CEA Alliance

Spent some time recently walking around with industry colleagues talking about the #FutureOfFresh and how monumental the impact is of CEA/greenhouse grown to the food supply chain worldwide. Capital investments are significant as are the needs for a deep, talented, and experienced workforce to support the growth trajectory that many are experiencing. While niche product assortments are on the rise due to tactical R&D, the lack of consumer engagement on the value proposition of the impact of "growing indoors" can limit the $$$ they are willing to spend on Product XYZ - shiny & red or not. The hook? Differentiation - the documented (AND verified) story behind the brand & product. With a "sustainable first" foot forward approach and an effective, peel the layers back story to how XYZ came to life, it can not only drive brand awareness but develop stronger consumer appreciation & affinity. The percentage of consumers making emotional purchases based on their understanding of the brand/product can vary widely depending on the industry, market, and specific brand. Studies have shown that emotional factors can play a significant role in consumer decision-making. For instance: -A Nielsen study found that emotions drive 70% of a consumer's decision to purchase -Research by the Harvard Business Review indicates that emotionally connected customers are more than twice as valuable as highly satisfied customers -According to a report by Capgemini, around 82% of consumers with high emotional engagement would always buy the brand they are loyal to when making a purchase These statistics highlight the significant impact of emotions on purchasing decisions, often emphasizing brand loyalty and perceived brand value. IN SUMMARY - an informed consumer is a savvy & loyal purchaser.....now queue the behind the scenes story: Earlier this week, an article by The Packer's Christina Herrick featured content from the CEA Alliance led by Tom Stenzel, who released the industry’s first #sustainability framework developed by indoor growers for indoor growers. Nearly two dozen KPI's across a variety of environmental and social aspects of indoor growing will measure: *Natural resource and climate impacts *Pesticide use *Waste generation *Food safety *Employment practices *Community engagement *Food security impacts With sustainability (and ESG!) at the forefront of growth conversations, these KPI's should be 'the proof that's in the pudding' to justify the spend but also create stronger brand & product value. Read what the CEA Alliance is doing in the full article in The Packer - https://lnkd.in/gw7qsjbe #CEA #greenhousegrown #sustainableagriculture #agtech #strategicmarketing #KPI #foodsafety #supplychain #climatefirst #EatYourVeggies

Senior leaders from Skytree, Fieldless and CEA Alliance will explore solutions available to manage carbon footprints in CEA in light of emerging policies forcing farmers to lower on-farm emissions. Join this critical discussion with Rob van Straten, Jon Lomow and Tom Stenzel next Tuesday at 10am. With a few days remaining, register now: https://bit.ly/3TD9enQ