Good produce, good marketing

The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) conducted a consumer study that found most shoppers were ill-informed about the benefits of greenhouse-grown produce. Additionally, shoppers don’t understand sustainable growing practices that many greenhouses employ.

Seizing this opportunity for education, the OGVG partnered with the Windsor International Airport in Essex County to launch the “This is Greenhouse Goodness” campaign, converting the airport’s baggage claim area into an informational display that resembles a greenhouse farm.

“‘This is Greenhouse Goodness’ was created with a focus on educating consumers about the benefits of greenhouse-grown produce and the vast commodities available for snacking or incorporating into a meal,” says Richard Lee, OGVG executive director. “The overall objective is to generically educate consumers on how greenhouse produce is grown, the nutritional values of vegetables and including vegetables in your daily eating habits. Every shipment, every case, every package and every bite are a promise of ‘greenhouse goodness.’”

Meaningful messaging

To accomplish this objective, the display showcases educational messaging that promotes the health attributes of greenhouse vegetables and sustainable growing practices. This messaging includes info about the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants found in OGVG’s cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers, the use of integrated pest management and CEA’s ability to provide fresh produce all year round.

“Our messaging is based on years of research and understanding the precision farming techniques our farmers practice every day to ensure consumers receive consistent fresh, flavorful produce all year round,” Lee says. “We are looking to educate people to show them how greenhouse produce is grown, how efficient we have become, the sustainable practices we have adopted and the innovation our growers implement to grow flavorful produce.”

As someone enters Canada through an international border crossing, they are entering the highest concentration of greenhouses that produce cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers in North America, Lee explains.

Greenhouse hub

Essex County is home to over 70% of Canada’s greenhouse operations.

“This high concentration of greenhouses is primarily due to location and is known to receive the most sunlight throughout the year,” says Lee. Another reason is the close access to the U.S.-Canada border, Lee says, which allows for easy export to the U.S. “We export over 80% of our produce to the United States,” Lee says. The high concentration of greenhouses made the area the perfect place to launch the campaign. But that doesn’t mean the OGVG is stopping there, as the organization has plans to launch more campaigns to spread the message of greenhouse goodness to more people. “OGVG is in discussion with other ports of entry, brand ambassadors, influencers and investigating ‘out of the box’ initiatives to bring education to consumers on the benefits, varieties of flavorful greenhouse produce, and where to find our products,” Lee says.