Internationally Successful Foodservice Rewards Program Launches
June 2009: A reward points redemption program designed exclusively for the foodservice sector which has proved a huge success in the US is now being introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
For the past seven years, US foodservice manufacturers and end-users alike have benefited from Foodservice Rewards, which has embraced 140,000 end-users earning rewards points across 90 participating brands from different suppliers including all the big names in American foodservice: Nestle, Kraft, Sara Lee, P&G and so on.
The program has also successfully run in the UK for the past three years with 10 participating foodservice manufacturers and is now rolling out into France and Germany.
Its arrival in Australasia heralds the beginning of a new era for our foodservice manufacturers who will now have an unparalleled opportunity to directly generate end-user brand loyalty via 'pull' strategies.
"Foodservice Rewards is a new generation, technology-driven sales and marketing tool," explains Foodservice Rewards General Manager Andrew Bull. "In marketing terms, it complements the typical 'push' strategy in foodservice whereby can generate demand for their product through distributors to end-users.
Major foodservice manufacturers Nestle Professional and Goodman Fielder Foodservices are the foundation sponsors for the Australasian launch, with some 30 brands across Australia and New Zealand set to bear the highly recognisable Foodservice Rewards yellow reward code label.
"As the latest BIS Shrapnel figures show, most foodservice manufacturers are grossly undertrading in this market," Andrew Bull points out. "This is a $30 billion market accounting for about 40 per cent of the total food and non-alcoholic dollar in Australasia and the opportunities for growth are significant.
"Traditionally end-users have always been difficult to reach because of the nature of the supply chain and the market fragmentation, as well as lack of efficient sales and marketing tools," he adds. "Foodservice Rewards has been designed to 'close the gap' for foodservice manufacturers and provide a strong incentivisation for ongoing brand loyalty."
Andrew says Foodservice Rewards should be seen as a complementary program to the rewards points schemes currently offered by foodservice distributors. However, he adds, Foodservice Rewards offers manufacturers great flexibility such as the opportunity to crosssell, encourage repeat purchase and tie in with manufacturers' own promotions and product pushes.
End-user foodservice operators such as chefs, restaurateurs, F&B managers, catering operators, pub/club/bistro and health and aged care operators are already being targeted in a major education campaign. Participation is achieved via free registration for the program online at www.foodservicerewards.com.
Once registered, participating end-users can redeem their accumulated rewards points for a comprehensive range of merchandise which have been carefully selected for broad appeal across the program's target audience.
"They can choose from a range of professional kitchen and back of house equipment which will directly benefit their business operation; big ticket items such as plasma TVs which can be used as prizes in their consumer promotions; or products including iPods which make ideal staff rewards in incentive schemes or 'employee of the month' programs," Andrew explains.
As well as brand presence on the www.foodservicerewards.com website, participating foodservice manufacturers have the option to hyperlink via click-throughs to their own promotional programs and offers on their websites. "The potency of the internet as a communication medium plays an integral role in the program," Andrew adds.
"Manufacturers now have the potential for far greater connectivity with their end-users and Foodservice Rewards facilitates this by providing a platform for cross-promotional offers and value-added service such as provision of recipes and business advice."
While Foodservice Rewards is new to Australia and New Zealand, Andrew says the program's established success in the US market underscores its effectiveness in reaching end-users.
"If you look at the list of participating suppliers in the US program, it's all the major foodservice manufacturers – all the names you would expect to see," he points out. "We believe Foodservice Rewards will generate similar success in Australia."
ENDS
