Most of the Idaho Potato Commission’s (IPC) marketing programs that you’ve seen or heard of target consumers directly, encouraging them to look for the “Grown in Idaho” seal when purchasing potatoes.
That’s the demand side of the equation. The IPC also plays a significant role on the supply side—making sure retailers and foodservice distributors and operators have the tools they need to meet their customers’ demands and offer Idaho potatoes.
The IPC has six promotion directors in the field. Three call on retail accounts and three work with foodservice customers, both distributors and operators. The directors are on the road four days a week between 35 and 40 weeks a year, calling on customers and using data to explain how selling Idaho potatoes can help optimize sales. In an age where most business communication is conducted via email, phone and videoconferencing, especially among commodity boards, the IPC’s promotion directors still conduct a lot of business face-to-face. And it’s effective.
While the work they do may appear to be behind the scenes, it’s anything but that. For instance, our studies show that retailers who have secondary Idaho potato displays can generate a 22 percent sales lift, compared with a 2.5 percent average growth rate for stores with no display. We also created an estimator that can calculate what that 22 percent lift would mean for the store in dollars. This is the type of information the promotion directors share with retailers.
The IPC’s most well-known retail program is its annual Idaho Potato Lover’s Retail Display Contest held during February and March. Now in its 29th year, an average of 5,000 grocery stores across the country build creative Idaho potato displays with the hope of winning their share of the available $150,000 in cash and prizes. Retailers who participate see a significant lift in sales during the contest period.
In an age where most business communication is conducted via email, phone and videoconferencing, our promotion directors still conduct a lot of business face-to-face. And it’s effective.
The foodservice directors are an invaluable resource for distributors and operators who need in-depth knowledge of potatoes ranging from storage to preparation to strategies on how to minimize waste and maximize profitability. For instance, the IPC directors work hand-in-hand with operators to create more ways to serve more Idaho potatoes. Programs like ideation sessions provide an opportunity to develop and test new menu items. Many of the recipes created during these ideation sessions put Idaho potatoes at the center of the plate, which minimizes food costs, a priority for all restaurant owners and managers.
The directors are also a great resource for operators needing to hone specific technical skills. Most inquiries are about fresh-cut fries—how to consistently make them golden and crispy on the outside and hot and fluffy on the inside.
Along with the Idaho Potato Lover’s Retail Display Contest, the IPC offers additional incentives throughout the year for foodservice distributors and operators to purchase and serve more Idaho potatoes.
The IPC’s website has proven to be a helpful resource for both retailers and foodservice operators. Uploaded with information the promotion directors deem most important, like toolkits, details of the IPC’s consumer marketing programs, and updates on promotions and incentive programs, the IPC is literally a 24-hour resource for those who need potato information fast.
Our highly educated and experienced promotion directors are partners in the truest sense with retailers and foodservice distributors and operators because when they succeed, so do we.