Summer is the season of fresh. And this year, the produce industry is celebrating more than a bountiful basket at retail. This season, a global-scale marathon for produce promotion kicks off, and it’s shaping up to be one of the biggest produce marketing trends of the year. Retailers and their vendor partners will reap the reward if they play it right.
Throughout June and July, soccer fans from 48 countries flooded stadiums and cities across North America. Their passion for the sport was on full display.
Although opportunities for FIFA licensing on packaging have long passed, the celebration of cultures and countries is upon us. And it won’t end after the final match on July 19.
Following the 2026 FIFA World Cup, another global sporting event will bring even more athletes and fans to the U.S. The LA28 Summer Olympics are expected to feature nearly 200 countries and over 11,200 athletes competing.
Every one of these athletes and their fans will need to eat. And although travel generally equates to adventure, the long-haul of an athletic performance away from home requires some creature comforts. And what provides more comfort than food? Retailers and their produce partners should consider several ways to make the most of this cultural moment, and these produce marketing trends can help guide the strategy.
Athletics are Eating Events
If you’ve experienced the lift of the Super Bowl as a celebratory event surrounded by food and culture, then you’re in for a treat. An influx of 1.2 to 1.5 million foreign fans is expected to travel to the United States specifically for the 2026 World Cup, and roughly 5 million international visitors in total during the tournament.
Leverage the tournament’s match schedule, teams, and cultural moments to drive sales through World Cup merchandising displays and sampling stations that feature country-specific recipes and products. Bring a taste of home to the fans and feel the lift.
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Get off the Bench: Produce Marketing Trends in Action
Your brand may not feel aligned with athletics, but it’s not the sports themselves that you are aligning with. It’s the fans. Don’t sit this one out.
For the next 24 months, the world will be gathering in North America. Cultural moments televised globally will take place every day. Produce brands need to get off the bench and get in the game.
Consider LA28 licensing to lift a product line. Increase your athletics-specific content to highlight the health benefits, flavor profiles, and cultural relevance of your products. Then meet your shoppers online where they’re frequently inspired by food and culture.
Get In the Game
Sometimes it’s the celebration outside of the stadium that creates cultural moments more than what happens during the match itself. Produce can find a home at public watch parties and tailgates where fans gather in droves.
Take the sampling out of the store and to the masses where food and fandom collide! Whether you’re introducing new consumers to a product, launching a new flavor or item, or celebrating with a taste of the familiar, food brings people together. Capture these moments, and you’ll walk away with a content library of athletic celebrations for the years ahead.
The United States imports more fruits and vegetables than it produces. The food on our shelves comes from around the world, and for the next three summers, so will fans from 200 countries.
A global cultural moment is upon us, and it is also an opportunity to showcase the high-quality products we produce coast to coast. Revisit your marketing plans to ensure you’ve left time and budget to capitalize on the multifaceted moments kicking off this summer, and to stay ahead of the produce marketing trends defining the next two years.