Available at all The Fresh Market locations, Exploring the use of all media, including broadcast
Aug 23, 2012 15:59
By Erik McNeal
Staff Writer: erikm@dailyvista.com

Many food and beverage companies are moving into all-natural or organic offerings, or basing their business on those aspects of refreshment. The appeal to consumers for healthy options featuring lower of, well, everything but big on taste is very high.

The Fave Juice Co. recognized this trend and has launched three flavors that are 100 percent juice without additives at all The Fresh Market locations. The company’s main purpose is to encourage consumers to increase their daily vegetable and fruit intake. This goal is included in its name since Fave is a portmanteau of fruit (fa) and vegetable (ve).

DailyVista caught up with the company’s Chief Marketing Officer David Kirkpatrick (right), to talk about this new juice line and Fave’s partnership with Greensboro, N.C. — based The Fresh Market.

Erik: Tell me about this new juice line, please. What will it fulfill for your customers?
Kirkpatrick: Fave is a brand-new company, with the simple mission to develop beverages that are better for you.

Our first and only product is All-Natural Fave juice, a blend of 100 percent fruit and vegetable juices. Fave represents a breakthrough product in the juice category.
Each all-natural 8-ounce (240 milliliter) glass of Fave contains three full servings of vegetables and only 60 calories! Fave is 100 percent juice with no artificial ingredients and no added sweeteners of any kind.

Fave comes in three lightly sweet and delicious flavors – Strawberry-Banana-Kiwi, Blueberry-Pomegranate-Goji, and Orange-Tangerine-Pineapple. Fave is shelf-stable and bottled in 46-ounce recyclable bottles.

Three major trends are driving consumer behavior in beverages today:

CALORIES

• Adult obesity is at epidemic proportions in America. 38 states now have adult obesity rates above 25 percent. By comparison, no state had an obesity rate above 20 percent in 1991, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• 20 percent of all children ages 6-11 are obese.
• 25 percent of all male applicants are unfit for Military Service based upon their recruiting statistics.
• The U.S. diabetic rate has increased exponentially, from under 2 million people in 1958
  to over 25 million people in 2010, according to the USDA, CDC and the AMA.

NUTRITION

• Research done to support the USDA MyPlate shows nine to ten servings of fruit and vegetables a day is the optimal level to support good health. The actual USA average in 2010 was 4.5 servings per day – less than half the recommendation. Fave focus groups repeatedly showed that consumers are aware of this dietary shortfall. When asked, a sample response is “I know we don’t eat enough vegetables, but I can’t get my kids to eat them – they don’t like the taste”. Another common response is “We are very busy, we eat on the run, we just don’t make time for vegetables.”

ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS
Many consumers have negative opinions regarding added sweeteners and other artificial ingredients. Six high-intensity sugar substitutes are approved for the USA:

• Stevia
• Aspartame
• Sucralose
• Neotame
• Acesulfane Potassium
• Saccharin

These are all considered artificial sweeteners except for Stevia.

Erik: How did Fave get into partnership with The Fresh Market? What are the short and long-term goals of this partnership and with the juice line launching for the company?
Kirkpatrick: The Fresh Market is a specialty grocery retailer focused on providing high-quality products in a unique and inviting atmosphere with a high level of customer service. The company currently operates 121 stores in 24 states, located in the Southeast, Midwest, MidAtlantic and Northeast, with plans for continued expansion throughout the country.

The Fresh Market is committed to supporting the growth of high-quality foods, making Fave juices a perfect addition to the company’s line of high-quality goods.

For Fave, our objective is simply to add size and value to the shelf-stable juice category, while delivering a wholesome and healthy option for shoppers.

Erik: How important are collaborations like this one with Fresh Market for the company?
Kirkpatrick: Partnerships with high-performing retailers are critical to the success of Fave. Retailers are exceptionally busy, and they are challenged daily to sort through thousands of new product offerings. They must decide which new items truly add value through innovation, and which new items are simply more line extensions that divide the same pie without real growth.

Fave provides real growth for retailers, including The Fresh Market.

Erik: What is the marketing and communications strategy for promoting the new juice line?
Kirkpatrick: Our strategy is to relentlessly focus on the key benefits of Fave:

• Three full servings of vegetables
• Only 60 calories
• All-Natural – no added sweeteners

Erik: Which media channels does the company typically utilize in its marketing? Is there additional media that Fave Juice may test out in the future?
Kirkpatrick: Our primary focus will be traditional print, free standing inserts, social media and web marketing. In addition, the value of participation in retailer media is unparalleled. Fave will explore the use of all media, including broadcast.

Erik: Does Fave have a specific demographic that it targets?
Kirkpatrick: Fave will maintain a focus on our target consumer, women aged 25-49 with children. Our secondary targets are health-conscious adults and all adults ages 50 and up.

Erik: Are any marketing or advertising agencies working with Fave Juice for outreach services? If yes, which firms are involved and what services to they provide? If not, are you open to service proposals from such agencies? Do you have specific requirements?
Kirkpatrick: Fave is partnered with re:group, an innovative agency located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We occasionally use other providers on an ad hoc basis. We are always open to considering opportunities to grow our brand. We would require transparency — a very clear and early understanding of the costs and benefits of any proposal. We highly value good ethics and good business practices.

re:group was profiled by DailyVista in March.

The Fave Juice Company
P.O. Box 460
Middletown, NJ 07748

David Kirkpatrick
Chief Marketing Officer
(248) 808-2585
davidk@favejuice.com
©2012