Promote Beef as the Centerpiece of the Celebration for May Holidays
Posted to BeefRetail.org in conjunction with February 2010 issue of Retail Beef Blast.
While we are just turning the calendar to a new year, our planning calendars are causing us to think about spring. Keep beef top of mind for your customers as they plan events and cookouts for these holidays:
- Cinco de Mayo – May 5
- Mother’s Day – May 9
- Memorial Day – May 31
- Graduations (all month long)
Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday in Mexico that is also widely celebrated in the United States. It commemorates the victory of Mexican forces over the French in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. So, target your Hispanic customers in the days leading up to May 5th with the following merchandising tips:
 • Stock your case properly. In general, Hispanic customers prefer thin cut steaks from the chuck and round. They also prefer to purchase large quantities, so make sure you have enough family packs on hand.
• Don’t forget about your full service case. Hispanics are accustomed to full service when purchasing beef. Offer cuts such as: top loin steaks, kabobs and flank steak. Easy Fresh Cooking® bilingual labels are available with recipes and cooking tips.
• Include bilingual language beef ads in your weekly ads.
• Include bilingual language signage near your meat case, promoting beef as delicious on the grill for Cinco de Mayo celebrations. Use Hispanic POS elements to appeal to your Hispanic customers.
• Use the Hispanic/Bilingual section of the Recipes/Photography page on BeefRetail.org to provide recipes for your customers.
• Learn more about Hispanic Marketing and find links to other resources.
Mother’s Day allows us to give much deserving thanks to our mothers. The day’s celebrations are usually centered around a meal. Remind your customers that preparing a home-cooked meal for mom is the best way to show her they love her.
 • Stock your case with extra tenderloin and flat iron steaks, favorites among moms everywhere for their tenderness and flavor.
• Include signage to drive customers to these cuts, like “Mom Deserves A Little Tenderness this Mother’s Day: Treat Her to Tenderloin Steaks!” Let your customers know that tenderloin and flat iron are the two most tender cuts in your case.
• Encourage your customers to go above and beyond this Mother’s Day with the “Ultimate Breakfast in Bed.” Promote steak and eggs and the breakfast beef burrito for those planning an early morning surprise for mom on Mother’s Day.
Memorial Day is when most Americans host their first big cookout of the year. In the weeks leading up to Memorial Day, take the time to give your meat department a seasonal makeover.
 • Stock your case with all the top grilling cuts. View a regional breakdown of Top Summer Grilling Cuts to get an idea of what your customers will be looking for.
• Display related items such as charcoal, marinades, barbecue sauces, rubs and cheeses nearby. Add signage reminding customers to pick up a full propane tank for their gas grills.
• Include signage with messages like “Create a Memorable Memorial Day with Beef on Your Grill!”
• Encourage customers to cook their entire meal on the grill. Suggest vegetables that are known to grill up well, like corn on the cob, portabella mushrooms, onions, peppers, eggplant and asparagus.
• Host a grilling demonstration in front of your store to really get people in the grilling spirit!
As weekends fill up with these holidays, many of your customers will be setting aside special time to celebrate graduations. Whether graduating from high school, college or graduate school, your customers will be looking for special ways to honor their graduates.
• Stock your case with all the top grilling cuts. View a regional breakdown of the Top Grilling Cuts.
• Include signage all month long with messages like “Honor Your Graduate: Treat them to a Steak Dinner” and “The Class of 2010 Has a Steak in Their Family’s Future.”
|