Note: As of early 2016, Colorado Specialty Food Makers took on the new name of Denver Food & Drink Collective, and then in May 2017, the group formally merged with Colorado Food Works.
The temptation in business is often to keep recipes and business practices secret. It’s as if we’re afraid our competitors are lurking around every corner waiting to snatch up our customers.
While it’s prudent to keep your competitive edge SHARP, The Condiment Marketing Co. believes that a specialty food company can successfully grow their business with the support of other food makers. That’s why we run our annual survey and why we started the Specialty Food Makers and Sellers of Denver Meetup.
With information exchange we can help each other with the day-to-day and create industry best practices that serve us all best. It’s about doing more, spending less, and selling more product.
Chew on this…
No Matter Your Company Size, You Can’t Know It All.
It’s not possible to stay up on all the new social media networks, food production and marketing regulations, consumer behavior trends, and on and on. You can only read so many trade mags and blogs in a day.
When you sit (or mingle) in a room with people in your industry, you’ll learn something whether you thought you needed to know it or not. You don’t know what you don’t know.
What Co-Marketing Possibilities Are Waiting?
Co-marketing is not for every food company, but it might not be a bad idea for you. The trick is to co-market with a brand that appeals to your customers and supports your high-expectations for quality.
On top of that, you’ll need to work with someone who is like-minded (not to mention in agreement with the legal documents your attorneys drafted). What better way to find these partners than at an industry gathering?
(To learn more about co-marketing, check out this article from Mobile Cuisine.)
Food Makers Are Food Fans.
If you make an artisan jam, it’s likely you enjoy eating other artisan foods. And if you run an artisan food company, chances are you have social media profiles where you talk about artisan food news and ideas.
It’s true XYZ Jam Co. might not want to eat or talk up another jam, but XYZ Salsa Co. might. Your food industry pals could become your biggest supporters.
Get Free Advice And A Shoulder To Cry On.
How do you find better suppliers? Who do you hire when your assistant quits? What does an ideal broker relationship look like? No one understands the woes of the food business better than those in the food business.
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If you’re in Denver or the Colorado Front Range, I hope you’ll join us. Get the details here.
About Sara Lancaster
Sara is The Condiment Marketing Co.’s founder and creative director. She oversees client relationships, strategic marketing plans, as well as a bit of copywriting and social media management.
