Bard Valley Natural Delights hosted its annual harvest tour in September, bringing key retailer representatives from around the world, followed by journalists and registered dietitians, to experience the Medjool date harvest in Bard Valley firsthand.
Bard Valley Natural Delights hosted its annual harvest tour in September.
Guests on the tour have the opportunity to hand-harvest dates directly from the palm trees which are 20+ feet tall. Following their time in the groves, everyone toured both Datepac locations and the brand’s state-of-the-art sorting and packing facilities. There, guests were tasked to hand-sort dates based on ripeness level. The overwhelming sentiment was awe at the precision and speed at which Datepac employees have been trained.
The tour culminated with guests enjoying a Medjool date-inspired meal by locally renowned chef Alex Trujillo under the stars amidst the date groves. Attendees got to enjoy a Tamarindo Date Margarita, Plant-based “Bacon” Wrapped Date appetizer, Sweet Date Tamale with Chipotle Crema, Beet Salad with Date Balsamic and many other delicious Medjool date dishes.
“Part of our strategic marketing efforts include deepening our relationships with buyers and influencers to show what sets Natural Delights apart as a brand,” said David Baxter, director of marketing. “There are so many things people don’t realize about Medjool dates, so getting our partners up into the palms to pick the fruit and watch the process all the way to packaging helps equip them to educate consumers and continue to drive the category.”
Registered dietitians Carissa Galloway and Mackenzie Burgess in the date palm.
“One of our favorite experiential events to throw each year is this one,” said Beth Keeton, founder & CEO of Elephant House PR. “There is an immediate empathy and respect built between the growers and our guests when they see behind the curtain at what it truly takes - the time and skill, especially - to put these products on the shelves.”
Influencers and media attendees on the second leg of the tour shared more than 150 Instagram stories and posts and earned the brand 7.5 million impressions from social content during the two-day event. The tour also brought in significant interest from other media and influencers for next year’s event.
“Learning about the specific growing conditions, Datepac and the precision that goes into the quality and food safety standards has forever changed my perspective,” said Kimberley Rose-Francis, RDN, CDCES, CNSC, LD.
For retailers interested in attending next year’s Harvest Tour, please contact Neil Merritt at neil.merritt@bvdg.com.
For more information:
Beth Keeton
Bard Valley Natural Delights
Tel: +1 (972) 754-7889
beth@elephanthousepr.com
https://www.naturaldelights.com/