Tupperware’s iconic containers are now available at Target, a huge shift for the Florida-based company that has for decades primarily sold its goods through independent sales representatives at parties.
A selection of Tupperware offerings became available at Target stores and Target.com on Monday, CEO Miguel Fernandez revealed in a Linkedin post.
They include containers from Tupperware categories including its Heritage Collection, Date, Store & Freeze Line, Crystal Clear, Store & Serve Line, Freeze, Heat and Serve Line, and Store, Serve and Go Line, said Cameron Klaus, vice president of global communications and public relations, in an email.
Tupperware has been changing things up in a turnaround effort under the leadership of Fernandez, who took the helm in 2020 after the company had not seen sales increase in a quarter over the previous year since 2017.
“Since 2020, Tupperware has been on a transformation journey to reinvent their business model with one clear goal: to build a business as big as the iconic Tupperware brand,” Klaus said.
“Now, the brand is reimagining core elements of its business to create more opportunities for new and existing customers to engage with the brand and its products, especially among younger consumers who shop in other places today than consumers have in the past.”
Tupperware’s independent sales force and the parties the brand is known for aren’t expected to become a thing of the past, as the company is billing the shift to Target as an “and, not or” approach.
Hundreds of Tupperware’s goods, which go beyond containers to include kitchen tools, and exclusive promotions will only be available through the sales force, Klaus said.
“We’re honoring our legacy by continuing to host timeless Tupperware parties and we’ll offer our products in new channels,” Fernandez said in his post. “Younger customers less familiar with direct sales will now find our brand in retail and from there can develop personalized relationships with our one-and-only sales force to find products tailored to their needs.”
The independent sales force has also transformed as the coronavirus pandemic nudged many into hosting online, virtual Tupperware parties.
“Tupperware will continue investing in its direct sales business – developing digital tools for the sales force and hosting classic in-person Tupperware parties,” Klaus said.
While the business did bounce back when it reported a year-over-year sales increase for the third quarter of 2020, the first since 2017, the turnaround has not been without hiccups.
For the quarter ending June 25 this year, net sales were $340.4 million, down 18% year-over-year from $416.6 million, the company revealed in an Aug. 3 earnings release.
Fernandez said Tupperware on Target shelves just marks the “beginning” of its worldwide strategy to sell items in different ways.
“In 2023 and beyond, we’ll plan with our customers in mind to develop specific product and pricing strategies for each channel to grow our business and meet shoppers where they are,” Fernandez said.
