Potato Grower

WWW.POTATOGROWER.COM 29 The benefits of Cell Power ® SLYCE ® Cell Power ® SLYCE ® Call 559-661-6138 Visit www.omexusa.com The primary components of SLYCE ® Ca8% act to greatly increase the soil available fertility, especially when applied after granular fertilizers (like DAP, MAP or KCl) Email omexusa@omexcom ® . Helps regulate pH of soil and increase soil fertility. Promotes the rapid development of chlorophyll, sugars and amino acids in plants and aids in photosynthesis. Helps stimulate seed germination in short time, greatly increasing the harvest and fruits quality. Greatly increases the plant's ability to counter stress and disease. Increases the organic matter of soil and improves soil structure, promotes the buffering power of soil, and nutrient capacity. Helps create a good living environment for microbial masses. FACE TO FACE Working closely with customers to promote Idaho potatoes In an age where most business communication is conducted via email, phone and videoconferencing, our promotion directors still conduct a lot of business face- to-face. And it's effective. Idaho Potato Commission By Frank Muir President & CEOr Most of the Idaho Potato Commission's (IPC) marketing programs target consumers directly, encouraging them to look for the "Grown in Idaho" seal when purchasing potatoes. That's the demand side of the equation. The IPC also plays a significant role on the supply side—making sure retailers and foodservice distributors and operators have the tools they need to meet their customers' demands. The IPC has six promotion directors in the field. Three call on retail accounts and three work with foodservice customers. The directors are on the road most of the year, calling on customers and using data to explain how Idaho potatoes can help optimize sales. In an age where most business communication is conducted remotely, the IPC's promotion directors still conduct a lot of business face-to- face. And it's effective. While the work they do may appear to be behind the scenes, it's anything but that. For instance, our studies show that retailers who have secondary Idaho potato displays can generate a 22 percent sales lift, compared with a 2.5 percent average growth rate for stores with no display. We also created an estimator that can calculate what that 22 percent lift would mean for the store in dollars. The IPC's most well-known retail program is its annual Idaho Potato Lover's Retail Display Contest held during February and March. Now in its 29th year, an average of 5,000 grocery stores across the country build creative Idaho potato displays with the hope of winning their share of the available $150,000 in cash and prizes. Retailers who participate see a significant lift in sales during the contest period. The foodservice directors are an invaluable resource for distributors and operators who need in-depth knowledge of potatoes. For instance, the IPC directors work hand in hand with operators to create ways to serve more potatoes. Programs like ideation sessions provide an opportunity to develop and test new menu items. Many of the recipes created during these ideation sessions put potatoes at the center of the plate, which minimizes food costs. The directors are also a great resource for operators needing to hone specific technical skills. The IPC also offers additional incentives throughout the year for foodservice distributors and operators to purchase and serve more Idaho potatoes. The IPC's website has proven to be a helpful resource for both retailers and foodservice operators. It is constantly uploaded with information the promotion directors deem most important, like toolkits, details of the IPC's consumer marketing programs, and updates on promotions and incentive programs. Our highly educated and experienced promotion directors are partners in the truest sense with retailers and foodservice distributors and operators because when they succeed, so do we.

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