ConAgra Targets Student Shoppers

Omaha, Neb. — ConAgra Foods fine-tuned its college programming to include more of a focus on meal solutions rather than snacks after discovering that students shop campus convenience stores differently than typical c-stores.ConAgra’s college program went back to school in the fall of 2011 with dedicated programming that includes solutions centers, racks and freezer units reflecting a deeper understanding of the shoppers in campus c-stores.ConAgra used its own research conducted with online communities of college students, surveys of college c-store/bookstore managers, in-store interviews, focus groups and other tests, and combined that with syndicated and third-party results from Columbus, Ohio-based BIGresearch, Atlanta-based MillerZell, River Grove, Ill.-based Follett Corp., the U.S. Census, and Port Washington, N.Y.-based NPD’s National Eating Trends and Snack Track. The results gave the company’s shopper insights team a well-rounded look at student shoppers.ConAgra learned that college c-stores sell about 75% meals and 25% snacks – the opposite of traditional c-stores. The company recognized an opportunity to leverage the offerings within its portfolio, and saw “a stepping stone to creating dedicated merchandising pieces for these locations,” says Craig Heuton, manager, in-store experience.“We were looking to understand their shopping behaviors, snacking behaviors, how college bookstore managers thought about selling food and how different types of on-campus activities could drive sales,” says Liz Mohr, director of shopper insights.ConAgra also conducted a comprehensive awareness and usage study across all its categories to understand how college students were interacting with its categories and brands. From these studies, Mohr’s team learned more about the drivers and barriers of food purchase; what, where and when students were eating; where and when they shop; and how their living situation influenced their activity. ConAgra also studied students’ media attitudes and usage.Heuton’s team used the insights to develop in-store merchandising that meets college students’ needs and also works in c-store locations. “This was a unique mindset shift for us because we had to start from ground zero and look at this model in a completely different way,” he says. “Since the dynamics of a college c-store are so different in terms of the types of products students are looking for, we wanted to design the merchandising pieces to capitalize on that.” The in-store units merchandise everything from snack-pack pudding to peanut butter to convenient meals.ConAgra added a digital component to drive repeat engagement. Shoppers can scan a QR code to enter the “Scan It. Score It.” instant-win sweepstakes. “We give away everything from digital prizes to more tangible prizes that are sent to the student as a reward for them engaging with us in-store,” Heuton says. “We’re trying to engage with students digitally because we know that the vast majority of them are very tech-savvy and have a smartphone, so it’s a way for us to connect the dots in-store.”As the college landscape continues to change with different types of stores popping up across the campuses, the company will keep its eye on other small-format locations where there may be additional opportunities, Heuton says.ConAgra also partnered with retailers, most notably Target and Publix, for other shopper marketing programming that targets college students. “We’re working collaboratively with both of these retailers to bring our learnings in and work with them on their programs,” Mohr says. “We’re hitting those students in multiple spots.”ConAgra declined to comment on any measurement, but Mohr says it is “working to make sure we are ROI positive and that we’re building our sales across these on-campus locations as well as in off-campus retailers.” Measurement of students’ awareness, usage and attitudes toward the company’s products will be an ongoing effort. “We’ll continue to do regular check-ins to measure and see how we’re doing,” she says.Launch Creative, Chicago, is the creative agency for the program. Applied Merchandising Concepts, New Rochelle, N.Y., United Displaycraft, Des Plaines, Ill., WP&T, Milwaukee, and Lingo Manufacturing, Florence, Ky., are the company’s vendor partners.

ConAgra Targets Student Shoppers

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