Insider Intel: Bob Evans Turns to Mobile Sampling

Bob Evans Farms launched a mobile sampling tour last year as part of a campaign driving awareness and trial of the manufacturer’s new mashed cauliflower assortment.

Insights and consumer trends led the manufacturer to develop and launch Bob Evans mashed cauliflower in two flavors: “parmesan and chives” and “roasted garlic and herb.” Packaged in a microwavable dish and boasting about 2.5 full servings of vegetables, the SKUs launched exclusively at Kroger in mid-August before rolling out to Walmart and Meijer in mid-October. The dishes have since launched at more retailers, including Albertsons.

The brand built support for the new refrigerated dishes by staging a two-month “Taste Fest” mobile tour beginning in early October with stops in Cincinnati; Nashville, Tennessee; Columbus, Ohio; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Bentonville, Arkansas. Kicking off on Oct. 7 at Kroger Fountain Square in Cincinnati, the tour included retailer parking lot events at two Kroger and two Meijer stores. Experiential agency Yum Love More handled the tour.

Cauliflower in all its forms has made its way onto 22% of American menus, says Tony Fung, director of shopper marketing and e-commerce at Bob Evans Farms. The vegetable has demonstrated its versatility as a side dish, starch replacement or center-of-plate item in place of meat proteins, he noted. Some consumers, however, don’t have the time or knowledge needed to cook with the vegetable.

“Consumers are looking for easy and fun ways to add more veggies to their diet,” Fung says. “However, they lack skills [or] know-how to prepare more veggies ... and available options are not delivering on taste and texture. As the market leader in refrigerated side dishes, our mashed cauliflower provides a full serving of veggies and is made with real milk and butter to satisfy even the most discerning taste.”

The target audience for the launch was consumers who prioritize serving more complete and wholesome meals — those who want fresh, tasty, time-saving solutions for a well-rounded weekday dinner plate.

Beyond the mobile tour, shopper marketing efforts included sampling of the mashed cauliflower products at the Kroger Wellness Festival last year. (Bob Evans Farms was a Ruby sponsor at the event.) “We had a branded Bob Evans Cauliflower tent, sampled parmesan and chives, and distributed high-value coupons and swag to attendees over the event weekend,” Fung says.

Bob Evans additionally tapped the retailer’s media network, Kroger Precision Marketing, to run targeted on-site ads for four weeks in November. Incremental displays and a circular feature in August also promoted the new SKUs at Kroger.

The broader marketing plan also included:

• Onsite and offsite digital banner ads via Walmart Connect promoting the cauliflower SKUs as well as Bob Evans core items (mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese dishes).

• An in-store aisle violator and offers for mPerks members at Meijer starting mid-November to mid-December.

• Shelf signage and a digital coupon at Albertsons Cos. stores via Neptune Retail Solutions.

• National and geo-targeted banner ads from InMarket promoting the brand’s cauliflower and core items from December through July.

• Additional out-of-store elements, including linear and connected TV, and a mashed cauliflower billboard placed outside of Kroger, Meijer and Walmart headquarter locations.

The Mars Agency is Bob Evans Farms’ shopper and e-commerce agency of record, responsible for all mashed cauliflower shopper marketing creative.

As far as success, Bob Evans is closely monitoring the velocity and volume of its mashed cauliflower in markets where the products are available, as well as measuring incremental sales and retailer acceptance.