Cargill and grocery retailers partner to "Feed the Whole Family for $10" with ground beef meal solutions
2009-03-03

-- Collaboration on recipe/menu resources and “Free Ground Beef for a Year” instant-win game comes at a time when consumers are looking for more budget-friendly meals –


WICHITA, Kan. - March 3, 2009 - With research indicating 65 percent of households of 4+ people changing their grocery shopping patterns due to economic pressures1 and 71 percent of consumers cooking more at home and eating out less1, it is clear that many families are looking for ideas and resources to help stretch their food dollars further.

In response, Cargill is continuing its innovation in supporting its retail customers with value-focused meal options that consumers are demanding. A new promotional program, “Feed the Whole Family for $10,” includes point-of-purchase signage, on-pack stickers, four full-color recipe cards – each with a hearty ground beef recipe – and a Web site (www.groundbeefvalues.com) with more $10 recipes and resources. Recipes featured in stores include Baked Spaghetti, Texas Stew, Shepherd’s Pie and Bierocks.

“This program helps retailers address the economic pressures their customers are facing by providing cost-effective meal solutions as well as all of the recipes and preparation tips they need,” said Elizabeth Gutschenritter, Cargill brand manager. “Our research shows that 30 percent of consumers are purchasing more ground beef than a year ago2. Our goal in collaborating with retailers on this promotion is to ensure that consumers have a positive experience with the product by arming them with easy-to-prepare, great-tasting recipes that may provide a new experience with ground beef and spur repeat purchase.”

Also central to the promotion is an instant-win game that gives consumers the chance to win “Free Ground Beef for a Year.” On-pack stickers include a unique, customer-specific game code for entry online. There will be 14 winners, each of whom will receive coupons redeemable for about 150 pounds of free ground beef.

The “Feed the Whole Family for $10” promotion runs from late February through April 13, and is being delivered at nearly 1,100 retail grocery locations across the country.

"With current economic conditions as they are, for consumers, it's all about value and how they can get more bang for their buck,” Gutschenritter said. “Cargill will continue to innovate and work closely with our retail partners to help meet these consumer needs."

Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation is a leading supplier of fresh, frozen and value-added beef, pork and turkey. The business is a subsidiary of Cargill, an international provider of food, agricultural and risk management products and services. With 160,000 employees in 67 countries, Cargill is committed to using its knowledge and experience to collaborate with customers to help them succeed. For more information, visit www.cargillmeatsolutions.com and www.cargill.com.

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Sources:
1 – FMI’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2008
2 – Cargill Proprietary Consumer Shopping Behavior Study, Sept. 2008