June 25, 2014

Gluten Free Jamboree in Your Store

You Can Host a “Gluten Free Jamboree” in Your Store
In 2010 one of my clients, Sprouts Farmers Markets,  promoted a “Gluten Free Jamboree.” At that time I think most folks believed that if you were suffering from Celiac’s Disease you needed to shop at Whole Foods, Sprouts or specialty stores to find gluten free products. Sprouts did a really superb job promoting their in store event, their “Gluten Free Jamboree” by promoting it on their website homepage and in their stores with 22″ x 28″ posters.

Today, most stores carry hundreds of gluten free products and most promote the items with special shelf tags and shelf signage.

   

 

More recently Sprouts has promoted their January “Gluten Free Party Night”.  Below is a store poster from their Scottsdale, Arizona store promoting Gluten Free lectures, Gluten Free recipes from local chefs and Gluten Free sampling throughout their store.

 

If you haven’t been to a Sprouts store, we’re talking a modest size- just  15,000 square foot store with somewhat limited gondola space yet they are able to draw very large crowds to their Gluten Free events by promoting it and attracting new customers to their stores. Although significantly larger in size, Whole Foods has their own Gluten Free events for their customers and like Sprouts, promotes their events on their website homepage, in their stores and on their FaceBook page and Twitter. You can do this yourself and attract new, loyal customers.
Some of my past clients in the Minneapolis marketing area have successfully promoted Gluten Free events as well. In fact there is an alliance in the Twin Cities that connects with  those seeking out Gluten Free products – where to shop, sample shopping lists and other resource materials on a GF- MSP website.

 

 

Click on picture to view website

 

So how can you promote your own Gluten Free event?

Like Whole Foods, Sprouts, Festival Foods, Wegmans and others who are successful with their Gluten Free events you need to assemble some resources to position your Gluten Free event as an informational, educational event that demonstrates that you can help your customers suffering from Celiac’s Disease by offering a wide variety of Gluten Free products, information and educational events.

Here’s some items that might be helpful in your Gluten Free event planning:

1. A list of Gluten Free items that you carry in your store or can special order for your customers.  I’m sure your food wholesaler and specialty foods supplier has already supplied you a comprehensive list of Gluten Free varieties that you have in your store.

What to do with this?  Offer a “Gluten Free Guide” to your customers during your event so they can have a reference guide of products they can buy at your store every week.

 

 

  

Click on picture to see Gluten Free List

 

2. Present some recipe ideas for Gluten Free items.  You already have this resource- Your website.  All MSC customers can go to your recipe page on your website and on the search results “pull down bar” just go down (alphabetically) to the “Gluten Free” listing and with one click you’ll see 370 Gluten Free recipes.

What to do with this? On your homepage slideshow you can have us design a slide for your homepage encouraging those seeking out Gluten Free items to find recipes on your recipe pages.

In your in-store Gluten Free event you can show customers how to find great Gluten Free recipes on your website as well.

3.  Seek out a local health care provider, dietitian, local Gluten Free blogger or you might have a local Gluten Free specialist author who would volunteer a few hours to help answer questions in your store from customers who have questions or concerns about Gluten Free products. Provide store tours to show how to find Gluten Free items in your store
What to do with this? Be sure to hype the in-store event by promoting the local resource, author or health care provider.  Provide a $50 Gluten Free Shopping Spree to one of the participants.  Promoting this event on your FaceBook page and with a custom eBlast will help draw attention to the event.  Although you may have a relatively small percentage of opt-in customers who have to consume Gluten Free items, it’s likely that most will have friends, neighbors and relatives who they can refer to the event – which translates to new customers to your store.
4.  Need help with resource information?  Here’s the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness website.  This link will take you to a page talking about ShopRite’s Gluten Free grocery store tour:
http://www.celiaccentral.org/community/upcoming-events/shoprite-gluten-free-grocery-tour-9604/
Click on photo to visit website

Good luck in your Gluten Free Event.   If you decide to host an event, be sure to send us some photos (after you post them on your FaceBook page).