The venture, which is being managed by one of the growers, RB Organic (a division of Produce World), will aim to increase sales and encourage consumption by emphasising the superior taste, environmental credentials and health benefits of organic carrots. The campaign will roll out in September – in store, in the media and on social media – under the strapline ‘British Organic Carrots – Working with Nature’.
Retailers will be invited to collaborate with activity including online advertising and on-pack offers. There will be a spread of events during the year, including an organic carrot-themed supper club with renowned food blogger Kerstin Rodgers and a fact-finding day out for food writers, involving a visit to organic carrot production and a special organic carrot lunch.
This will be supported with editorial and advertorial articles in the trade and consumer press; journalists’ press materials; organic carrot recipes, photography and videos; a website; ongoing social media and the production of an organic carrot recipe book. British Organic Carrots branding will also appear on articulated trucks and educational demonstrations organised for students in some of the UK’s leading chefs’ colleges.
Andrew Burgess, chairman of RB Organic, said: “Together with other organic growers, we are extremely excited about making this extensive new investment for organic carrots. In the UK, we are ever more aware of shoppers wanting great tasting food of the highest quality. Promoting organic carrots
will encourage more people to eat delicious, healthy food, and we hope it will add significant value into the category in the process.
We are planning to meet with retailers to discuss how to implement this campaign to their best advantage. We are extremely keen that this is a collaborative effort and that approach will extend to everybody in the supply chain; RB Organic will also be inviting other organic carrot suppliers to get involved with this exciting initiative.”
Joe Rolfe, head of farm and supply chain for RB Organic, said: “This campaign will communicate to consumers what organic farming is all about, demonstrating the unique and innovative techniques we use to manage our crops effectively – and how these enable us to produce the very highest quality, safest and best-tasting carrots available.”
British Organic Carrots have set an ambitious target for the campaign of growing participation of organic versus conventional carrots over three years and are keen to work with other like-minded growers in carrots and other organic products.