USMEF-Japan Demonstrator Training Boosts Retail Sales
USMEF-Japan Demonstrator Training Boosts Retail Sales
Retailers have learned that using food sampling programs is an effective way to increase sales, but USMEF-Japan staff have developed a training program for food demonstrators that turbo-charges the tried-and-true sales technique.
Instead of merely using demonstrators to hand out food samples and encourage purchase, USMEF-Japan has gone a step further. With support from the Beef Checkoff and Pork Checkoff, USMEF has developed a training program that provides comprehensive background on U.S. beef and pork, including cuts and their characteristics, packaging, meat storage and thawing, cooking techniques, use of cuts of varying thicknesses and recipes.
Japanese consumers sampling U.S. pork and beef in a busy supermarket
The program also provides additional training in nutrition and additional emphasis on food safety. The demonstrators learn techniques for attracting customers and tips for encouraging purchases.
Since the training program was implemented last year, feedback from several major Japanese retailers shows that, on average, the stores sell 50.8 percent more U.S. product with trained demonstrators than with traditional demonstrators. The comparison of using a trained demonstrator versus none at all is even more dramatic: a 272.9 percent jump in sales.
Trained demonstrators are more effective
“The retailers are extremely supportive of this demonstrator training program,” said Takemichi Yamashoji, USMEF-Japan’s senior marketing director. “There is no question that the effectiveness of in-store sampling programs can be significantly enhanced by proper training.”
USMEF-Japan, which trained more than 300 demonstrators in 2009, is looking to augment the program in 2010 with expanded training materials and an accreditation program for participating retailers.
Feb. 18 Port of Long Beach, Maersk and WTSA Meetings for AgTC Members
The Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC) is planning a solid day of meetings for AgTC members in San Francisco on Thursday, Feb. 18. Discussions will center on the following:
- The Port of Long Beach is seeking to increase ag exports and wants to know what AgTC members need. Their top people will discuss this from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
- The Westbound TransPacific Stalibization Carriers (APL, OOCL, Hanjin, China Shipping, Evergreen, Hapaq Lloyd, Hyundai, K Line, NYK, Yang Ming) are sending top executives to discuss export service, capacity, rate trends, bunker policy, etc. with AgTC exporters. There will be no press; this is a frank discussion, similar to that which was conducted a year ago in Chicago.
- It is possible that there will be a separate meeting that day with Maersk, which is not a member of the WTSA.
The schedule starts at 10 a.m. and concludes at 5 p.m. The location is likely to be a hotel near the San Francisco (SFO) airport. Click here for more details.
# # #
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.
USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.
USMEF-Japan Demonstrator Training Boosts Retail Sales
Retailers have learned that using food sampling programs is an effective way to increase sales, but USMEF-Japan staff have developed a training program for food demonstrators that turbo-charges the tried-and-true sales technique.
Instead of merely using demonstrators to hand out food samples and encourage purchase, USMEF-Japan has gone a step further. With support from the Beef Checkoff and Pork Checkoff, USMEF has developed a training program that provides comprehensive background on U.S. beef and pork, including cuts and their characteristics, packaging, meat storage and thawing, cooking techniques, use of cuts of varying thicknesses and recipes.
Japanese consumers sampling U.S. pork and beef in a busy supermarket
The program also provides additional training in nutrition and additional emphasis on food safety. The demonstrators learn techniques for attracting customers and tips for encouraging purchases.
Since the training program was implemented last year, feedback from several major Japanese retailers shows that, on average, the stores sell 50.8 percent more U.S. product with trained demonstrators than with traditional demonstrators. The comparison of using a trained demonstrator versus none at all is even more dramatic: a 272.9 percent jump in sales.
Trained demonstrators are more effective
“The retailers are extremely supportive of this demonstrator training program,” said Takemichi Yamashoji, USMEF-Japan’s senior marketing director. “There is no question that the effectiveness of in-store sampling programs can be significantly enhanced by proper training.”
USMEF-Japan, which trained more than 300 demonstrators in 2009, is looking to augment the program in 2010 with expanded training materials and an accreditation program for participating retailers.
Feb. 18 Port of Long Beach, Maersk and WTSA Meetings for AgTC Members
The Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC) is planning a solid day of meetings for AgTC members in San Francisco on Thursday, Feb. 18. Discussions will center on the following:
- The Port of Long Beach is seeking to increase ag exports and wants to know what AgTC members need. Their top people will discuss this from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
- The Westbound TransPacific Stalibization Carriers (APL, OOCL, Hanjin, China Shipping, Evergreen, Hapaq Lloyd, Hyundai, K Line, NYK, Yang Ming) are sending top executives to discuss export service, capacity, rate trends, bunker policy, etc. with AgTC exporters. There will be no press; this is a frank discussion, similar to that which was conducted a year ago in Chicago.
- It is possible that there will be a separate meeting that day with Maersk, which is not a member of the WTSA.
The schedule starts at 10 a.m. and concludes at 5 p.m. The location is likely to be a hotel near the San Francisco (SFO) airport. Click here for more details.
# # #
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.
USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.