Private equity firm Butterfly divided Bolthouse Farms into two entities earlier this spring after acquiring the company from Campbell Soup in 2019 for $510 million and after Bolthouse Farms acquired Starbucks’ Evolution Fresh juice business in 2022 for an undisclosed amount.
Spinning out the carrot business from the combined juice and dressing business was always the plan following Butterfly’s acquisition so that each could grow more quickly under the guidance of dedicated, best-in-class leaders.
Under new CEO Timothy Escamilla, Bolthouse Fresh Foods’ is adopting a back-to-basics approach with the company’s farming standards and carrot business, but its new look, product innovation and marketing strategy is far from “basic” compared to other commodity crops, Karen White, VP of marketing for Bolthouse Fresh Foods, told FoodNavigator-USA.
Color-coded packages simplify shopping
The new packaging is designed with eye-catching colors that highlight the company’s three main product lines – conventional, organic and value-added – and their diverse usage occasions, as well as convenience, said White.
She explained that after extensive consumer research, Bolthouse Fresh Foods identified convenience as a top priority and created packaging – and products – that simplify both the shopping and eating experience.
“Consumers are getting busier. So the need for convenience keeps evolving and growing and getting stronger. So, we wanted to show that our products offer easy solutions across multiple occasions,” she said.
For example, she explained, Bolthouse Fresh’s value-added carrots, including baby-cut, are an easy snack. Likewise, the company’s “chips” – or crinkle cut carrot coins – are a quick side dish solution and its matchsticks can add a burst of color to salads and wraps with minimal effort. The company also offers “soup or stew” carrots that are larger, but still peeled and chopped for easy addition to a stew or roast, she said.
The company’s value-added products are distinguished from its conventional and organic carrots with color-coding that makes it easier for consumers to quickly identify the type and use of each carrot, White said.
“We really wanted to make it easier for consumers to find the different occasions for eating carrots throughout the day and the color-coding helps them do that quickly in store as well as help the product pop on shelf and standout,” White said.
Streamlined callouts focus on convenience, safety & quality
Bolthouse Fresh Foods also updated the call-outs on pack to align with the need of busy consumers, said White.
Now the value-added carrots call out on the front of pack that they are peeled, washed and ready to eat – so that consumers know they are a safe, convenient option.
The company also leans heavily on the USDA Organic seal for its organic carrots and calls out that all of its carrots are produced in the USA.
To declutter the packaging and help these more meaningful claims standout, White said, the company dropped several previous claims, including several health claims such as low-calorie, and claims about specific nutrients.
She explained that most consumers already understand that carrots are a healthy choice and so highlighting that on pack was less important than emphasizing convenience and diverse usage occasions.
Digital activations for a deeper dive into the company’s agricultural practices
To help further distinguish Bolthouse Fresh Foods’ carrots from other commodity carrots, the company has added a QR code to the back of the package that will take consumers to the company’s new website, set to launch in October, where they can learn how the carrots are grown and see videos of the fields and farmers, White said.
By using a QR code the company can convey a significant amount of information but still allow for larger windows that allow consumers to see the carrots – a top priority for shoppers, according to White.
The brand will also launch new social platforms to further educate consumers and highlight stories about the company’s farmers and their agricultural practices, she added.
New products, returning favorites accompany fresh look
Beyond the new look and marketing materials, Bolthouse Fresh Farms will also introduce a range of new products this fall and in the coming year, said White.
For example, the company is bringing back its Veggie Snackers, which are baby-cut carrots combined with seasoning packets that “you can pop open, shake it down and then eat it like a flavored chip, but it is a healthy carrot,” White said.
The Veggie Snackers were previously available to consumers, but recently have been only available as a food service item. Now they are coming back to the mainstream market with trendy flavors, including a Chili Lime, Ranch and Dill Pickle, White said.
The company also will launch a line of carrots that consumers can cook in the air fryer, skillet or roast and then easily season with paired sauce, and a Chip Dipper, which White explained is a larger cut carrot with ridges that is a healthier alternative to a potato chip and which can easily be dipped for a satisfying, flavorful snack or party food.
The new products and new look will be supported with in store displays and activations. A soft rollout of the new look also will be sold alongside the older packaging so that consumers can easily make the connection.
