In many areas of the world, April ushers in milder weather and thoughts of renewal, particularly as consumers celebrate spring holidays like Easter and Passover. In the United States alone, shoppers spend over $17 billion on food, candy, flowers and apparel to mark these spring celebrations. Sales Advisors can help shoppers prepare by offering innovative tips and ideas for everything from Easter brunches to Seder dinners.
For starters, it’s important for Sales Advisors to have a basic understanding of both holidays and their key traditions. Easter is a Christian holiday of renewal celebrated at the end of the Lenten season, when many Christians give up meat, sweets and other decadent foods. As a result, Easter celebrations often center around large family meals featuring ham, lamb, eggs, spring vegetables—and of course candy, pastries and other sweet treats for children young and old alike.
Passover is a Jewish festival that commemorates the freeing of Jewish slaves. During Passover, celebrants avoid all leavened foods (items made with yeast) and most other items made with grains. They also hold a special meal called a Seder, where they eat certain ritual foods, including matzah (unleavened bread), eggs and bitter herbs.
One simple way to check whether a food you’re sampling is appropriate for Passover is to look for a “Kosher for Passover” label on the package. Point this label out to shoppers. Also point out ways they could incorporate the items you’re sampling into classic Passover dishes, such as matzo ball soup, borscht (beet soup) or roasted lamb.
For Easter shoppers, look for products that can work well with the traditional foods above or add a new twist to them, such as a marinade for lamb or a rich hollandaise sauce for spring vegetables. Also point out shortcuts, such as using frozen pastry dough, precut vegetables or ready-to-eat side dishes you’re demonstrating as part of their Easter meal.