Hormel Foodservice offers a new feature on its Web site called “My Files.” My Files is an online storage tool to bookmark preferred recipes, articles and product pages. A user creates an account, and accesses it with a username and password. This feature is unique because it offers culinary, marketing and R&D an easy way to store helpful information. The benefit to Hormel is that it will likely increase repeat traffic to its Web site. This, in turn, will increase the length of time someone spends on the site, as well as their engagement, which could aid in potential sales.
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Hormel Web Site Tool Gives Users Easy Information Storage
Traceability Tools Becoming More Prevalent in Food Ingredient Marketing
We recently wrote a post regarding the new traceability tool for consumers that Fresh Express (a Chiquita company) launched earlier in the spring. With one of the first consumer-targeted tools in the produce channel, Fresh Express clearly took an early lead in B-to-C traceability positioning.
Traceability tools have received renewed interest for their B-to-B applications as well. While usually associated with product recalls, traceability tools can also have an important role in positioning a food ingredient marketer with customers and buyers. Jim Prevor’s Perishable Pundit recently reported on Freshway Foods’ traceability tools in an article titled “Freshway’s Traceability System Worked Like a Charm: FDA And Buyers Don’t Care.”
Jim’s article provides some interesting insights into the difficulties food ingredient marketers face in establishing and maintaining clear positioning with their customers.
New Traceability Tool Gives Chiquita’s Fresh Express® an Edge
Consumers are increasingly interested in knowing where their food comes from. Sustainability initiatives and the growing interest in local sources of food have added pressure on food companies to provide more information on the traceability of the ingredients in their products.
Chiquita’s Fresh Express brand has launched a new online tool that lets consumers find where the lettuce in their bagged salad products came from. The tool is housed on the Fresh Express Web site and is very consumer friendly. I found it easy to use, and loaded with relevant, interesting information.
Chiquita announced the launch of the new traceability tool in March with a press release to all the major trade outlets. It has launched a major consumer advertising initiative to promote the new tool and attract consumers to the site. TV commercials began airing March 29. The company is also using social media, including food blogs and Facebook, to promote its new message.
Jim Prevor’s Perishable Pundit recently published an in-depth interview with Tanos Viviani, Chiquita’s global chief marketing officer, and the team that launched the new campaign. The interview includes a discussion of the propriety research that led the team to develop the new online tool, as well as their strategies to promote it. Click here to read the entire interview.
This is a unique example of a food company using new online and interactive applications to engage its customers with its products. It will be interesting to see if other food marketers follow with their own traceability tools.