Strengthening Retailer Relationships for Fresh Produce Growers
Build trust, prove consistency, and create long-term retailer partnerships through consumer insight.
WHY RETAILER RELATIONSHIPS MAKE OR BREAK A GROWER
For growers and producers across the UK and Europe, strong retailer relationships are the foundation of long-term success. Without them, even the best produce can struggle to reach consumers. With them, you gain stable demand, premium listings, and the opportunity to expand.
But lasting partnerships aren’t built on promises alone. Retail buyers want proof that your produce performs consistently and that consumers enjoy it; season after season. In today’s competitive market, that proof is harder to provide without real-world consumer data.
THE CHALLENGE: MEETING RETAILER EXPECTATIONS
Retailers are under constant pressure to meet shopper expectations while managing waste, maintaining standards, and protecting their brand reputation. As a result, their expectations of suppliers have never been higher.
They’re looking for growers who can demonstrate:
Consistency – produce that meets quality expectations for size, taste, and appearance.
Consumer appeal – evidence that products deliver a great eating experience.
Reliability – performance that holds up through the supply chain and into store.
Category insight – understanding of how your produce contributes to overall consumer satisfaction.
For many growers, the frustration is that quality alone isn’t enough. Retailers want evidence; objective feedback that supports your claims and gives them confidence that your produce will perform in-store.
Our Fresh Produce Consumer Testing Programme helps growers meet and exceed retailer expectations by providing independent insight into how consumers experience their produce.
By engaging in testing, you can:
Demonstrate consistency – share data showing stable consumer ratings for taste, texture, and visual appeal.
Showcase consumer appeal – prove that your produce performs well with real shoppers, not just in theory.
Support premium or varietal claims – use feedback to substantiate what makes your product stand out.
Strengthen buyer confidence – provide evidence that shows you understand your customers and their consumers.
This isn’t about compliance; it’s about communication; giving you credible insight that builds stronger, more trusted partnerships.
HOW CONSUMER TESTING STRENGTHENS RETAILER RELATIONSHIPS
THE VALUE FOR GROWERS AND PRODUCERS
We work with growers who want to strengthen their commercial relationships through insight that goes beyond internal measures. By sharing consumer understanding with retail buyers, you can:
Bring fresh evidence into your retailer meetings.
Show that your quality is consistent and valued by consumers.
Reinforce trust by demonstrating awareness of market expectations.
Position your business as proactive, data-driven, and aligned with retailer goals.
This approach moves conversations from subjective opinion to shared understanding; from assumption to evidence.
WHY THIS APPROACH WORKS
Retail relationships are built on confidence and clarity. Consumer insight delivers both.
Confidence for buyers – retailers trust data that comes from real-world consumer evaluation.
Fewer disputes – objective feedback reduces debate around perceived quality.
Shared growth – when retailers see you as a low-risk, insight-led partner, they’re more likely to back new listings and long-term supply plans.
Testing helps transform a transactional supplier relationship into a collaborative partnership built on shared data and aligned goals.
WHAT YOU’LL GAIN FROM OUR TESTING PROGRAMME
By taking part in the Fresh Produce Consumer Testing Programme, you’ll gain:
Retail-ready consumer reports – concise, visual summaries designed for commercial use.
Consistency validation – evidence of performance stability across seasons and varieties.
Consumer appeal insight – understanding of which qualities shoppers value most.
Claim support – feedback that reinforces varietal or premium positioning.
Category context – comparisons that help you benchmark against market expectations.
These deliverables strengthen your retailer conversations and position you as a supplier who brings solutions, not just supply.
WHY NOW? RETAILERS ARE DEMANDING MORE
The fresh produce landscape is changing quickly. Retailers are expected to deliver sustainability, minimise waste, and maintain exceptional quality; all while competing for shopper loyalty.
That means they increasingly value suppliers who:
Understand consumer preferences.
Deliver reliable performance data.
Proactively share insight that reduces uncertainty.
Growers who can provide this level of evidence stand out as trusted, forward-thinking partners in a crowded market.
Picture sitting down with a buyer, not just to talk about your produce, but to share:
Consumer insight showing why your produce appeals to shoppers.
Consistency data proving performance across seasons and conditions.
Feedback highlighting what differentiates your varieties in taste and texture.
Clear evidence that aligns with their own category goals.
Instead of negotiating from assumption, you’re negotiating from understanding; supported by insight that builds confidence and collaboration.
IMAGINE THE IMPACT ON YOUR NEXT RETAILER CONVERSATION
WHY WORK WITH US
For over 30 years, we’ve helped food and produce businesses strengthen their market position through consumer understanding and commercial clarity.
We combine sensory testing expertise with retail experience, giving you the insight you need to demonstrate quality, strengthen trust, and build lasting partnerships with buyers.
Our focus is simple: turning consumer feedback into commercial advantage; helping you grow stronger, more resilient relationships across the retail landscape.
Let’s get started, shall we?
Talk to our team today about your research needs, we’d love to help.