Modern Distribution launches webinar on development opportunities for fruit and vegetables in Gdo

Modern Distribution has organised the webinar “New consumption drivers and growth levers for fruit and vegetables in Gdo” for Tuesday 27 October 2026 from 10.30.

The digital event, moderated by Maria Teresa Manuelli, editorial director of Edizioni DM, will bring together authoritative representatives from the market research, production and organised large-scale retail sectors, with the aim of offering operators an up-to-date view of the changes affecting the sector.

How are consumer choices changing in the fruit and vegetable department? What factors are currently able to increase purchase frequency, penetration and basket value? And which levers can industry and retailers act on to turn changing demand into new growth opportunities?

The speakers will be:

• Sergio Grasso, account development – Fmcg sales at Nielsen
• Antonio Mercugliano, fruit and vegetable buyer at Etruria Retail
• Hannes Tauber, marketing manager at Vog
• Claudio Mazzini, commercial director for fresh products at Coop Italia
• Davide Rognoni, national fruit and vegetable category manager at Conad

A consumer seeking health, service and value

The fruit and vegetable sector is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by evolving consumption habits and new expectations regarding the offering. Health and wellbeing remain decisive factors in purchasing decisions, but are joined by increasingly diverse requirements: convenience, service content, sustainability, affordability and new consumption experiences, in line with daily routines and constantly changing lifestyles.

“Never before has the fruit and vegetable sector needed to bring together the perspectives of research, industry and retail in order to decode market signals in real time,” comments Maria Teresa Manuelli, editorial director of Edizioni DM. “As mediators, our task will be to highlight not only the critical issues, but above all the best practices and most innovative insights that can inspire operators to rethink the offering and make the most of the department’s potential in the coming months.”

In this context, the webinar will provide an opportunity for the key players in the supply chain to exchange views, focusing on data, market trends and purchasing behaviour in order to identify the main factors redefining demand for fruit and vegetables in modern retail.

The discussion will explore the evolution of consumer needs, the complex balance between perceived value and price, the emergence of new consumption occasions and opportunities for category development. Particular attention will be paid to the role of innovation, new formats, communication and product enhancement strategies, increasingly important levers for strengthening the appeal of the fruit and vegetable department and supporting its growth.

From market analysis to the levers for growing the category

The discussion will not be limited to documenting the changes under way, but will seek to identify the levers on which producers and retailers can take concrete action. How can consumption occasions be expanded? How can the fruit and vegetable offering be made more distinctive and immediately understandable? What role can product and service innovation play? And how can an offering be built that combines perceived affordability with value creation?

The aim is to focus on strategies capable of supporting purchase frequency, increasing category penetration and raising basket value, while at the same time strengthening the ability of fruit and vegetables to respond to consumers’ new needs.

The webinar will therefore represent an opportunity to compare complementary viewpoints – market data, industry and retail – designed to provide supply chain operators not only with a snapshot of the current competitive landscape, but above all with practical guidance for identifying new growth opportunities for fruit and vegetables in Gdo.

This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.