
