Produce and the online supermarket

When the grocery industry turns its head toward online shopping (as it seems to do a lot lately), the question of produce invariably comes up: Who’s going to buy their fruits and vegetables online?

Nobody, right?

Turns out there might be more opportunity in e-produce than anyone thinks.

At the Packer’s recent Midwest Produce Expo in Chicago, Tony Stallone, president of merchandising and food safety at the online grocery chain Peapod, explained that online customers actually buy more produce–and more organic produce–than in-store customers.

Stallone noted that strawberries are an especially popular order and that, thanks to data mining, Peapod is able to offer shoppers additional deals.

In one recent promo, customers got a free pack of basil when they ordered tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese.

Read more here.