California Giant is headed into peak berry season and is armed with a communication tool that is keeping trading partners informed. The company has focused on building the network of buyers that receives their ‘Trade Buzz’ news blast and is getting very positive feedback on the weekly bulletin.
The team at California Giant meets each week to review field conditions, fruit quality, harvest forecasts and weather, then summarizes their meeting into a e-newsletter that goes directly to buyers with photos, links to weather models and up to the minute fruit condition. The communication began two years ago with a bi-weekly bulletin that was distribution to about 60 people. Today, it is a weekly e-blast complete with links, crop data, consumer trends, and company news is distributed to almost 400 produce industry professionals along with the entire California Giant staff and their growers.
“This has been a fun project for everyone to participate in and build upon at Cal Giant as we add capabilities to the program. We now have archives on the website and can track which articles and features are favored by our readers to ensure we keep content relevant”, says Cindy Jewell, VP of Marketing. The company is very cognizant of information overload in the ‘inbox’ today so they ensure the newsletter is only distributed to those that request the information. They also ensure that the data and commentary is not a fluff piece, but real-time transparent information.
Bottom line, this piece helps support the sales team communicate anticipated weather disruptions, transitions in the season as regions and berry varieties enter and exit, and any new policies or programs affecting their business. “We appreciate having this tool to supplement daily conversations with our customers. We especially like being able to share real-time photos from each growing region and the weather links so they can see the fruit and conditions we have here in our fields,” says Nick Chappell, Director of Retail Sales.
To subscribe, visit: trade.calgiant.com
Contact:
Cindy Jewell
California Giant Berry Farms
Tel. (831) 728-1773