2024 May Board Book

US Business Development

Retail Promotions: Due to the nationwide media behind the listeria outbreak linked to Rizo Lopez earlier this year, CMAB made the decision to pull the first larger market consumer promotion – Tacos y Mas. Several other Hispanic dairy processors had reached out to CMAB previously, noting an uptick in customer inquiries and elevated demand to fill the market gap this recall produced. We are continuing to monitor the situation, provide contacts for retailers looking to fill their shelves, and letting the data tell us when we can review this category’s trajectory and decide if highlighting Hispanic dairy in another time period makes sense. Our repeat of Kowalski’s California Dreamin’ kicked off during the month of April. With five new RCM cheeses to feature with sampling, this promotion includes in-store California themed displays, POS signage, a California cheeseboard customer giveaway, and a sales contest for mongers behind the counter to sell more California cheese. This small but influential chain provides a great opportunity to showcase California cheese in the heart of the Midwest. Our (now) first larger market consumer promotion, Summer Snacking, kicks off early June and runs just past the 4 th of July holiday. This promotion focuses on all RCM categories, with the highly relevant snacking angle during a key entertaining time. As usual, this promotion is focused on specific retailers throughout the California market where distribution warrants the additional marketing spend. We ’ll lean into 6 core recipes to inspire shoppers to try something new with California dairy products – with t his year’s selection being a mix of past top performers and new-to-the-promotion recipes. This promotion will include in-store media, retailer-specific shopper marketing, targeted email blasts and shopper media, as well as larger influencer partnerships and media outreach via DeutschLA and Ketchum. Our continued partnership with CA Grown continues to carry a myriad of benefits – one of which is tapping into their retailer specific programs with significant cost savings. Independent retailers in California typically carry an impressive portfolio of RCM dairy products with their focus on local. With CMAB’s underlying goal to drive incremental sales during promotions, we’re able to minimize our investments through partnerships while still supporting these accounts in a way that’s meaningful to them. Some promotions currently in the planning phases with CA Grown for this year include: Mollie Stone’s in July (cold recipes using berries with yogurt, ice cream, cottage cheese and/or crème fraiche), Raley’s Happy Hour at Home in July/August (backyard entertain ing recipes), Gelson’s in July (smoothie -type recipes using stone fruit and yogurt, cottage cheese, fluid milk), Bristol Farms in September (“Love California Local” festival -type celebration), and Nugget in July (chicken recipes with dairy marinades, dairy dips, and dairy toppings). Additional partners outside of California Grown that we are exploring partnerships with currently include: US Blueberries (past partner), National Mango Board, and the California Walnut Board. We also currently vetting other CPG partners we met at Winter Fancy Food, which we can use within our sampling programs, shopper marketing promotions, and larger market focused consumer promotions.