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How to prepare the assortment for summer: balance between seasonality and continuity
When summer arrives, the produce department is transformed: colors become more vivid, the scents become intense and the desire for fresh dishes takes over. For those who select and order products, summer is the key moment to rethink the assortment, seizing all the opportunities that seasonality brings, without forgetting those “basic” products that can never be missing on the shelves.
Summer newcomers are the true protagonists: zucchini, eggplants, peppers and cucumbers take center stage and become indispensable ingredients for barbecues, salads and light dishes. Their freshness, however, is as precious as it is delicate and requires careful inventory management. In summer, in fact, it is essential to rely on frequent restocking and a reliable supply chain capable of guaranteeing timely harvests and rapid deliveries. Only in this way can we offer the end customer a product that truly tastes of a freshly picked garden.
But if summer is the domain of new arrivals, it is equally true that continuity must not be underestimated. Potatoes and onions, for example, are the pillars of any assortment: in demand year-round, they also feature in summer recipes—from potato salads to sweet-and-sour onions or ones preserved in oil, as well as in fresh side dishes and simple one-dish meals. Their constant presence on the shelves conveys reliability and meets the needs of an increasingly discerning and varied clientele.
Optimizing orders during this period therefore means finding the right balance: on one hand, the allure of seasonality; on the other, the security of evergreen products. A well-constructed assortment stems from collaborating with suppliers who know the local territory and can plan crops based on real market demand. This way, waste is minimized, the risk of unsold stock is reduced, and you can offer a broad – and always fresh – range.
Finally, we must not forget the importance of in-store communication: telling the story of each product, highlighting its local origin and suggesting simple recipes can make all the difference and help the customer choose. Summer is the perfect time to transform the produce counter into a meeting point between tradition and innovation, between taste and convenience.
Preparing a summer assortment is not merely a numbers game but a matter of balance and attention: the secret lies in listening to the market, relying on knowledgeable partners and keeping the passion for quality alive. In this way, every shopping trip becomes an experience and every dish tells a story of freshness and place.
