Marketing & Promotion

Creating the tools you need

This Ain’t No Ordinary Chicken

• Conventional farmers have a huge array of materials and resources available to them

• Outside the conventional box there is nothing

• Create your own

Have a story

See, Smell & Taste

• Engage all the senses• Create good visuals – posters, labels,

website, displays, table tents– Show the animals– Show the product– Show the farm & the farmers

• Cook it – bring the aroma• Offer free samples• Provide recipes

See, Smell & Taste

• Can’t afford the fancy visuals? – Photograph the farm– Photograph the family– Photograph what you do

Sales

• Know the rules of salesmanship– Greeting– Dress– Etiquette– Promptness– Be an expert on your product

Be Honest

• About the product– How does it look?– How does it cook? (apron cards)– How does it taste?

Be Honest

• About what you can deliver– Don’t promise the impossible to get the sale– Develop a reputation for quality and integrity– Know when to say “yes” and when to say “no”

Know the ProductDefinitions of Products Based on Standard Breeds of Chickens

Product Standard Breed(s) Age Dressed Weight

Cornish Game Hen Cornish 6 weeks 1 ½ pounds

Fryer American Class including Plymouth Rock, Buckeye, Wyandotte, and others.

12 – 15 weeks 3 – 4 pounds

Broiler American Class 16 – 17 weeks 4 ½ pounds

Roaster Jersey Giant 20 – 24 weeks 5 – 6 pounds

Stewer All breeds 6 – 7 months 6+ pounds

Know the Product

Chicken Products

Whole Roasters

•90% of market

•3#

•Cost: $8.50

•Sell for $11

CA cut•2 legs•2 thighs•2 wings•Split breast

•2.5 #•Cost: $9.50•Sell for

Deboned & Deskinned

•Breast meat = $5.50/#

•Dark meat = $2.00/#

Timing & Cost

• Majority of cost is in first 5 weeks

• Bigger chicken brings less per pound– 1.5 pound dressed = $5.00 / pound– 3.5 pound dressed = $4.00 / pound– 5–6 pound dressed = $2.50 / pound

Know the Market

• Fresh• Refrigerated• Frozen

• Wholesale• Retail• Direct to Consumer

• Whole Bird• Cut Up (California Cut)• Specialty Cuts

• Breast• Deboned & skinned• Dark meat

Invite the Public

• Open the doors to the farm– Have a bio-security plan and stick to it – But make them feel welcome!!– Be candid

Invite the Chefs

• Restaurant day at the farm– Invite chef, owners

AND wait staff– Show, tell, share,

listen– Provide table cards

(cheap advertising)– Be candid

Get It In Writing

• Contracts answer questions about who is responsible for what– Contracts with farmers– Contracts with buyers– Contracts with transport

Generating Visibility

• Access

• Expertise

• Internet

• Quality

• Other

Push -- Pull

Quantity

Quality

Push -- Pull

Product Variability

Product Consistency

Genetic Diversity (Healthy)

Genetic Uniformity