The days when the tomato category consisted only of round, roma and cherry tomatoes are gone. Today’s produce director is likely to display a dozen or more stock-keeping units, some of which are eclipsing sales of old standbys.

Sales of round and field tomatoes decreased by 17% and 12% respectively from 2006 to 2010, according to the Perishables Group, a Chicago-based fresh food consulting firm.

At the same time, hothouse tomatoes-on-the-vine became the most popular variety in terms of dollar sales, followed by snacking tomatoes and romas.

Tons of tomatoes

The expanding tomato category isn’t news to Vince Mastromauro, produce director for the five Highland Park, Ill.-based Sunset Foods Inc. stores.

You’ll find roma, vine-ripe, beefsteak, on-the-vine greenhouse, large heirloom, yellow, grape, yellow grape and NatureSweet Cherub tomatoes adorning the stores’ produce shelves.

Tomatoes easily rank among the chain’s top 10 produce items, he says, with on-the-vine the most popular loose tomatoes, and Cherubs the best-selling packaged tomatoes.

Mastromauro only offers a few cherry tomatoes because they’re vastly outsold by Cherubs and grape tomatoes.

“I had to throw away the cherries,” he says.

He merchandises tomatoes in a 16-foot section across the aisle from the bagged salads, and he mingles in items like lemons and avocados.

“They’re like items that belong together, as well as good color breaks,” he says.

Sunset Foods also carries organic beefsteak, grape and on-the-vine tomatoes together with organic lemons, limes and avocados.

“The organic shopper is a totally different shopper,” he says. “They’re not looking at the conventional tomatoes.”

Mastromauro features at least one tomato variety on ad each week, more if he can get a good price on them.

Top seller

With at least a dozen SKUs on the shelf, tomatoes rank among the top five produce items at the 50 locations of Lubbock, Texas-based United Supermarkets LLC, which operate under the high-end Market Street, Hispanic-oriented Amigos and the core United Stores banners, says Darnel Kirby, business director for produce.

The stores offer organic as well as conventional varieties and include pear or teardrop tomatoes, hothouse beefsteak tomatoes, yellow beefsteak tomatoes at times during the summer and a four-count value-pack.

NatureSweet Cherubs have been good sellers for Sunset Foods, and Mastromauro learned at the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit convention in October that the supplier makes free racking available, which he now is putting to good use.

“I’ve found that if you have a power hitter that leads off your department, and it’s in a nice, colorful graphic rack, such as the Cherub racks, it’s extra sales because you hit (shoppers) twice – if they miss it in the regular set, they’ll catch it in the front of the department,” he says.

Although tomato sales are steady throughout the year, there is some drop off in the summer for Sunset Foods, when shoppers often source them from their own home gardens.

Tomatoes are one of the top categories from spring until the beginning of summer, Mastromauro says.

Publix Supermarkets, a Lakeland, Fla.-based chain of 1,040 stores, has obtained exclusive rights in its market to the new Tasti-lee tomato from Bejo Seeds Inc., Oceano, Calif.

Publix picked up the Tasti-lee because it’s a vine-ripened tomato that provides “an excellent tomato flavor with a deep red appearance inside and out,” says Maria Brous, director of media and community relations.

The stores have only offered the tomato since spring, but Brous says the chain is pleased with the response.

“Our customers are excited about the new product,” she says. “We continually receive compliments about how great the product eats.”

Bags popular

In United Supermarket locations, tomatoes-on-the-vine packaged in cello bags and sold by the pound are the most popular offering, but romas take the top spot in stores that cater to a Hispanic clientele, Kirby says.

He merchandises all the varieties together on a 6- by 9-foot table and often ties them in with avocados.

He tries to feature a different variety on ad every week, and he says he’s planning to revive the category-wide promotions that the chain conducted in the past.

United Supermarkets stores actually can see higher demand for tomatoes during the summer, Kirby says, since not as many of the stores’ customers have their own gardens.

Ample supplies

Unlike last year, when some growing areas experienced devastating freezes, you should see ample supplies of tomatoes this season.

In Florida, despite a slightly later start than usual start, volume should be good and quality should be excellent from December until mid-June, says Reggie Brown, manager of the Maitland-based Florida Tomato Committee.

Florida has the longest tomato season in the U.S., he says, and ships mature-green, grape and roma tomatoes and a few of the new Tasti-lee vine-ripe variety.

Tomatoes were shipping out of West Mexico by early November, with significant volume expected out of Sinaloa by early December, says Steve Yubeta, vice president of sales for Farmers Best International LLC, Nogales, Ariz.

Weather has been “exceptional” and growing conditions ideal for Mexico’s beefsteak, shade house and roma tomatoes, he says.

And in Canada, greenhouse-grown tomatoes including tomatoes-on-the-vine and beefsteak tomatoes should be plentiful, says Jimmy Coppola, general manager for Mucci International marketing Inc., Kingsville, Ontario.

Sales prove that the category gets more popular every year, since consumers’ eating habits “have gone a little bit to the healthier side,” says Mastromauro of Sunset Foods.
And they’re versatile. They can be served as snacks or with a meal.

“Tomatoes fit into any kind of dinner menu you’re going to put together,” he says.

Tomato update

Bejo Seeds Inc., Oceano, Calif., is marketing its new Tasti-lee firm, flavorful tomato that has a deep crimson red color from its high lycopene level and a well-balance meat/juice ratio so that it won’t fall apart when sliced, says Greg Styers, who handles sales and product development for Bejo. It’s packaged in a 1-pound cardboard punnet with plastic overwrap, each containing two or three tomatoes. It’s currently sold at retail for about $2.49 per pound.

Farmer’s Best International LLC, Nogales, Ariz., is helping customers sell more tomatoes with its new Get Selling! marketing initiative, says Jerry Wagner, director of sales and marketing. The campaign includes tip sheets from industry experts, seminars about effective selling techniques and even classroom sessions at chain locations. “We want to help the mainstream retailer catch the consumer’s eye,” Wagner says.

Mastronardi Produce/Sunset, Kingsville, Ontario, has introduced the Delano tomato-on-the-vine. The new variety emphasizes flavor. “Consumers love purchasing TOVs for their fresh, on-the-vine look and aroma, and now with Delano, they will be buying for the taste as well,” president Paul Mastronardi says in a news release.

Mucci Farms Ltd., Kingsville, Ontario, earned the Best New Product award for its Sun Drops greenhouse grape tomatoes in May at the United Fresh trade show in New Orleans, says Jimmy Coppola, general manager. The tomatoes were recognized for their flavor, shelf life and unique shape, he says. They can be packed on demand, but the company primarily packs Sun Drops in 12-by-1 dry pints.

NatureSweet, formerly Desert Glory Ltd., San Antonio, offers a variety of branded merchandising racks for its tomato products, says Jim Gerecke, vice president of sales. Display racks allow product to be displayed better, are easy to stack, reduce shrink and are easy for consumers to shop and for produce managers to restock. In addition, display racks can increase sales 25% to 30%, he says.

The Produce Exchange, Livermore, Calif., is shipping its first full season of its new Tesoro tomatoes, says Marty Mazzanti, founder and chairman of the board. The new variety, which the company discovered in Spain, has a great taste, dark color and is especially functional for cooking — even grilling — or in salads, he says. It’s sold in 22-ounce resealable bags, typically retailing for about $4.

Village Farms, Eatontown, N.J., has launched a new specialty tomato — Heavenly Villagio Marzano. “What sets it apart is its fresh taste and brilliant flavor, recognizable by its oblong shape, pointed end and rich red color,” says Debi Street, innovations and development manager. It makes a good snacking tomato, or it can be used as an ingredient for hors d’oeuvres, soups, and salad toppers.