After wrapping up a year-long local marketing campaign across BC, Big Mountain Foods (BMF) was able to ring in the New Year with record demand for its increasingly popular Original Veggie Patty.
As part of the BMF initiative, the family business was able to revitalize their brand with funding to launch social media promos, host in-store and consumer tradeshow demos, and develop new product packaging and marketing materials.
According to BMF’s vice president, Jasmine Chamberland, results were almost immediate, especially following their in-store presentations. “On average, each demo sold 100 units per store within a four hour period,” Jasmine reports, adding that for many shoppers, buying local proved as much a priority as eating healthy.
The Chamberland family has since witnessed growing interest from both consumers and retailers, leading to increased listings, sales and online exposure. By the end of 2017, BMF had gained over 1,000 followers on social media (many of whom are now actively promoting their veggie patty) and was also invited back to Veg Expo and Healthy Family Expo because of overwhelming customer response. With a 40 percent increase in sales by year end, BMF is equally optimistic about their 2018 forecast. “Thanks to our new and enhanced marketing abilities we were able to get consumers talking about our company more than ever before and create a locally recognized brand that has opened the door to larger retailers,” says Chamberland.
With Loblaw and Walmart on their immediate radar (their largest accounts to date), the Chamberlands are expecting to double sales starting in 2018. While Jasmine is excited to see instant acceleration, she is more interested in the long-term impacts on the business and the benefits unfolding for her community. “With the increased demand we have been able to evolve from a small- to a medium-sized food manufacturer that is creating more jobs and sourcing more local ingredients,” she explains, noting that BMF has since employed four more full-time staff and now purchase truckloads of local ingredients instead of pallets.
Funding: $61,960 provided by the BC Government. (BL255)