Lunch Friday journey has seen products produced from SMEs to larger corporates, and the concept remains the same – a platform to take an innovative product to the qualified mouths of those who are listened to. If you’d like to explore the opportunity for a product you are working on, please get in touch with Fiona Greig Fiona@nwkcom.co.nz and follow the chat via @FoodGroupNZ on Facebook, @FoodGroup_NZ on Twitter and Instagram www.foodtechnology.co.nz 27 KICK-STARTING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT Once a month, the Network Communication office is a hive of activity as the FoodGroup team prepare and deliver their latest initiative Free Lunch Friday. Picture a small well-oiled production line, from kitchen to key nutrition and culinary influencers. The end result? Freshly made and beautifully prepared lunches showcasing a key product, ready for influencers to enjoy, discuss and endorse. Established in November 2015, the Free Lunch Friday concept was born in response to a gap in the interface between influencers and food products, where building awareness and hype required more than sending out product samples. FoodGroup have added their unique flavour by preparing these products in new and novel dishes, and establishing a dedicated tasting group who are an engaged group of food writers, editors, chefs, bloggers, nutritionists and dietitians. The tasting group eagerly anticipate Free Lunch Friday, which is delivered directly to their door, accompanied by a personalised letter with discussion points and a sample of the product. This package allows the recipient to first taste the product in a prepared dish, and then to try it out for themselves. The group often add their own twist before sharing the story with their like-minded followers via online or print recipe, social media post or within their practice of dietary advice. Campaign reach begins almost immediately with social media discussion and follows through to blogs, web posts, print mentions and recipe features in the months that follow…not to mention the behind-the-scenes work through dietary consultation and relationship-building between brand and influencer. The concept is flexible and works well for a product new to market, or one that requires a demand boost. As an established and cost effective model, Free Lunch Friday works well within other communication and marketing strategies around quality, taste and convenience. As food and nutrition specialists, the FoodGroup also have the expertise to critically review the product, sharing their own insights and profiling health and nutrition messaging to the tasting group if appropriate. Behind the venture, the FoodGroup includes culinary guru Di Swann, who brings her extensive expertise in recipe development to create tasty and original meal ideas. The role of FoodGroup’s dietitian Claire Schramm is one of logistics and fact checking – working closely with recipients and clients to ensure the key health and nutrition messaging is evidence based and tailored to both product and recipients. T h e F r e e GET YOUR FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION www.foodtechnology.co.nz OFFER IS FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY! #FreeLunchFridayNZ YOUR PRODUCT How do you get a product in the hands of highly motivated individuals who love new foods, are qualified to convey their nutrition or culinary knowledge and have a captive audience? The FoodGroup at Network Communication has found the answer.
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