Gate Keepers

Trading partners are fired up to score meaty touchdowns this season.

While plenty of fans are taking their tailgating playbooks to new heights these days with more sophisticated fare, center-of-the-plate proteins still remain the stalwart MVPs at most tailgate feasts, where grilling is bigger than ever and increasingly preferred over high-priced stadium fare.

It thus goes without saying that game day tailgating trends bode favorably for higher rings throughout the entire store, but particularly in the meat and deli departments, where seasoned, sizzlin' favorites enjoy a stellar opportunity to score big with well-orchestrated game plans.

One such tailgating retail enthusiast is Eddie Owens, director of communications for Lubbock, Texas-based United Supermarkets. "It is safe to say Texans — especially west Texans — are clearly football fans above all other sports. We do more to merchandise football season than any other season," says Owens, adding, "Our stores do their best to promote and support the local teams, college or pro. For the most part, though, we have found that college football is king."

Texas-size Tailgaters

To court fans to its stores in a state where college football is often equated with a religious cult, the 51-store United Supermarkets fires up its tailgating displays in its stores "to showcase as many items as possible. For example, in our Lubbock Market Street stores, we set up a grill and a Texas Tech tailgate tent where we feature all of the Tech-related products underneath, from cooking utensils to tailgating chairs," explains Owens.

When discussing key elements of its tailgating promotional playbook on tap this season for United Supermarkets' eponymous supermarkets, as well as its Market Street and Amigos locations dotted across 30 metro markets throughout north and west Texas, Owens says its recently launched signature Genuine Texas Beef is in the center of the strategic merchandising huddle.

"As an exclusive product for United Supermarkets, we do everything we can to highlight the Texas-raised quality beef line where store space will allow. When we started carrying the Texas-produced meat products, we added signage on our displays and, in some cases, on the interior facades of our stores. We also recently held a Best of Texas Expo in our Market Street locations to feature Genuine Texas Beef and all of the Texas-grown or -produced products that we carry."

Partnering with Cargill for the proprietary Genuine Texas Beef fresh beef line, Scott Nettles, United Supermarkets' business director of meat and seafood, notes that the alliance has enabled the regional retailer to "offer local-raised beef of the highest quality and freshness, as well as support the local economy."

Citing consumer research, Nettles says that United and Cargill determined that Texans like their beef, like to know where it comes from and like it even more when it comes from the Lone Star State. Further, since both companies identified a lack of Texas-branded products in the meat aisle of local stores, the Genuine Texas Beef brand "presents United customers with a fresh and local choice they can feel good about."

Ever More Tailgate Fun

Another regional retailer that maximized its local clout with sports fans is Ahold's Landover, Md.-based Giant Food division, which last year served as the Baltimore Ravens Tailgating Headquarters. Throughout the season, the Tailgaters program featured the opportunity to win unique Ravens prizes and experiences when picking up key consumer products in-store, to better prepare fans for game day, both home and away.

The partnership was played up heavily through multiple media channels, including radio, television and Internet, as well as other advertising and event assets, including Ravens Walk and the NFL team's annual "Ravens Family Food Drive" benefiting the Maryland Food Bank. Throughout the season, Baltimore-area Giant stores painted the town purple, black and gold to support the Ravens while also offering special tailgate-friendly foods such as prepared deli trays, fruit and veggie trays, shrimp platters, wings, and prepared salads.

Other hot prospects that retailers can capitalize on during football season include fresh pork, whose uniquely favorable position is ideally suited to boost sales when developing planograms and ads, notes Patrick Fleming, director of retail marketing for the National Pork Board.

"Merchandising fresh pork with recipe cards for tailgating favorites, as well as new dishes to add variety to pre-game parties, can help create an easy and efficient shopping experience for consumers, and ultimately increase sales for the meat department." In addition, "Pork has recently enjoyed some great positive exposure with the announcement of the new brand campaign and revised cooking guidelines from USDA," says Fleming, observing that the new "Be Inspired" tagline unveiled earlier this year and focusing on pork's versatility and ability to inspire creativity in the kitchen further elevates its tailgate cred. What's more, he says, pork's new brand launch "was followed fairly quickly by the USDA's announcement that it had lowered the final cooking temperature for fresh pork to 145°F, with a 3-minute rest. This constitutes a 15-degree drop that will help cooks prepare moist, juicy pork."

A peek inside the board's tailgating promotional playbook finds the Des Moines, Iowa-based organization aggressively encouraging "our retail partners to provide their customers with the inspiration they seek to create delicious pork dishes for tailgating events," including educational materials on the various cuts to allow them to expand beyond traditional back ribs and spare ribs, aggressive cross-merchandising with other tailgating-friendly foods, high-visibility flavor and pairing suggestions, and promoting USDA's new 145° F cooking temperature for more tender and flavorful pork dishes.

"In order to benefit from these ideas, retailers have to purposefully think about their meat case layout for pork," affirms Fleming, inclusive of "their ad usage of pork and how they are educating their consumers. Simple on-pack labels placed on pork packages can serve as a great conduit for information. Signage has a critical role, too, although it doesn't always have to be about the ad features. With a little planning, retailers can just as easily use this space to inspire their customers to purchase more pork for their tailgating parties," he adds.

At the outset of the all-important fall selling season, John McLemore, CEO of Columbus, Ga.-based Masterbilt — which offers a Butterball branded line of turkey fryers — says, quite rightly, that "the traditional tailgate is evolving. Consumers are still enjoying tailgating favorites but with new culinary technologies. Just as you are seeing satellite dishes and TVs at tailgating stations, consumers are beginning to think outside the box when it comes to preparing food for the big game. Smokers and fryers are just a few items consumers are using to really make their tailgating easier this year — and to stand out among the crowd."

When asked about the key guideposts in Masterbuilt's evolving fall tailgating promotional strategy, McLemore says it all comes down to "helping consumers make a gourmet spread for their family and friends without the hassle of worrying about safety features, open-flamed products and most importantly not having to 'man the grill' the entire time while everyone else enjoys the company. Consumers want to deliver a high-quality meal while enjoying time to actually tailgate."

Masterbuilt's Butterball Indoor Electric Turkey Fryer and Electric Smokehouse, he continues, are ideally suited to this target goal.

"This year, we've got all the top products for tailgaters, along with some great recipes to top it off," explains McLemore, including deep-fried Butterball Turkey Burgers, Butterball Turkey Franks, and slow-roasted, smoked Butterball Turkey burgers. "Tailgating will continue to be a prominent part of the football season," he says, adding, "As far as we're concerned, the game doesn't start without a good tailgate, family, friends and, of course, the food!"

Idaho Potatoes are Bowled Over

The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl is the new name for the former Humanitarian Bowl, which features a top selection from the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The nation's longest-running outdoor cold-weather bowl, played since 1997, will take place on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011, at 3:30 p.m. MST at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho, and televised on ESPN.

The Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) signed a six-year naming rights deal to sponsor the bowl, beginning immediately and running through the 2016 game. As part of the package, the bowl will be featured prominently in national and regional marketing campaigns conducted by the Eagle-based commission. Four of the top five potato-consuming states are represented by the WAC and MAC conferences: New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas.

"We're proud to support a bowl that has become a national showcase for the state of Idaho," says Frank Muir, IPC president/CEO. "It's the perfect opportunity to reinforce the health and quality benefits of Idaho potatoes to a national audience while supporting a game that has generated significant funds for the local economy and associated charities."

"Our new title sponsor ensures the longevity of the bowl and means that fans around the country will continue to see exciting games on the blue turf in Boise," adds Kevin McDonald, executive director of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Tickets for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl will go on sale to the general public through ldahotickets.com or the Bronco Stadium ticket office on Oct. 1. Reservations for premium ticket packages are currently available, which include prime ticket locations, hospitality benefits in a tent village and corporate exposure.

Newcastle Brown: Your Beer. Your Gear

With autumn's cooler weather, adult consumers' tastes shift to richer, more full-flavored beers. This fall, Newcastle Brown Ale is offering an integrated "Your Beer. Your Gear." fall retail program that encourages adult shoppers to enjoy the lightly hopped, less bitter taste of Newcastle Brown Ale while providing added value in-store via relevant cross-merchandising offers, and online via customizable, uniquely Newcastle gear.

From T-shirts and baseball caps to messenger bags and hoodies, consumers can customize a variety of Newcastle branded merchandise and receive a discount by going online and entering the UPCs from their Newcastle bottles.

"Millennials choose brands that allow them to express their individuality," says Brett Steen, trade marketing manager at White Plains, N.Y.-based Fleineken USA. "It's that confidence and distinctiveness that draws millenials to The One & Only, Newcastle Brown Ale. Now we are taking it one step further by offering them the chance to ‘individualize’ their Newcastle experience with customizable Newcastle gear at prices that won't break the bank."

Eye-catching POS materials and channel specific cross-merchandising offers (where legal) will be available to promote the Newcastle Your Beer. Your Gear, program at grocery, convenience and liquor stores nationwide. To further support the program, Newcastle will run outdoor and spot TV advertising for the first time during the September-through-December program period. Adds Steen, "Spot TV provides us with the opportunity to communicate Newcastle's slightly unconventional and always witty message of quality and authenticity out to a broader audience of discerning beer drinkers."

The overall program, he notes, "is all about discovering new ways to celebrate individuality with Newcastle Brown Ale. For consumers, individuality in the beer they drink and the gear they wear. For our retail partners, individuality in the products and programs they promote in their outlet to drive sales and increase their bottom line."

SPOTLIGHT PRODUCT: Flavor and Ease

Just in time for fall tailgating season, Tyson Fresh Meats recently launched Backyard Flavors, a new line of ready-to-cook, pre-seasoned beef sirloin tri-tip products available in three flavors: Steakhouse, Peppercorn, and Santa Maria style. Offering consumers a flavorful, convenient meal option and "just off the grill" taste, Backyard Flavors, named a PG Editors' Pick in this issue, also boasts easy preparation and multiple flavor options, with the benefit of leakproof and clear packaging to enable fans to throw great tailgating parties without worrying about creating a mess.