Carrot cakes and premium gourmet treats are the cornerstone of a two-year marketing campaign by the British Carrot Growers Association (BCGA).
The group is aiming to get more of the crop sold as snacking food for things like children’s lunch-boxes while also elevating the humble carrot to appeal to foodies, delegates at the BCGA conference were told in Peterborough last week.
The campaign is being funded voluntarily by producers, but David Martin, BCGA vice-chairman, confirmed to FPJ that packers were also prepared to commit.
The promotion will see £100,000 invested over 2006-07, but the association has also applied for further funding from the Horticultural Development Council, which will take the total amount for the campaign to £160,000.
Meanwhile the plans will go ahead, said Pam Lloyd, PR consultant, outlining the strategy, which will include the association’s own website and a presence at next year’s BBC Good Food Show.
Initially a press pack will be aimed at the media which will play a key role in convincing consumers of the benefits of a product which already enjoys an 88 per cent penetration of the market, although the average purchase is only 20 times a year, Lloyd added.
