Shriveled

A recent news post reported that our country's raisin industry is experiencing a decline in sales as they compete with other countries. I know enough about economics to fill a pistachio shell so I won't comment on imports and exports but I think I know how to fix the problem. Marketing, people, marketing.

No surprise the last time raisins experienced a spike in sales happened in the 1980's when a wildly famous commercial was rolled out. It featured wrinkly raisin characters belting out a song by Marvin Gaye, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine." Not only did the little food gems experience popularity but toys and other merchandise were generated in the process. The props in the commercial were so revered that some of them now hold a place in the Smithsonian Institute. Not bad for a bunch of raisins.

But, commercials are not free and the funding dollars eventually dried up. The high cost of commercial production needed full support from the players in the game and that was not to be as time marched onward. Without airing the dirty laundry of the industry, let's just say the playground got a little nasty.

Fast forward to today. New faces agree that raisins need a makeover in the commercial world if there is going to be an incentive for growers to continue. The highly coveted land needed for raisin production could be converted into almond orchards if action isn't taken. Nothing against almonds but their ad campaign for almond milk is apparently working (Don't get me started on nut "milks". God bless the cow!).

It is time to convince folks that raisins are the next best nutritional savior. It's been done before.  Let's take a look at kale as an example. In my opinion, no amount of crisping, chopping or massaging can make that green palatable, but the industry convinced folks that it would save lives with its magnificent nutrients. The campaign worked and kale sales skyrocketed. The same goes for coconut oil. Nutritionists knew that it was a mixed bag of good and bad fats but apparently no one was speaking out as marketing gurus began touting the oil as the giver of life. Finally, the voices of science spoke out and put a stop to that nonsense.

Our little raisin friends have a lot going for them already. They are small and snackable. They have a great shelf life. They come in different colors and sizes. And they taste good. What's not to love? If we can convince John and Janice Q. Public that raisins have secret nutritional powers, the raisin is back in business. That shouldn't be too difficult given that raisins are little powerhouses of energy and vitamins. The words "natural sugar" alone might be enough to start the ball rolling. Throw in some healing testimonies, a hip celebrity and a catchy phrase or song and the needle starts moving.

I, for one, need no convincing. Raisins will always be on my shelf. Bread pudding is not the same without a few thrown in for a burst of goodness. Moroccan chicken gets a little punch with a cup of golden raisins. And the mid-afternoon slump gets a wake-up call when raisins are at the ready. Move over kale, raisins are back in town.

(Below are photos of my grandmother's Gold Medal Flour cookbook from 1910. If you have time, and you can cope with my bad photography, read the information in their ad campaign. Makes me chuckle every time.)