Friday, July 30, 2010
It goes without saying that we love cheese in Wisconsin. Our state provides some of the best there is, after all.
Luckily for us, the people at Formaticum have created a new way for all cheese lovers to embrace their inner fromager with their new Cheese Journal.
The Formaticum Cheese Journal is a book designed to help you remember your favorite cheeses. It features an introduction with helpful information about cheese, information on milk types, how to taste cheese and serving tips. There are 59 pages in the journal – enough space to remember 118 cheeses!
We know that the journals are available online and at Whole Foods stores, but would argue that in addition to Formaticum’s clever line of cheese paper and labels, they would provide specialty cheese shops a great way to market their premium food products.
What types of food accessories could you provide to foodies to make your product more special?
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Labels: cheese, marketing premium food, Packaging, Premium Food, Stephan & Brady, Wisconsin Cheese
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Being on-trend is important to premium food marketers – we’ve talked quite a bit about the latest trends. But salmon-flavored vodka? The Alaska Distillery in Wasilla, AK (the Wasilla of Sarah Palin fame) has infused the savory flavor of smoked salmon into the vodka.
Toby Foster, an Alaska Distillery partner and the one charged with coming up with new Alaskan-themed flavors, claims that the intent behind the flavor was to market a local vodka which would stand out among the numerous other bottles on the liquor store shelves.
“I was trying to think of something Alaskan. What’s more Alaskan than smoked salmon? It was one of those epiphanies, I suppose,” he said. – MSN
Convenience, another perennial customer favorite has led to the Candwich – a sandwich in a can.
While the peanut butter-and-jelly options seem at least edible, the BBQ chicken and soon-to-be-released cheeseburger varieties seem…less so. As reported by Eater.com, “Although it’s targeting the pre-school, camping, and construction worker demographic, it seems more like a novelty or a military ration than something anyone would actually eat on a regular basis.”
Are companies using a little too much innovation to market their premium food? Or, are they recognizing the need for super niche products in an effort to stand out? I’ll let you try both of the products listed in this blog and take your word for it. Please be sure to post your experience with your next salmontini or canned sandwich in the comments.
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Labels: advertising, Candwich, eater.com, food trends, marketing premium food, Packaging, Premium Food, salmon vodka, sandwich in a can, Stephan & Brady
Friday, February 19, 2010
If your premium food brand meets European Union (EU) standards for organic labeling in Europe, there’s a new logo available for your packaging.
German student Dusan Milenkovic won 63% of the vote for the logo he submitted as part of a competition sponsored by the European Commission.
Starting in July 2010, the organic logo must appear on all pre-packaged organic products that meet the standards and were produced in an EU member state. Use of the logo will be optional for imported products.
“I’m delighted that we now have a fresh EU organic food logo,” said Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, who first proposed the competition to select the logo. “This exercise has raised the profile of organic food and we now have a logo which everyone will be able to identify with. It’s a nice elegant design and I look forward to buying products carrying this logo from July this year.”
Much like the USDA logo for organic labeling, the EU symbol will help premium food marketers set their products apart at retail and provide consumers with an easy-to-recognize differentiator for choosing organic food. Although, some might argue that the USDA logo has lost its potency due to incorrect usage and lack of regulation.
What do you think? Will the EU organic logo help premium food marketers or do they also run the risk of oversaturation and consumer confusion?
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Labels: EU, marketing premium food, organic labeling, Packaging, Premium Food, Stephan & Brady
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Everyone is attracted to bright, shiny things. But at retail, standing out on the shelf is only part of the equation. Once you’ve attracted your customer, you have to activate them to get that product into their cart and across that scanner.
Stand out on the shelf and get into that grocery cart.
Mintel recently released its global consumer packaged goods predictions providing insight into how we can make meaningful connections at retail.
Take a minute to think about how these might affect your packaging strategy. Then, remember to test your ideas with focus groups.
Calories Count. Consumers are more concerned than ever about caloric intake. If you’ve got a great story to tell, get it on your packaging.
So Does Sodium. According to Mintel, this is slated to be the next major health movement.
Keep it Local. Foods and beverages that use local ingredients will remain an important factor in purchasing decisions in 2010. Expect manufacturers to expand the definition of local beyond a region to include the entire United States.
Fresh with Few Ingredients. Consumers identify foods with fewer ingredients as being better for them. Even if the fat and calorie content are high, if a product is made with fresh, all-natural ingredients, they have appeal. Just look at what Haagen Dazs has done with its “Five” line – ice creams made with just five simple ingredients.
Color Coding. If you have different versions of a brand, make them stand out with color to help emphasize the variety of the line.
No one wants to revamp their packaging only to find out it has a negative impact. Remember the Tropicana debacle of 2009?
If you’ve forgotten, click here for a quick refresher.
Source: The Independent
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Labels: Packaging, Premium Food, Stephan & Brady
