With June Dairy Month here, there’s no better time to reinforce that dairy is a delicious, nutritious, and affordable way for families to receive a calcium-rich diet. The most common – milk, cheese, and yogurt – are stable households products accounting for 68 percent of total dairy department sales. In fact, despite dairy products only taking up three percent of total store space, these important products often delivers 20 percent of store profit, according to the Midwest Dairy Association. Below are several ways to ensure your store has a legen-dairy plan in place to get shoppers into the dairy aisle this month.
1. Highlight your store’s local dairy products.
As NGA’s “The Independent Consumer” study showed, the independent supermarket industry has a strong advantage over national chains to offer local fresh products from nearby farms. It’s one of the most important reasons that eight-in-10 shoppers are very satisfied with their shopping experience at independent supermarkets.
More than 50,000 dairy farms are spread throughout the country, making dairy’s journey fast and efficient. Milk’s journey from the farm to the grocery store usually takes just two days, ensuring the milk’s safety and quality due to such a quick delivery. The ties that allow independent grocers to get such fresh products from down the road are what set the industry apart from national chains. Don’t miss this opportunity to share where shoppers’ dairy products come from and highlight the farm-to-store link that’s crucial to serving your customers.
2. Engage shoppers on social media.
A 2015 report by Interactions Marketing found nearly 50 percent of shoppers with a social media account are following grocers and they’re eager to use that connection. Approximately 73 percent of respondents wanted to hear about discounts and promotions, 72 percent wanted to look for new products, 59 percent liked to learn about in-store events, and 39 percent wanted information about new trends. Six-in-10 wanted supermarkets to share food recipes.
Get your customers thinking about dairy’s nutritional value and tasty recipes they can try out by creating social media content to share throughout June. The Midwest Dairy Association can help you get started with a list of dairy-related Facebook and Twitter posts. For the content and additional digital resources, click HERE.
3. Offer a memorable sampling event.
While some consumers might come to store with a prepared shopping list, most browse the aisle on autopilot. Eight-in-10 buy an impulse item at the supermarket, according to a 2014 Nielsen report. Retailers can help create a memorable shopping experience and help drive dairy sales by first slowing down customers by offering free samples of dairy products.
Help customers shop the dairy product and select the items that are right for them by showcasing dairy products as they enter the store.
For more dairy facts and resources, visit www.midwestdairy.com.
