You can never have too many seasonings for your shoppers, and Red Oval partner Dan-O's proves that shoppers will keep coming back for more. The low sodium, no sugar, and 100% natural seasoning brand has seen exponential growth thanks to its growing social media presence.
With over 1.8 billion views across the company’s social media channels in 2022 thanks to their quick and tasty recipe videos, Dan-O’s is a popular feature in many shoppers' social feeds. And now Dan-O’s has its eyes set on a new goal: retail shelf space.
In the past year, Dan-O's says they have seen a 734% increase in retail growth and can be found in over 10,000 retail stores. Customers are coming back for more, too! Dan-O’s reports a buyer retention rate of four out of five people for retail buyers (according to Nielsen IQ) and boasts a No. 1 spot in the category on the Nielsen brand ranking report.
The spices and seasonings market has been heating up thanks to the rising popularity of international cuisines and more people cooking at home. In fact, the market is predicted to reach $24.45 billion by 2030 with its Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.62%.
In other words, now is the perfect time for Independent Grocers Alliance retailers to show shoppers they're paying attention to the latest food trends by offering this top seasoning performer with excellent repeat customer performance!
We spoke with the Dan-O's team to learn more about the product trends and the advantage independents will have by carrying this beloved seasoning.
What benefits will this partnership afford our independent retailers?
Recognition of partnering with one of the top-performing seasonings on the market in terms of distribution growth and velocity over the past 12 months. It can also show your stores adapt to customer demand and trending items in a proactive way.
Do you have any best practices or resources you can share with our retailers to drive sales of your products?
Wherever shippers are allowed, sales will be around 75% higher than standard on shelf placements. Also adding stores to our store locator on our website helps local customers who see our products find your stores, go to the stores to purchase, and likely purchase other items.
How can our independent retailers engage with Dan-O’s and best let shoppers know they carry your products?
Participating in collaborative posts on all of our social media platforms and being up to date on our store locator once they decide to carry our products.
What is the current state of the seasoning category?
We are seeing the category ebb and flow based on the global markets. As more people begin to conserve their spending and eating out, they tend to cook at home more often. When cooking at home, consumers are looking for a variety of flavors for their staple meals, meaning more seasonings and in greater varieties.
What product trends are you seeing in this category right now?
There are a lot of blends and craft blend companies coming into the category in the past few years. We honestly have seen a ton of competitors enter the space since our success with social media and a lot of copycat companies joining in to get their slice of the pie. We still see Dan-O's as the leading low sodium, no sugar, all natural seasoning to rise from this trend.
What shopper trends are you seeing in the category, and do you expect those to change in the next year?
Low sodium and no sugar are big talking points, and consumers are doing anything they can to alter their diet in a healthier way, but also retain great flavor to enjoy their meals.
How are you addressing supply chain and inflation issues to ensure independents get their fair share?
We have a supply team in house that is always looking for efficiencies in our processes, as well as looking into new third party companies or distributors who can withstand the current shortage and inflation issues impacting all businesses around the globe.
Do your products perform better in particular seasons (no pun intended)?
Even though we tout ourselves as a general purpose, replace-your-salt-and-pepper seasoning, I would say grilling season and late year/football/holiday season are our best times of the year.
What can our retailers do to capture those sales?
Any kind of information on promotional ads or cooperation with our internal marketing team to promote your stores to our 3 million plus followers on TikTok, 130k followers on Instagram, and 250k followers on Facebook.
What innovations have you recently released or are you working on?
We are currently working on a Parmesan blend and multiple blends that will be sold in a pouch format instead of bottles.
Ready to show off your Dan-O's selection to shoppers? Contact your wholesaler to order today.