Success in the food industry is dependent on supplier’s ability to satisfy two masters; customers and consumers. You need your customers to put your products on their shelf and you need consumers to pick them up and put them in your shopping cart.
You increase your chances with both customers and consumers when you can tell your story effectively. The story does not have to be long or complicated. Actually the most effective stories are short and they resonate with the target market. If a retailer or consumer is not in the target market the story might not mean much but that is fine. Your time with a customer is limited and your space to communicate with consumers is usually not enough so chose your words wisely.
Here are some examples of story telling and I will share the positives and opportunities where they could improve:
Product: PC Free From meats
Target market: Consumers will to pay extra for meat that does not contain additives. These shoppers want to know who is producing their food and they probably would pick Canadian product over imported.
The package is very clear that the product is ‘Free From” hormones or additives and the font/look of the type is almost like a government report in a typewriter style. Anything factual is in this font.
The brief description of the farmer is in a style that resembles hand writing to make it warmer.
The maple leaf is prominent beside where it says “Made in Canada”
The only suggestion I would have for them would be to explain the benefits of “Free From” as opposed to just that it contains no hormones or antibiotics.
Product: Kellogg’s Cereal
Target market: Adults concerned about amount of sugar they are consuming. These shoppers still eat breakfast and they might be looking for alternatives to higher sugar kids cereals for their children.
The message about 1-4g of sugar per serving is clear and the light bulb insinuates it is a good idea. They do a good job of carrying the message from the in store sign to their packaging.
Cereal has received some unfavourable coverage for the high amount of sugar so Kellogg’s are obviously trying to counter this.
Similar to the PC Free From they have not made a great transition from features to benefits. How much sugar should a person consume or perhaps they could relate it to other products.
Product: Maple Leaf 50/50 Burgers and sausage
Target market: Consumers looking for alternative protein sources that do not want to move 100% away from animal protein.
This photo is from the Maple Leaf website so there is more room than just packaging or a sign. They do address right in their description who the target market is. This can be effective because if the reader says “yes this is me or our family” then they will continue reading.
Maple Leaf does make the transition from features to benefits when they explain plant based and better for the planet. It is interesting to see an animal protein say people are “eating less meat for good reasons”.
Telling your story
July Recipes for Success, presented by FCC
It is more important than ever to tell your story effectively to consumers and customers. Consumers are shopping differently in store and online. Your products need to be on their list before they start shopping. If you are not top of mind chances are you will not make it into the shopping cart.
Carly Minish from Smak Dab Mustard will join us this Wednesday July 22nd. She is doing a great job telling her story. Carly will share some insights into how she is doing this and what is working for her. Here is an example of “The Dish” where Carly will share lots of great information and you will always find some innovative ways to use her Smak Dab mustard. It is much more than promotion because she is using the knowledge she has as a chef to inspire and enlighten people. This example is salads and she has some other great editions on her website. I would encourage you to check it out www.smakdab.ca.
During Carly’s journey towards achieving her Red Seal Certification, she recognized the versatility and significance of mustard in the kitchen as a special and effortless element to bring familiar meals to new heights – that a simple spoonful of mustard makes all the difference in the flavour and overall composition of a dish. Using her skills and talents as a trained chef, she has carved her own entrepreneurial and culinary path, filling the gap in the local food market for high-quality mustard that people of all cooking levels can easily dabble with.
Join us Wednesday July 22nd at 2 pm Atlantic (1 pm Eastern) for the third of our 4 part series; Telling Your Story.
On July 29th we will have a really interesting conversation with Dany Duguay who (believe it or not) just opened a restaurant in the middle of this pandemic. Dany will help you understand how to develop win/win relationships with influencers in the food and beverage space. She has worked with a number of different food products to help consumers understand the benefits these products bring to the market.
Both Carly and Dany are doing this every week and it will be awesome to have them here with us on our SKUFood Recipe for Success, presented by FCC.
Chef Dany Duguay has been working in the food industry for over 20 years. She currently resides in Halifax, Nova Scotia where she works as a sole proprietor for Caper and Olive Catering, as well as owning and operating, in part, Harvest, a farm-to-table eatery.
Specializing in curated dining experiences, in home private chef services, food photography and recipe development, Dany brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table when working with clients to help get their products noticed through social media campaigns, as well as utilizing them in her day to day operations.
At SKUFood we understand it is important to give back. We have the ability to share insights and information you can use in your food business right away. If we were able to get in the same room for an event you would hear me say, “Success in the food industry is not just about making great products to sell; it is about selling the great products you make.” Telling your story effectively is one critical piece of selling the great products you make.
If you want to talk about your story or need some advice just send me an email at Peter@SKUFood.com or give me a call at (902) 489-2900.