Leveraging Innovation, Collaboration and Culinary Expertise to Impact Growth
The Challenge:
Linkage, a Foodbuy Member in healthcare, was looking to increase compliance of Foodbuy programs at their unit level operations in an effort to maximize revenue. In addition they were looking for added opportunities to train and educate chefs about the variety of products Foodbuy programs offer while providing new ways of preparing popular ingredients.
The Solution:
Foodbuy’s Culinary and Account Management Teams partnered with Linkage to facilitate four culinary trade shows as an interactive way to work with the unit level operators and educate them on the products and their uses to help facilitate increased compliance and revenue growth. These tradeshows featured culinary product education, live food demos and face-to-face interaction with preferred Foodbuy suppliers and manufacturers. Hosted at Sysco facilities in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Louisville and Minneapolis, the shows were regional and attendees consisted of the Linkage customers who were located within the region where the show was being held.
Product demos offered Continuing Education Units (CEU credits) and featured hands-on learning activities facilitated by Foodbuy and manufacturer chefs, and a vendor foodshow allowed manufacturers to show products and offer tastings. All products featured at these events were identified as top opportunity, fully stocked items.
The Results:
As a result of the Foodbuy Culinary Team’s innovation and close collaboration with Linkage, Account Management, Sysco and manufacturer partners the events were deemed a huge success:
- Average attendance to these culinary tradeshows was 40 customers per region.
- Approximately 10 to 15 preferred Foodbuy suppliers participated and exhibited at the show.
- Post event surveys indicated 99% of attendees rated the core product education at the event excellent or very good.
- 93% of attendees believed the events were successful in building a culture of food safety.
- All locations saw a huge growth impact in the featured products shown at the show.