We are getting into the season of shows and events. These dates on the food industry calendar were put on hold or switched to virtual during the pandemic. This is the first year where most of the consumer shows and trade shows are in person. Last year we did see a mix and sampling was limited in many events. We have talked about trade shows before so we are going to focus on consumer shows. Consumer shows are events created to provide businesses an opportunity to showcase their products to consumers. These consumers are usually in a specific target market or interested in certain products. Examples of consumer shows are lawn and garden, new Mothers or gourmet foods. These can be good opportunities for food and beverage companies to showcase and sometimes sell their products.

Focus your investment where your people will be

The first commitment most consumer shows make is to give exhibitors a chance to interact with thousands of consumers. They use their history and forecast to predict the crowds who will visit the event. Thousands of potential buyers is a great dream, but only if they are in your target market.

Participating in these shows can be a significant investment. There is a cost to exhibit, you will have your own and likely other labour, samples and marketing materials. Depending on the location, you might have travel and meal expenses as well.

The costs can add up so make sure you do your homework to ensure consumers most likely to buy will be in attendance.

You need more than exposure

Exposure to your target market is great, but it might not provide the return on investment you need. Consumer shows need exhibitors to bring people in. The organizers want the experience to be great for the people attending and often that means a sampling bonanza. This can be great for organizers and consumers but expensive and exhausting for exhibitors.

It is best when you can sell your products to get them into consumer’s fridge or cupboard and recoup some of your investment. Consider a fair retail but don’t undercut your retail customers in the market.

How to make the most of the show

The first thing you need to be is well prepared. You will only maximize the opportunity if you plan ahead. This will allow you to focus on the attendees and sell as much product as possible. Planning includes forecasting the number of samples you will need and how much product you can sell.

Estimate the amount of consumers you can interact with per hour the show is open. If you have 2 people working your booth and estimate one consumer per employee ever 2 minutes you can forecast 60 samples per hour.

You also should estimate your sales per hour, so you have enough inventory.

If possible, talk to other exhibitors from previous years to understand the sales potential.

Consumer shows are a great place to get feedback from consumers. If you have a new flavour, size or formulation you can ask for feedback. People are at these shows because they are interested and if they are your target market it can be valuable research.

Try different versions of your value proposition or advertising messages. Test to see what resonates. You are there with them to assess their reaction.

If you have any questions about consumer shows, you can always send me an email peter@skufood.com or call me at (902) 489-2900.

Peter

FCC Food and Beverage report released

It is great to get information about our industry. You can use these as benchmarks to assess your performance. FCC breaks it down into different categories which is very helpful.

It is interesting to see the ratio of retail to food service is back to pre-pandemic levels and the trend switching to more food service continues. Over the upcoming weeks we will dive into some of the categories.

I'm really excited to be working with Carly Minish-Wytinck of Smak Dab to present Winning at Retail- How to get your food and beverage product on and off the shelf, on behalf of FCC Food and Beverage. This in person event is designed to help processors get their items listed in retail and deliver the desired sales. Some great content and tools for you to use in your business. Join us Tuesday April 4th in Winnipeg.

Really excited to work with Norm Purdy and Al Archibald to deliver this new program for Food and Beverage Atlantic. We have created a unique masterclass for food and beverage business owners. This has been developed to help you run your business, not work in the business. We will focus on key metrics you need to measure and how to manage your business for the best results. The combination of virtual and in person will really deliver the tools and strategies you need to take your business to the next level.

Any questions just give me a call at (902) 489-2900 or send me an email peter@skufood.com

Where is Peter Speaking?

De Sedulous Women Leaders

Finding the perfect distributor Mar 31st

FCC Winnipeg

Getting on the shelf Apr 4th

Foodpreneur program

Getting ready for retail May 16th

De Sedulous Women Leaders

Pricing and positioning Jun 23rd

De Sedulous Women Leaders

Finding the perfect distributor Jul 14th