Long gone are the days of those beautiful grill marks being monopolized by the meat department. To help get your produce aisles ready for barbecue season, we reached out to our own industry grill masters to help inspire cross-merchandising, displays, and conversation options to maximize summer produce sales...
Heidi McIntyre
Managing Partner
Full Tilt Marketing
“Fruits and veggies add much flavor and color to the barbeque. Grilling fruit, especially stonefruit, has become a popular trend since the barbecue promotes caramelization, which intensifies the sweetness. Tossing a variety of colorful vegetables in a grilling tray and adding a few spices can become a star of the grill, especially for health-conscious consumers and truly complements grilled meat or fish. Of course, grilled corn is a must. Adding a touch of flavor to the butter with herbs, garlic, or lime adds a nice twist to a traditional favorite.”
David Sharrod
President & CEO
Southeast Produce Council
"One of my favorite recipes to grill each year happens during football season, when me and my family are watching our favorite team, the Georgia Bulldogs: Hunker Down Hairy Dawg Balsamic Maple Bacon-Wrapped Vidalia Onions. Since I do bleed UGA red, I like to slice a genuine Vidalia onion that has ben marinated in a brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and maple syrup mixture. I then wrap them in hickory smoked bacon and place them on the Big Green Egg, before we get ready to grill our steaks. We serve them right off the grill and they are guaranteed to make you say, GO DAWGS!”
Teri Miller
Senior Category Manager
The Fresh Market
“I love grilled produce, whether it be zucchini, peaches, or watermelon—but grilled corn on the cob and grilled Vidalia onions have been my favorite since I was a youngster. My husband must really love me to still consider me attractive with the corn in my teeth and the sweet onion breath, but boy-oh-boy…just those two items alone is a meal enough for me. YUMMY!”
Tommy Wilkins
Director of Sales
Grow Farms, Texas
“A few years back, I started using a convection pellet smoker. This has opened up vegetables to our menu at home; it’s very easy and quick. In the valley of Texas, we get many of the vegetables fresh: broccolini, color carrots, color bells, cauliflower, onions, corn, okra...We also have grilled pineapple and peaches. Add a little fish, chicken, or a tenderloin with a little grape juice—it doesn’t get better.”
April Flowers
Marketing Manager
Lone Star Citrus Growers
"No south Texas BBQ is complete without a huge bowl of freshly made pico de gallo. We use it as a topping on everything from fajitas and tacos to sausage and brisket. It is absolutely my favorite dish on the table, and I make it several times a week. Rather than finely chopping the tomatoes, onions, and cilantro, I use a rough chop so that it’s almost more of a salad than a salsa. During the summer, I love to add avocado, and when the fall rolls around, I swap some of the tomato for red grapefruit.”
