Shoppers Respond in Droves to California Giant Berry Farms "Follow us to our Farm” Program
WATSONVILLE, CA – California Giant Berry Farms has launched a new marketing program and sweepstakes encouraging consumers to use the company’s traceback function for berries purchased on the company’s www.calgiant.com website.
The campaign, launched this March, has already resulted in sweeping success for both the company and consumers curious as to the origin of their food, according to a company press release.
“The campaign increases awareness of our item level traceability program and captures demographics of those purchasers as we tell our story straight from the farm,” noted Cindy Jewell, VP of Marketing. “We connect with shoppers as they are purchasing our brand and begin building loyalty immediately with the additional information found on the traceback page. If they weren’t already a fan, they become one once they enter the contest, connect with a farmer, and taste our berries.”
According to the company’s press release, several years ago, California Giant invested in a food safety traceability function that would allow trading partners and consumers alike to trace each clamshell of the company’s fresh berries back to the source. Rather than using this function simply as a responsive food safety solution, the company expended it into a proactive marketing campaign, directing shoppers to flip over their clamshell after purchase and enter the 16-digit code on the company's website to learn more about where their berries were grown.
Thousands of shoppers have already entered traceback codes on the company’s website. And consumers who track their clamshells’ origins are also entered into a sweepstakes for a chance to win cash prizes each month. Each time a shopper enters their code at https://www.calgiant.com/trace they are entered in a sweepstakes for a chance to win a monthly cash prize of $100.
California Giant plans to continue the program through September with promotions via social media and videos from the farm and store. And once on the site, consumers not only gain access to information on where the berries were grown; they are also able to view recipes, tips, and video content featuring the farmers and their families involved in bring California Giant berries to market.
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