March 2, 2021
Bard Valley Natural Delights are an essential part of the Ramadan tradition as Muslims begin the daily ritual of fasting from sunrise to sunset. Ramadan lasts 30 days beginning April 12 and ending May 11. Past sales data indicate a retail sales volume spike of 57 percent during this period. Retailers are encouraged to begin building inventory on Bard Valley’s Medjool Dates to capture sales during this high-volume consumption period.
“April 1 is the ideal time for retailers to start merchandising, promoting and marketing Medjool dates to maximize sales for the Ramadan holiday,” said Neil Merritt, director of North American sales at Bard Valley Date Growers. “Retailers can realize double digit unit and dollar increases with our mini pallet and floor display shippers for all of our best selling items. It’s an ideal time to promote dates with displays in high traffic areas.”
Date study shows category growth of $6.0M in incremental sales
The date category grew in 2020 translating $6.0 million in incremental sales reaching $114.7 million dollars according to a recent baseline and distribution study developed for Bard Valley Date Growers (BVDG). Bard Valley Natural Delights’ brand has a dominant share of date category sales (42 percent of volume and 44 percent of dollars).
“We wanted a deeper understanding of sales trends driving the growth of the date category,” says Neil Merritt, director of North American sales at BVDG. “The breadth of information from this baseline study is critical as we help retailers develop promotions to drive sales. We can use the findings to plan seasonality programs and create materials to help retailers capture additional sales.”
December 18, 2020
The Bard Valley Natural Delights new 8-count Dark Chocolate Covered Medjool Dates item had a strong start with over 100,000 units sold since September. To continue the momentum, Bard Valley created an eye-catching Valentine’s Day merchandiser and a consumer promotion to create excitement for this innovative new product.
“Data from the National Confectioners Association indicated that 2020 Valentine’s Day seasonal sales performance reached $3.2 billion,” explained David Baxter, Bard Valley’s marketing director. “The sales results with our Dark Chocolate Covered Medjool Dates with Sea Salt exceeded all expectations. We anticipate another sales surge during the Valentine’s Day holiday.”