FPAA's promotional activities aimed at raising awareness of Mexican-grown produce
FPAA's promotional activities aimed at raising awareness of Mexican-grown produce
NOGALES, AZ -- "We are continuing to try to change" the common perceptions in the United States regarding Mexican-grown produce "and highlight the fact that whether they know it or not, for a lot of the winter, they are eating Mexican produce," said Chuck Thomas of Thomas Produce Sales Inc., who is a member of the public relations committee of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, here. "A lot of [consumers] never in their dreams would think that 60 percent of the fruits and vegetables they are eating in the wintertime are from Mexico."
The association is engaged in a variety of public relations, marketing, promotional and educational activities to achieve that objective, according to Mr. Thomas. "We are trying to attend various functions. ... We are trying to contact the culinary professionals [and] the food writers."
An annual food writers tour gives writers from various newspapers and consumer magazines an opportunity to visit growing and packing operations in Mexico and "let them see what really goes on and take away some of those negative perceptions that [some of them] have had for so many years," he said. The association also engages in a number of activities directed to the retail and foodservice trade to increase their awareness of Mexican produce and keep them posted on availability.
"On the merchandising side," said Allison Moore, communications director for the FPAA, "Veronica [Kraushaar] and her company, which is now called Viva Marketing Strategies, and her team have been going out and visiting retailers. They are going with information about availability and promotable volumes and working with them to let them know" which commodities will be available at steady supply during which months "and that these are key times when they should really be promoting these products to the consumers."
Retailers are also encouraged to promote the products as Mexican products, using, for example, the phrase, "Fresh from Mexico."
The merchandisers are also explaining to retailers that pilot programs show "consumers really are accepting of a label that says 'Fresh from Mexico,' " Ms. Moore said. When a retailer put the "Fresh from Mexico" message in its ads, not only did consumers "go into the store and buy what was on special," but the store received "only positive phone calls from people saying the quality was great or they really enjoyed it." Nobody called to complain about it being from Mexico, she said.
The FPAA is, therefore, educating retailers that "we have done the work to see what consumer acceptance is and, yes, you can promote -- and not just promote the item but promote it as a product of Mexico. That becomes a benefit."
This year, the FPAA will be working with the Produce for Better health Foundation on its Produce First program in conjunction with the Culinary Institute of America in California, Ms. Moore said. At that event, "we will be talking to chefs and executives of large restaurant groups about putting produce on the menu" and urging them to give fruits and vegetables more priority. Since more people are eating out, she said, produce on the menu should be "something that tastes good and not just an afterthought that is put on the plate."
The FPAA will also be attending the annual conference of the International Association of Culinary Professionals in Chicago this April, she said. "We are going to be sponsoring the opening breakfast and highlighting Mexican produce on the menu, reaching 1,100 or 1,200 people that communicate directly with consumers about food," including chefs, food writers, nutrition consultants and recipe developers. "We have found," in working with IACP previously, that its members "are really receptive," she said.
The FPAA also holds an annual convention in Nogales, and this year's event is scheduled for Nov. 30 through Dec. 2. In addition to a golf tournament and social activities, the conference will feature two informative speakers, this year talking about trends in the foodservice industry.
During the course of the year, the FPAA will be bringing in "speakers from outside groups to talk to our members about different issues [and] trends in the industry," she said.
(For more on the Nogales deal, see the Nov. 27 issue of The Produce News.)
The association is engaged in a variety of public relations, marketing, promotional and educational activities to achieve that objective, according to Mr. Thomas. "We are trying to attend various functions. ... We are trying to contact the culinary professionals [and] the food writers."
An annual food writers tour gives writers from various newspapers and consumer magazines an opportunity to visit growing and packing operations in Mexico and "let them see what really goes on and take away some of those negative perceptions that [some of them] have had for so many years," he said. The association also engages in a number of activities directed to the retail and foodservice trade to increase their awareness of Mexican produce and keep them posted on availability.
"On the merchandising side," said Allison Moore, communications director for the FPAA, "Veronica [Kraushaar] and her company, which is now called Viva Marketing Strategies, and her team have been going out and visiting retailers. They are going with information about availability and promotable volumes and working with them to let them know" which commodities will be available at steady supply during which months "and that these are key times when they should really be promoting these products to the consumers."
Retailers are also encouraged to promote the products as Mexican products, using, for example, the phrase, "Fresh from Mexico."
The merchandisers are also explaining to retailers that pilot programs show "consumers really are accepting of a label that says 'Fresh from Mexico,' " Ms. Moore said. When a retailer put the "Fresh from Mexico" message in its ads, not only did consumers "go into the store and buy what was on special," but the store received "only positive phone calls from people saying the quality was great or they really enjoyed it." Nobody called to complain about it being from Mexico, she said.
The FPAA is, therefore, educating retailers that "we have done the work to see what consumer acceptance is and, yes, you can promote -- and not just promote the item but promote it as a product of Mexico. That becomes a benefit."
This year, the FPAA will be working with the Produce for Better health Foundation on its Produce First program in conjunction with the Culinary Institute of America in California, Ms. Moore said. At that event, "we will be talking to chefs and executives of large restaurant groups about putting produce on the menu" and urging them to give fruits and vegetables more priority. Since more people are eating out, she said, produce on the menu should be "something that tastes good and not just an afterthought that is put on the plate."
The FPAA will also be attending the annual conference of the International Association of Culinary Professionals in Chicago this April, she said. "We are going to be sponsoring the opening breakfast and highlighting Mexican produce on the menu, reaching 1,100 or 1,200 people that communicate directly with consumers about food," including chefs, food writers, nutrition consultants and recipe developers. "We have found," in working with IACP previously, that its members "are really receptive," she said.
The FPAA also holds an annual convention in Nogales, and this year's event is scheduled for Nov. 30 through Dec. 2. In addition to a golf tournament and social activities, the conference will feature two informative speakers, this year talking about trends in the foodservice industry.
During the course of the year, the FPAA will be bringing in "speakers from outside groups to talk to our members about different issues [and] trends in the industry," she said.
(For more on the Nogales deal, see the Nov. 27 issue of The Produce News.)
