Frozen seafood supplier Gorton’s Seafood is rolling out re-designed packages and changing up its merchandising strategy in an effort to align its products more with consumer needs.
The new packaging, which will encompass all of Gorton’s products by 2017, will serve to narrow the company’s extensive portfolio to three product types to help consumers make quicker decisions when shopping for frozen seafood. As of now, Gorton’s offers more than 20 products on average per store where its items are stocked. As such, a package re-design will help consumers be able to differentiate between products expediently and will also allow for the company to expand its consumer association beyond its popular breaded fish sticks, according to Gorton’s.
"Consumers don't tend to linger in the frozen aisle. They want to quickly find what they are looking for and move on," said Gorton's Director of Consumer Marketing Gavin Kennedy said in a prepared statement. "At shelf, consumers were often overwhelmed by the sea of our familiar bright yellow packaging, which is a beacon for our section but makes it difficult to distinguish one type of Gorton's product from another. Our new look makes it much easier for our customers to find exactly what they're looking for as they plan their meals."
The product types making up the package re-design include:
- Delicious Classics. "For consumers who prioritize convenience." These items, including Crispy Battered Fish Fillets and Crunchy Breaded Fish Sticks, will remain in the same Gorton's yellow packaging.
- Smart Solutions. "For consumers who prioritize a healthier lifestyle." Smart Solutions items, including Classic Grilled Salmon Fillets and Garlic & Herb Skillet Crisp Tilapia Fillets, will be packaged in a new design featuring nutritional callouts that highlight protein, fat and calorie counts.
- Everyday Gourmet. "For consumers who prioritize unique items and bold flavors." Chef-inspired selections of premium fish and shrimp include Roasted Garlic & Butter Simply Bake Salmon Fillets and Parmesan Crusted Cod Gourmet Fillets. These will be displayed in artisan-inspired packaging with rich brown tones.
The new packaging comes in tandem with Gorton’s company-wide effort to simplify its ingredients, with the supplier’s development team focusing on real ingredients like freshly baked breadcrumbs, real garlic and herbs and grated Parmesan cheese.
“This new look will better reflect what Gorton's has always offered consumers –superior quality, 100 percent real fish with no fillers or artificial flavors, and wild-caught or sustainably sourced farm-raised seafood that is always safety and quality inspected, and traceable to its source,” said the company.
As a means to promote the new packages, Gorton’s is also hosting a consumer contest, Sea of Possibilities Sweepstakes, which offers a USD 5,000 grand prize. More sweepstakes information can be found here: http://gogortons.com/sweepstakes
Gorton’s, which is headquartered in Gloucester, Massachusetts, is recently coming off of a company win, having been awarded the inaugural AIM Sustainability Award for excellence in managing environmental stewardship, social well-being and economic prosperity by the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM). The company won the award in part due to its decision to change the temperature of its truckloads to reduce the environmental impact of transporting its products to supermarkets.
"As a seafood industry leader located in America's oldest seaport, Gloucester, Massachusetts, we recognize that preserving our natural resources is not merely an option, it is a mandate," said Gorton's Vice President of Supply Chain Lisa Webb in a news release. "We are constantly analyzing ways in which we can raise our standards and do better for the oceans and environment while maintaining the highest quality of seafood delivered to our customers. Making the change to our truckloads' temperatures will, over time, make a huge positive impact."
