With a 500,000 people1 signing up for Veganuary this year, the popularity of plant-based diets continues to increase. The California Prune Board argues this is a moment of opportunity for retailers hoping to appeal to health-conscious consumers.
Products that can play a part in helping to maintain a healthy immune system are also gaining traction, while gut health remains another important area to consumers. For retailers looking to turn these trends into sales, the Board says prunes, as both a cooking ingredient and a snack, combined with their nutritional profile, could be the answer.
Kevin Verbruggen, European Marketing Director for the California Prune Board says: “California Prunes are a natural source of vitamins and minerals important for the maintenance of the immune system and gut health, including vitamin B6, copper and fibre.
“The availability of unsweetened dried fruits like prunes, which contain no added sugars, in the baking and snack aisles offer retailers an opportunity to capitalise on impulse purchases by health-conscious consumers. We’ve certainly seen an uplift in sales in geographical markets where California prunes are displayed more prominently.”
As a dried fruit, prunes aren’t subject to the same seasonality or shelf life as fresh produce and can be stored in the cupboard or pantry for up to a year, the Board says. Prunes contain 7g of fibre per 100g, and a handful counts as one of the recommended 5-a-day. They are also the only fried fruit to have received an authorised EU health claim.2
References
1)https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/05/veganuary-record-number-people-pledge-eat-vegan-food-january
2)100g of prunes, eaten daily, can contribute to the maintenance of normal bowel function.
