Retail Promotion of Table-stock in Mexico

Retail Promotion of Table-stock in Mexico

I’m KayDee Gilkey with the U.S. Potato Update.

The United States Potato Board is spending time and effort in promoting U.S. fresh, or table-stock, potatoes in retail grocery stores in Mexico.

Sarah Mahler, International Marketing Manager for the United States Potato Board explains promoting U.S. potatoes is a win-win for both the participating Mexican grocery retail chains as well as for U.S. potato producers. It also assists Mexican consumers with recipes and ideas on how to use the U.S. varieties available at their local grocery stores.

Mahler: “So far this year we’ve held three major retail promotions with major retailers in Mexico. The promotions were held in stores during October, November and December. And the average sale increases during the promotion was 500 percent compared to pre-promotion periods. So we are seeing a great increase in sales during our promotional periods compared to other times of the year.”

In store promotions differ in Mexico as to what U.S. consumers are use to seeing as Mahler explains:

Mahler: “Our promotions in Mexico mostly consist in having someone available on the ground in the produce department who is handing out the recipes and variety information to consumers as they walk by and that’s not something you see a lot in the U.S.”

This was the U.S. Potato Update brought to you by the United States Potato Board, maximizing return on grower investment. I’m KayDee Gilkey on the Northwest Ag Information Network.