N.Y. Company Named USA Rice Federation Retail Partner of the Year
The USA Rice Federation has named White Plains, N.Y.-based Alpha 1 Marketing its 2007 Retail Partner of the Year. The honor is bestowed upon an organization that displays, merchandises, and promotes American-grown rice in creative and profitable ways during National Rice Month in September.
Alpha 1 creates merchandising and marketing programs for over 230 C-Town, Bravo and AIM supermarkets in New York and New Jersey. The stores promoted U.S. rice with weekly newspaper ads, floor-to-ceiling end cap displays, competitive price points, customized POS materials, and in-store cross-promotions with items featured as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. These efforts resulted in a 450 percent increase in rice sales in September.
Additionally, Krasdale Foods, Alpha 1's wholesaler and sister company, was recognized for its support of National Rice Month as the product supplier to these stores.
"We have a strong Hispanic customer base, and promoting National Rice Month and Hispanic Heritage Month is a natural combination based on the importance of rice in Hispanic culture," said Alpha 1 v.p. sales and marketing Rich DeSimone in a statement.
The award will be presented in June, during the Rice Millers' Association convention in Napa, Calif.
Sponsored by the Arlington, Va.-based USA Rice Federation, the goal of National Rice Month promotions is to raise awareness, sales and consumption of U.S.-grown rice. In 2007, National Rice Month activities generated 300 million consumer exposures and resulted in 7,300 in-store rice displays nationwide.
U.S. rice accounts for almost 88 percent of the rice eaten in America, according to the federation.
Alpha 1 creates merchandising and marketing programs for over 230 C-Town, Bravo and AIM supermarkets in New York and New Jersey. The stores promoted U.S. rice with weekly newspaper ads, floor-to-ceiling end cap displays, competitive price points, customized POS materials, and in-store cross-promotions with items featured as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. These efforts resulted in a 450 percent increase in rice sales in September.
Additionally, Krasdale Foods, Alpha 1's wholesaler and sister company, was recognized for its support of National Rice Month as the product supplier to these stores.
"We have a strong Hispanic customer base, and promoting National Rice Month and Hispanic Heritage Month is a natural combination based on the importance of rice in Hispanic culture," said Alpha 1 v.p. sales and marketing Rich DeSimone in a statement.
The award will be presented in June, during the Rice Millers' Association convention in Napa, Calif.
Sponsored by the Arlington, Va.-based USA Rice Federation, the goal of National Rice Month promotions is to raise awareness, sales and consumption of U.S.-grown rice. In 2007, National Rice Month activities generated 300 million consumer exposures and resulted in 7,300 in-store rice displays nationwide.
U.S. rice accounts for almost 88 percent of the rice eaten in America, according to the federation.