Taking Health to Heart: A Q&A With Susan Noritake, Director of Sales, Bako Sweet^®

Sweet potatoes have experienced a major boost in popularity in recent years. While it is true that one factor in the category’s rise to fame is the increasing prevalence of social media creators who share their recipes online, another key component is the brand behind the product.

We are lucky to have worked for many years with one prominent brand pushing sweet potatoes to the forefront: Bako Sweet®. February is a particular time when the supplier promotes its most prominent offering, and a little birdie told me something special is in store for its 2025 campaign.

Chandler James: Happy National Sweet Potato Month, Susan! I know February also happens to be American Heart Health Month. Can you tell me more about the connection between sweet potatoes and heart health?

Susan Noritake, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Bako Sweet^®: Sweet potatoes are a heart-healthy food certified by the American Heart Association. They are an excellent source of fiber and high in potassium, which can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.

One of our Registered Dietitian partners, Veronica Rouse, known as The Heart Dietitian, says it best, though: Sweet potatoes are a heart-healthy powerhouse, packed with fiber to reduce cholesterol, potassium to regulate blood pressure, and antioxidants to combat inflammation and oxidative stress. I often recommend swapping rice, pasta, or white potatoes for sweet potato options to boost nutrition and support heart health.

CJ: 2025 is already off to a great start. What is Bako Sweet doing to promote its current campaign?

SN: In January, we introduced pink Heart Health merchandising display bins to captivate health-conscious shoppers and make heart-smart choices easy. They feature eye-catching graphics and quick, engaging facts about sweet potatoes and heart health, such as their ability to help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease. A QR code also links to our Healthy Sweet Potato Cookies recipe, showcasing sweet potatoes in a creative and heart-shaped application, emphasizing their heart-healthy benefits.

Our bold new packaging—hot pink for organic products and light pink for conventional—creates a striking visual identity highlighting nutrition and heart-healthy goodness. Both the display bins and packaging will proudly feature the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check logo, ensuring clear recognition for shoppers.

"Our bold new packaging—hot pink for organic products and light pink for conventional—creates a striking visual identity highlighting nutrition and heart-healthy goodness."

Susan Noritake, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Bako Sweet®

CJ: The supply-side is obviously only one part of the equation. What can the buy-side do to benefit from the campaign?

SN: To drive consumer purchases, we encourage incorporating our packaging into strategic merchandising. For instance, highlight their versatility and nutritional benefits with thematic displays featuring recipe cards for Sweet Potato Energy Bites. Pair the sweet potatoes with complementary items like oats, nut butter, and chocolate chips to inspire easy, heart-healthy snack ideas. These displays, along with influencer-driven recipes and educational content, will reinforce Bako Sweet’s position as a heart-smart choice that belongs in every kitchen.

CJ: A packaging rollout and custom display bins are excellent ways to capture shoppers’ attention in-store. What other tactics does the campaign include?

SN: We collaborate with influencers and registered dietitians year-round, with a special focus in February during National Sweet Potato Month and National Heart Health Month when conversations about these topics are more prominent online. Our partners highlight the nutritional benefits of Bako Sweet Potatoes while encouraging people to find them at their local stores and use them in creative, on-trend ways.

To further drive engagement, we host social media giveaways throughout the month and share practical tips to show that eating heart-healthy can be easy, delicious, and fun!

"Our partners highlight the nutritional benefits of Bako Sweet Potatoes while encouraging people to find them at their local stores and use them in creative, on-trend ways."

CJ: You mentioned several different components driving your National Sweet Potato Month campaign. Can you tell me about the goals in mind when bringing it to fruition?

SN: Our goal with every campaign is to inspire people to sweeten their everyday meals and snacks with Bako Sweet Potatoes. By showcasing creative and unique ways to enjoy this versatile, delicious vegetable, we’re driving consumption and sparking new culinary ideas. Often, seeing sweet potatoes used in fun and unexpected ways is all it takes to inspire people to incorporate them more into their routines.

Equally important is helping people recognize just how good sweet potatoes are for them. Visual cues like the Heart-Check logo, vibrant pink packaging, and straightforward messaging such as “heart healthy” make it easier for shoppers to identify them as healthier choices without relying on complex nutritional jargon.

By kicking off 2025 with such a powerful campaign, Bako Sweet is preparing retailers and consumers for grilling and other creative uses throughout the year that are often overlooked in the sweet potato category. Because who wouldn’t want to sweeten their everyday?