During my time in this industry, I have never experienced a consumer shift in buying preferences as swift and dramatic as the one we see today. Consumers are comparing notes with each other in stores as they peer at country-of-origin labels. And they are active online.
Retailers have had a lot of challenges in the first quarter of 2025. They have changed a lot of sourcing to new markets, pivoting away from traditional U.S. markets because consumers’ buying decisions are influenced by the messages from Washington. They have had their hands full, so they might not have had time to review plans for the local season.
Pivots in the marketplace
For suppliers, the big question is: are your plans for 2025 still relevant for your customers? You should confirm that the volumes, timing, package sizes and other factors are still right for the current environment. It is possible you cannot change many of these. That is important for your customer to know too. They do not always have an appreciation for your challenges to ‘find more’ or ‘dial back’ volume.
Since the last growing season in Canada a lot has changed. Consumers have voted at the cash register and sent a message to retailers they do not want to support products produced in the U.S. When you visit the stores, you see citrus from South Africa, berries from Morocco and long-stem garlic from Egypt. This can result in different packages or sizes in categories.
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