The majority of fresh produce shoppers have price at the top of their list. There is, however, more than only price that attracts consumers into making purchases—there's also "product quality" and "purchase value."

Inflation is driving organic farm costs higher, which are passed on to retailers. The higher retails are forcing consumers to be very fussy in the items they choose and the quantities they purchase. Along with the inflationary prices, poor weather conditions caused some product shortages, which created a demand-exceeds-supply situation.

So how do retailers attract and convince customers to purchase organic produce at higher prices? For retailers, trying to earn gross profit is getting more difficult each week as costs continue to balloon. Much higher retails tend to force shoppers into backing off of premium categories, including organics.

If price is the top consideration a consumer makes before purchasing, what can we do to still sell plenty of organic fresh produce? We need to promote more value in the organic produce department by advertising more organic "lead items."

So how do retailers attract and convince customers to purchase organic produce at higher prices?

The front page of a grocery store ad has two or three low-priced conventional produce items, and rarely, if ever, a low-priced organic lead item.

It is time for organic produce items to be placed in the spotlight rather than as a small listing buried on the inside. Inserting at least one item on the front page of your ad flyer will communicate the message of deals in your organic produce section.

An organic fresh produce item advertised on the front-page ad will rapidly move it through the checkouts. Front page promoting can sell three, four, or five times the product volume than normal.

Too often, management fails to change their business thinking. Most supermarket ads are in the same week-after-week format. Failing to include at least one popular organic item on the front-page ad as an attention-grabber can lead to a produce operation floundering.

It is time for organic produce items to be placed in the spotlight rather than as a small listing buried on the inside.

Change is inevitable today. In many instances, it is a matter of survival. The method and means put into promoting organic produce will need to be different. Be aware of how the consumer demands are driving those changes.

Organic produce is not going away anytime soon. With more change ahead, sustainable social responsibility will create value. When consumers see a front page that has at least one organic produce item at an attractive price, it will show an integrated sustainability of your company. Forward-thinking companies will benefit from organic produce innovation. And all that is simply called "company growth."