Shipping Reports
Monthly Shipping Report | May 2016
COUNCIL UPDATE
- The next Council meeting is July 12-13, 2016 in Minneapolis, MN. If you plan on attending, please email [email protected] so we can make sure you are accommodated.
- Nominations for the 2017-2019 open Council positions are now closed. Ballots will be mailed on June 1 and are due by June 30.
- Region 1; All states except CA & PA (one position)
- Region 2; PA (one position)
- Region 3; CA (one position)
SHIPMENT SUMMARY
To see current charts, click here.
MARKETING SUMMARY
Mushroom Council Marketing Summary – April 2016
Mushrooms appeared in a variety of regional and national lifestyle, business and foodservice trade outlets with articles highlighting recipes, their superfood qualities and The Blend. The Wall Street Journal featured Chef Hugh Acheson’s blended burger and The Blended Burger project in both print and online as a result of our Blended Burger Project Kick-Off event in New York City. We also saw a stream of Blended Burger Project coverage stemming from the local market events in outlets including, Arizona Foodie, Dallas Observer, AllRecipes and Nation’s Restaurant News highlighting blended burgers/The Blended Burger Project and how these new burgers can help people to eat healthy, while also being gentler on the environment.
Please see below for a snapshot of coverage and links to key online and print articles:
Print Placements |
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| Date | Media Outlet | Title | Link URL | |
| 4/1/2016 | SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN | A Twist on the Mushroom Burger | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | MARTHA STEWART LIVING | Zucchini Tacos | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | FAMILY CIRCLE MAGAZINE | Ham (or Lamb!) It Up | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | FAMILY CIRCLE MAGAZINE | HEAVY METAL | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | FOOD NETWORK MAGAZINE | DILL MUSHROOMS AND ASPARAGUS | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | COUNTRY LIVING | FARM FRESH | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | DELIGHT GLUTEN FREE MAGAZINE | WHAT’S IN SEASON? Asparagus & Celeriac | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | BETTER HOMES & GARDENS | Our Best Spring Recipes | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | WOMEN’S HEALTH | YOUR BODY ON…GOING GREEN | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | PREVENTION | Break Out of the Breakfast Rut | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | INSIDE JERSEY | Spring Break | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | CUISINE AT HOME | Perfect Pan Pizza | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | CUISINE AT HOME | SPLENDID Spring Menu | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | DIABETES FORECAST | Relax & Refresh | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | SHAPE MAGAZINE | Comfort food, vegan style | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | EVERY DAY WITH RACHAEL RAY | Three-Herb chicken and Mushrooms | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | FOOD & DINING | What’s a Derby party without country ham? | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | EATING WELL | Superfood Supper | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | EXPERIENCE LIFE | In Praise of Pickling | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | FOOD NETWORK MAGAZINE | It’s Kosher | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | REAL SIMPLE | Food | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | EVERY DAY WITH RACHAEL RAY | Pan-o-rama! | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | COUNTRY LIVING | WINNER DINNERS | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | RODALE’S ORGANIC LIFE | Good and Plenty | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | GRIT MAGAZINE | Cooking With Wild Foods | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | VEGETARIAN TIMES | REST, RELAX, RESTORE | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | DIABETES SELF-MANAGEMENT | AT-HOME PIZZERIA | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | BETTER HOMES & GARDENS | Do It Yourself | Link | |
| 4/1/2016 | COOKING LIGHT | Casual Israeli Feast | Link | |
| 4/4/2016 | FIRST FOR WOMEN | Yes! Pasta just got even better | Link | |
| 4/4/2016 | FIRST FOR WOMEN | 5-ingredient wow! | Link | |
| 4/4/2016 | FIRST FOR WOMEN | Ingredient swaps that make slimming easy! | Link | |
| 4/5/2016 | Dow Jones Newswires | DJ Mushrooms Are Having A Moment | Link | |
| 4/5/2016 | WALL STREET JOURNAL | Mushrooms Are Having a Moment | Link | |
| 4/15/2016 | FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN | MAXIMIZE MEALS WITH MUSHROOMS | Link | |
| 4/17/2016 | WALL STREET JOURNAL | Green Curry With Asparagus and Mushrooms | Link | |
| 4/20/2016 | WASHINGTON POST | Vegan mac ‘n’ cheese | Link | |
| 4/27/2016 | CHICAGO TRIBUNE | A breakfast surprise for mom | Link | |
| 4/27/2016 | WASHINGTON POST | Tough challenge, tender ingredient | Link | |
| 4/28/2016 | REPUBLICAN | Incorporate mushrooms with ‘The Blend’ | Link | |
SOCIAL & DIGITAL
Blogs
The Mushroom Channel published seven blog posts that garnered 441 page views and accounted for 0.68% of all website traffic in April.
- 30-Minute Meals with Mushrooms
- Blend In. Stand Out: The Blended Burger Project is Back
- Blend Your Way to a Better Weekend
- Blend Your Way to a Fresh Menu
- Blend Your Way to Family Favorites
- WATCH: How to Make Cheeseburger Quesadillas
- Blend Your Way to New Flavors
#Blenditarian Blogger Campaign
Throughout April, we partnered with influential food bloggers to develop blend-focused recipes and share more insight into the Blenditarian lifestyle. Each week during April, five new bloggers brought The Blend to life in authentic, custom recipe posts that showcased their method and tips, and inspired readers to join the Blenditarian lifestyle.
Blenditarian recipes included:
- Korean Rice Bowls with Turkey and Mushrooms
- Easy Mushroom Kefta Kebob
- Bacon Honey Bourbon Chicken Meatballs
- Crispy Golden Dumplings
- Greek Baked Eggs
- Philly Cheesesteak Skillet Dip
- Beef and Mushroom Strudel with Fontina
- Beef and Mushroom Empanadas
- Turkey Potstickers With A Sriracha Dipping Sauce
- Easy Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
- Healthy Taco Lettuce Wraps with a Secret Ingredient
- Creamy Enchiladas with Crimini Mushrooms & Pork
- Crunchy Taco Bake
- Tater Tot Casserole
- Mushroom Spinach Homemade Sausage Patties {Paleo & Whole30}
- Easy Shepherd’s Pie with Ground Turkey and Portobello Mushrooms
- Blended Burgers
- Slow Cooker Turkey Sausage Bolognese Sauce
- Sausage Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
- Quick Mushroom Beef Stroganoff Skillet Supper
Throughout the month we saw high quality comments from blog readers really thinking about mushrooms and The Blend (and identifying as blenditarians!).
I’m definitely a blenditarian, lol. I always add veggies like spinach or mushrooms and onions to burger patties.
love this idea. blenditarian here!!! mushrooms are such great thickeners!
This is such a great idea and I am kicking myself for not thinking of this cool “blending” trick.
Recipe Video:
The Cheeseburger Quesadilla recipe video is still being promote and has more than 46,000 views.
Blended Burger Project
As BBP chef events continued across the country, social buzz popped up online from chefs and media – including notable posts from influential media like POPSUGAR and Eater.
Digital Metrics
Download the FULL social analytics report here.
FOODSERVICE SUMMARY
Blended Burger Project
The roll-up to the James Beard kick-off of The Blended Burger Project is in full swing. James Beard Foundation is on-boarding chefs with strong support from the Council and Council promotions. There are a considerable number of initiatives that are reaching out to chefs.
Local Market Lunches
In April, the Council, James Beard and Plate Magazine held lunches in Phoenix, Portland, Denver, Atlanta, Seattle, Dallas and San Francisco. In each market 2-4 chefs cooked up their versions of The Blend for other chefs and local media. In each case, chefs were educated on The Blend and the Blended Burger Project and encouraged to pledge.
In-market media, bloggers and national media attended the events, and we expect a number of articles to be written around chefs signing up and about the benefits of The Blend.
Already one was written by Nation’s Restaurant News, which earlier this year called The Blend one of 6 hot trends for 2016.
Chefs Collaborative
Several hundred chefs attended the Chefs Collaborative symposium where, on the final day, they were treated to a Blended Burger Bash. Chefs from Philadelphia, Fort Myers, Boston, Providence and Denver all created their version of The Blend. The chefs blended mushrooms with a variety of meat to come up with the Philly Bulgogi Burger, the Maitake Brisket Burger, the Seoul Burger, the Green Chili Cheese Burger and several more.
Following the symposium, Chefs Collaborative sent out an e-blast encouraging chefs to pledge.
Chefs Night Out
The James Beard Awards were held in Chicago on May 2. The night prior was the only authorized chef event, called Chefs Night Out. The Blend and The Blended Burger Project was represented, with cooking of two Blend recipes handled by the chefs at Gibson’s Steakhouse Group.
The chefs created two Blend burgers: The first with Gibson’s Prime Beef blended with roasted shiitakes, oyster mushrooms and portabellas along with Jasmine rice, red wine barley, chipotle mayonnaise, arugula, pickled Fresno chiles, oven-dried tomatoes and avocado puree. The other featured pastrami-spiced portabellas blended with Gibson’s Prime Beef, Gruyere, red cabbage slaw and Thousand Island dressing on marbled rye.
Upcoming Initiatives
The Council is working with several chains who are testing The Blend. Chefnet, the group of college chefs in the Pacific Region are convening soon and will be greeted with a Blended Burger Bash, and the Culinary Institute of America is hosting a Blended Burger Bash on their Hyde Park campus. The Council is planning these activities as well as focusing on onboarding more chefs for The Blended Burger Project.
SCHOOL NUTRITION SUMMARY
- The Council plans to attend several school conferences and leadership symposiums this summer to promote fresh mushrooms and the Blend to students, district leaders and school foodservice directors. In June the Council will participate in the National Farm to School Conference and Healthy Food Fuels Healthy Minds summit. In July the Council will be exhibiting at the United Fresh School Foodservice expo, the School Nutrition Association Annual National Conference and Fuel Up to Play 60’s leadership summit.
- The Council plans to launch its Blend the Rules campaign this summer throughout the conferences and expos. The campaign encourages district directors to show us how they are using different tricks to serve healthier meals to students. The campaign will last throughout the 2016/2017 school year cumulating in an Earth Day announcement.
- Several case studies and best practices documents are currently in development to aid mushroom farms in selling directly to schools and assist schools in easily add mushrooms to their menus.
- A new ad featuring testimonial from Cincinnati Public Schools has been developed and is featured in this month’s School Nutrition magazine.
- Maid Rite, a value added meat processor had launched a “Blend In to Stand Out” digital campaign to promote their Blended Burgers. So far over 150 burger samples have been requested.
- The Council has developed digital ads to appear in the School Nutrition Association e-blast as well as a direct send via School Nutrition smart brief in order to promote the availability of mushrooms as well as Council developed resources.
- All recipes on mushroomsinschools.com are currently being updated to meet changing meal pattern requirements. You can view the updated recipes and resources here.
NUTRITION EDUCATION RESEARCH
The Q2 Nutrition News About Mushrooms e-Newsletter is underway to distribute in June. This issue features a guest article from Beth Weis, RD at Weis Markets about The Blend at retail.
RETAIL – SUPERMARKET RD
The brand new Retail Dietitian Toolkit launched last month with dedicated marketing support. The Toolkit was also marketed this month via our sponsored newsletter article with Retail Dietitians Business Alliance.
The Mushroom Council sponsored The 6th Annual Oldways Supermarket Dietitian Symposium in New Orleans, Louisiana last month. We captured 17 leads from the following retailers: Festival Foods, H-E-B, Lunds & Byerlys, Target, Harmons, Giant Eagle, Kroger, Mariano’s, Meijer, Reasor’s, Stop & Shop, ALDI, Schnuck Markets, Big Y, Price Chopper, Rouses and New Seasons Market.
Follow-ups from Oldways are underway. So far, we have meetings set up with Festival Foods, Mariano’s and Harmons. Other results from follow-ups include:
- Schnucks Market is interested in promoting The Blend in produce. Followed-up with information and resources.
- Stop&Shop is interested in promoting The Blend in produce and in their store magazine. Followed-up with information and resources.
- ALDI is interested in promoting The Blend on the web and social media. Followed-up with information and resources.
- RD at Price Chopper is planning to present The Blend to their meat department. Followed-up with sales data.
- SRD at Big Y wrote a column on The Blend in local news outlet, MassLive, with circulation of 47,550. She also will be showcasing The Blend on an upcoming news segment on 5/19.
- The SRD at Festival Foods developed an original Blend burger recipe and will be featuring it on their blog and on a TV segment in June.
- SRD at Martin’s Super Markets promoted The Blend on the retailer’s blog, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels.
- Weis Markets is partnering with their mushroom supplier to demo The Blend on 5/21. The Council sent recipe cards for support.
Our activation with RDBA kicked off this month with a sponsored newsletter article titled “Serve Up a Healthier Burger for National Burger Month”. The article was distributed via RDBA’s weekly newsletter which reaches 1900+ members. The article introduced the concept of The Blend to promote during National Burger Month with tips and suggestions for promotions and sales of The Blend.
RETAIL SUMMARY
The Council continues to target small to mid-sized regional retailers (on both coasts) with newly updated sales information and co-marketing plans that promote mushrooms and The Blend at retail.
Shippers / Growers
Please contact Fusion Marketing if you would like sales and marketing assistance with your Blend or mushroom programs. If you or your staff need assistance, please contact us. Contact information can be found at MushroomsAtRetail.com.
Doc’s Food Stores (Country Mart, J&B Food, Apple Market) will roll-out The Blend in their meat, deli and produce departments. This is the first retailer to launch The Blend in all three departments in their store. The Council is meeting with their store managers to present The Blend prior to the June 1st launch date to make sure all the stores are informed of The Blend and the activities surrounding the launch. Rees + Stager created a poster and Infographic to promote the Blend launch at nine Doc’s Food Stores. A version without the logo is being created for the shippers/handlers to use.
Harvest PR created a plan to include PR to local area media in Oklahoma to promote the stores’ Blend Launch. Will promote launch in Doc’s circular and e-newsletter. Social media will be used to promote the launch locally. A trade press release will also announce the launch.
Rouses Market is testing The Blend in May. The registered dietititan is working with their store managers to suggest Blend items for their deli department as a healthy item for the hot line.The Council followed-up with ideal Blend items for them to carry. Results of Blend testing forthcoming.
The registered dietititan requested images of the Turkey Taco recipe featured at Oldways. She used it for her newspaper column. She is turning The Blend into a media spot in May. Images of the Classic Blend Burger, Cheeseburger Quesadilla, Lamb Ragout, and the Blended Turkey Meatloaf were sent to her.
Co-Marketing
The Council is implementing opportunities for 2016 retail co-marketing promotions.
The Council is in discussion with the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board to see what opportunities might be available to cross promote. The Board has a number of sites including a Cheese and Burger Society and Grilled Cheese Academy. They have beautiful food images on their sites. They are interested in working with The Council. The Council sent preliminary ideas for cross promotions that are in review with the Board.
Updated Information
The Council had a meeting with Cabot Cheese. We are reviewing recipes to exchange on each other’s sites in addition to discussing how to amplify the promotion using social media. Cabot currently features two recipes using The Blend. The recipes include the Pesto Turkey Meatballs in Tomato-Basil Marinara and Portobello Alpine Beef Burgers.
The Council is in discussion with the National Turkey Federation (NTF) to cross promote mushroom and turkey Blend recipes. The Council is also reviewing recipe cards and other retail POS assets for mutual distribution at retail and industry events. The NTF is working to expand the recipe section on their website and are exploring the Council’s Blend Turkey recipes.
The Veal and Portobello Mushroom Blend and Veal Burger is the featured recipe. The Portobello mushroom caps are used in replace of buns. The promotion will run from June 3 – September 7, 2016.
The Council is working on a timeline for the social media component of the promotion including the e-blast, shared Pinterest Boards, Instagram videos, Facebook and press release.
Below is a list of retailers that confirmed their participation to date. There may be more retailers added to this list:
- Food Lion
- Ahold Giant Carlisle
- Ahold Giant Landover
- Ahold Stop & Shop NY
- Ahold Stop & Shop New England
- Key Foods
- SuperValu
- Weis Markets
- Kaps Wholesale
- Food City
- Atkinsons
- Heinens
- Safeway
- McKinnon Markets
- Kings Food Market
- Green Hills Farm
- Mars Supermarkets
- Pecks Market
- Shelburne Meat Market
- LaBonnes Market
Press Coverage – Produce Business
The April 2016 issue of Produce Business has an article “Foodservice at Retail.” The Council worked with Mindy Hermann, MBA, RDN Contributing writer at Produce Business to provide content and information on The Blend. This article generated approximately 34,700 impressions.
Click here to read the full article. The article starts on page 32.
Promotional Material
Fusion Marketing/Rees + Stager created a Blend sell sheet to help growers sell-in The Blend. A script will also accompany the sell sheet to help them talk about The Blend in more detail. Two versions were created. One has The Council’s contact information and the other has a space to place a logo. Both are posted on Mushroom Council.org. Please see link: www.mushroomcouncil.org/retail-sales-tools
TOPLINE REPORTS
Tracker Highlights from 3/20/2016
Spotlight – Notable and Newsworthy
- In the 4‐weeks – Fresh mushroom sales continue to climb, up +6.4%!
- In the 52‐weeks – Mushroom growth rate outpaces Total Produce for three consecutive periods!
Click here for the full report
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