EXCLUSIVE: A Sneak Peek at Holiday Wish Lists and Shopper Behaviors
The time is always right for innovation, but ‘tis the season to be looking ahead to products and trends that will shape the latter part of this year. At its recent Holiday Show in Chicago, KeHE Distributors showcased new products across categories that reflect shoppers’ tastes, interests and needs.
The annual event, held June 11-12 in Chicago, attracted nearly 5,000 people onsite and more on the online KeHE CONNECT platform. According to Naperville, Ill.-based distributor of natural, organic, specialty and fresh products, attendance was up 16% over last year.
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This year’s show floor included separate areas spotlighting particularly hot areas of development and demand, including a Fresh Marketplace area, global inspirations pavilion and a section devoted to KeHE’s On Trend award recipients.
“The On-Trend area was a huge ‘power aisle,” Ari Goldsmith, VP of marketing and digital media told Progressive Grocer in a recent interview. “We also did a specific merchandising section for ‘grab and gift’ products, like stocking stuffers, and a shipper showcase with over 100 new shippers.”
Even at a time of geopolitical and economic volatility, the preview of the holiday season was positive, she reports. “As we think about this new time of uncertainty and food at home and away from home, there is a fit where food at home takes on a new preference again,” Goldsmith said. “We believe that these interesting foods from other countries and local inspirations might spike again as they did in COVID.”
The natural and organic attributes of KeHE’s core offerings also resonate with consumers, Goldsmith added. “Consumers are changing the way they behave. They are now going to grocery to fulfill their needs for health and wellness,” she noted.
KeHE President and CEO Deb Conkin underscored such shopper behaviors in her annual state of the industry address to event attendees across KeHe’s audience of retailers, suppliers, brokers and employees. “People are finding a way to treat themselves, but are also looking to keep money in their pockets. That adds up to a pretty muddy picture, and we are all trying to stay flexible,” she summed up.
Conklin went into more detail about some trends that are influencing supply and demand. “It’s been interesting to watch food at home and away from home. Consumers seem to be spending the same dollars but buying different items,” she said. For example, Conkin observed, some staples, like eggs, yogurt, salty snacks and beverages, are often consumed during the midday time frame but people seem to be eating away from home more for dinner.
While consumers are adjusting to frequently-changing circumstances in the broader world around them, they are still seeking value, Conklin added. “People are looking for ways to make their dollar go further and private label has made an impact on a lot of shopping habits. We recently kicked off an exclusive and own brands division and I am excited about it, because it’s growing area where we haven’t played, and it is an opportunity for us to serve our customers in a different way,” she noted.
As KeHE is already making plans for its 2026 KeHE Summer Show in Denver next February, the company is taking along some of the energy for the June event. “The vibe was extremely positive, and this is a very strong industry, especially outside of conventional. We are lucky that there is a lot of investment happening to support new brands and people taking risks regardless of uncertainty,” Goldsmith told PG.
