MOOSE BALLS” SAMPLES WERE A CO-BRANDING HIT
A wide range of ingredient companies captured the attention of the corporate chefs and culinary execs at the 2010 Research Chefs Association (RCA) conference in Phoenix. As usual, the chefs ate up nearly all of the food samples offered at the Expo booths and at an array of on- and off-site events.
The food sample that got the most attention and buzz were Moose Balls at the Gum Technology booth. The company promoted its Moose Balls prior to the show through press releases, postcards and its Web site. The show sample was a delicious chocolate mousse, created by Executive Chef Jason R. Gronlund, senior director of culinary at Carla’s Pasta, featuring Gum’s stabilizing ingredient. In a great co-branding collaboration, the mousse also contained yogurt cream cheese by Franklin Foods and flavorings by Kerry.
NONFOOD TACTICS SPARK INTEREST
One nonfood sample tactic that got a lot of attention was an iPod giveaway at the EFCO Products booth. It required filling out a brief survey on flavor trends for 2010. The survey got a lot of takers answering questions on savory and sweet flavors, as well as on their communication preferences. The completed surveys gave EFCO not only contact information, but customer insight for great post-show follow-up.