|
Promoting the Strength of Minnesota's Agricultural Economy
Welcome to the MDA Marketing Minute,
the marketing e-newsletter from the Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture
|
|
New online database available
for wholesale marketers
The Minnesota Grown Program is launching a new database of Minnesota Grown members who market to wholesale accounts such as grocers, restaurants, school food service buyers, and wholesale distributors. Increased consumer demand for local foods has prompted more restaurants, schools, and grocery stores to seek out local farms. In the past, many of these buyers have tried to use the Minnesota Grown Directory to find suppliers but most farms in the Directory sell only to individual consumers. The new database includes many of the more than 1,100 Minnesota Grown members statewide and makes it easy for wholesale buyers to find farms based on their products and location. It also allows searches based on criteria such as whether or not the farm is GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) certified, certified organic, and/or carries a certain level of liability insurance.
Any Minnesota Grown member who sells to wholesale accounts can create a FREE listing in the new online database by visiting the members section of www.minnesotagrown.com. Email paul.hugunin@state.mn.us or call 651-201-6510 with any questions about this exciting new service.
|
Minnesota Grown web traffic up 48%
2010 is record breaking year for minnesotagrown.com
Social media sites have become popular marketing tools but some traditional web sites, are still successfully attracting visitors. In fact, traffic to the Minnesota Grown web site went up a whopping 48 percent from 2009 to 2010. The total number of unique visitors to minnesotagrown.com was 223,000. Peak months for web traffic were October (41,500) and September (37,000).
Minnesota Grown spokesman Paul Hugunin says more people are looking for quick links to locally grown foods.
"As important as the number of people using the site is, is the fact that they are finding valuable content once they arrive," said Paul Hugunin. "It's an easy, convenient way for consumers to find what Minnesota growers have to offer."
The average visitor to the Minnesota Grown website during 2010 spent nearly 4 minutes on the site (3:58 per visit) and viewed more than 7 pages (7.48 pages/visit).
|
Grow your exports, shrink your spending!
Minnesota ag-based companies can take advantage of some great discounts on export services from Food Export-Midwest. Companies signing up by January 31 will receive 20 percent off services for focused trade missions and buyers missions as well as 20 percent off Food Export's Branded program, Food Show PLUS™ program and its Market Builder - Market Scan program.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for companies to sign up to receive market research reports tailored to their products through Market Builder," says Shannen Bornsen, MDA International Resources Manager. "Food Export's in-market representatives cover more than 30 markets. The information they provide can help a company decide whether or not it should spend time and money to develop a market."
For more information, email shannen.bornsen@state.mn.us or call 651-201-6658.
|
|
|
AG STATS
Farmers markets in winter? Yes! Minnesota has nine (9) winter markets from Staples to Rochester. |
|
Biofuels resource available from MDA
MDA's Ag Marketing Services Division has released the 2010-2011 version of its "Biofuels Briefing Book - Information on the Biofuels Industry in Minnesota." The book contains valuable and timely information on ethanol and biodiesel policies, production and consumption figures, export information and economic impact data for Minnesota's industries.
Minnesota is home to 21 ethanol and 4 biodiesel plants with a combined production capacity of more than 1 billion gallons of renewable fuels.
In 2010, Minnesota's ethanol industry was projected to generate more than $3 billion in economic impact and over 8,000 jobs.
For more information, or to receive a copy of the book, please contact MDA's Biofuels Manager, Christina Connelly.
|
|
