Wonderful Press Info

MARKETING AND INNOVATION SPUR GROWTH FOR PARAMOUNT FARMS AND PISTACHIOS

The Pistachio Industry’s Leader is Driving Sales with Innovative Advertising, Sponsorships, Distribution and New Products

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA | Oct 15, 2011

Los Angeles, Calif., (October 15, 2011) – California-­‐based Paramount Farms is continuing to lead the way with innovative marketing, sales and distribution in the produce space. The company has experienced tremendous growth led by its marquee brand, Wonderful Pistachios, which is currently the category leader and is poised to stake an even larger claim in the overall salty snack category.

 

"Strategic advertising and innovative sponsorships have driven Wonderful Pistachios sales to new levels; further proof that you can turn a commodity into a brand – with the right marketing support," said Mark Masten, vice president of global sales and marketing, Paramount Farms.

 

The company attributes its maintained success to advertising, sponsorships, distribution and new products, more specifically:

 

• Get Crackin' 3.0 – In September Wonderful Pistachios launched its third "Get Crackin'" campaign, a $30mm advertising endeavor. This year's effort appealed to a variety of audiences and featured pop culture icons, such as: Khloé Kardashian Odom and Lamar Odom; Kermit the Frog; Crystal the Monkey from "Hangover 2" and "Night at the Museum"; Facebook twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss; "Honey Badger"; Mr. Bill™; and last, but not least, video game and social media marvel Angry Birds. According to Nielsen, the Angry Birds spot ranked sixth out of the "Top 10 Most Liked New Ads" for the month of September, and the Winklevoss commercial ranked ninth among the "Most Remembered" commercials for the same month. The "Get Crackin'" campaign helped leverage sales for the third consecutive year, and is already hugely successful. In the two weeks following the launch of six new television spots on September 10, 2011, Wonderful Pistachios in-­‐shell dollar sales were up +165% while volume sales were up +179% (FDMx). Last year, after eight new television spots aired October through December 2010, the brand experienced a 21% dollar sales leap on top of the company's 233% increase in the previous year. The commercials, which have only been airing for a month, have already resonated with consumers and according to Nielsen, the Angry Birds spot ranked sixth out of the "Top 10 Most Liked New Ads" for the month of September, and the Winklevoss commercial ranked ninth among the "Most Remembered" commercials for the same month.

 

• Wonderful Pistachios 400 – Wonderful Pistachios got racin' as the title sponsor of Richmond International Raceway's September 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. The Wonderful Pistachios 400 showcased one of the most anticipated racing events of the season and allowed the brand to reach out to the "NASCAR Nation": A key demographic of family-­‐oriented, high middle-­‐ income earners (47% of NASCAR fans earn $50,000/year or more) whose fans live in regions that mirror the U.S. population. ABC aired the race nationally, and with 6.2 million viewers, it was a strategic opportunity to debut the new crop of "Get Crackin'" commercials. In addition to sponsoring the race, Wonderful Pistachios also sampled more than 48,000 bags of product and was able to take away 45% of the peanut sales, a common staple snack at most sporting events.

 

• Wonderful Pistachios at Sporting Events – Pistachios are the hot new stadium food, introducing sports fans to a whole new snacking experience at the ballpark. Wonderful Pistachios are available at 13 NASCAR tracks, 13 Major League Baseball fields and two NFL stadiums. It is sold during home games for the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox and New York Mets. Custom localized marketing and advertising programs complimented concession sales at stadiums for the the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies.

 

• Wonderful Pistachios Will Soon Be Everywhere You Are – Armed with new "single serving" packaging and aggressive retail distribution strategies, the Wonderful brand will be seen by more consumers in more places than ever before this season – tactics that will increase market share and drive sales to new levels. Part of that strategy is an increased presence in convenience stores, including strategic placement at the retail check-­‐stand, where Wonderful Pistachios in the 1.5-­‐oz. single serving bag will be sold at a low price point to attract new consumers to the experience of eating pistachios. Other groceries adopting this idea include Wegmans inRochester, NY and Tops Markets in Buffalo, NY.

 

• New Product Innovations – In response to consumer aspirations to eat a healthier diet, Wonderful Pistachios in September launched the Lightly Salted option, which contains only 3% of the recommended daily value for sodium. Additionally, Wonderful's sister brand, Everybody's Nuts! flavored nuts is planning to launch a new Sweet Chili flavor to add to its already popular porfolio.

 

"Paramount Farms is doing what no one else in produce is doing -­‐ we are taking a unique position on the salty snack industry, normally dominated by chips, adds Masten. "Wonderful Pistachios is the h 10th best salty snack SKU in grocery, and with the first nine being Frito Lay products, we are furthermore proving that we are here to stay, and there's nowhere to go but up."

 

About Wonderful® Pistachios

The Wonderful Pistachios brand features upscale, premium packaging and a bold contemporary look, appealing to a sophisticated, health-­‐conscious consumer. Wonderful Pistachios are grown in Lost Hills, California, part of the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural heartland of California. Grown, processed and packaged by Paramount Farms, Wonderful Pistachios are available at retail outlets and grocery stores nationwide including Albertsons, Giant Eagle, Kroger, Safeway, Vons and Wegmans, and are available in a variety of sizes. For more information about Wonderful Pistachios or the "Get Crackin'" campaign, visit www.wonderfulpistachios.com, www.getcrackin.com, www.facebook.com/wonderfulpistachios and www.twitter.com/getcrackin.

 

About Paramount Farms

Part of Roll International Corporation, headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Paramount Farms is one of a group of privately owned, affiliated companies that comprise the largest farming operation of tree crops in the world. In addition to pistachios and almonds, Paramount Farms is also the largest producer and exclusive grower of the California Wonderful variety of pomegranates. Sister company, Paramount Citrus, is the largest orange and lemon packing facility in North America, the majority of which come from its own orchards, and the largest grower of Clementine mandarin oranges in the United States.

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