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CHEESEBURGERS STAR IN CROSS-PROMOTIONAL GRILLING PROGRAM

MADISON, Wis. -- As consumers heating their barbecues, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board is firing up a new, national, in-store promotion that highlights an all-American grilling favorite -- the cheeseburger.Created to warm up cheese sales in the supermarket dairy and deli departments, the promotion offers retailers a kit, available in two versions, for the deli and dairy departments.It contains

MADISON, Wis. -- As consumers heating their barbecues, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board is firing up a new, national, in-store promotion that highlights an all-American grilling favorite -- the cheeseburger.

Created to warm up cheese sales in the supermarket dairy and deli departments, the promotion offers retailers a kit, available in two versions, for the deli and dairy departments.

It contains 150 recipe take-ones, two price cards, a cling banner, a helium cheeseburger balloon, a counter card and a flag that declares, "Ahh, the Power of Wisconsin Cheese." The trade group kicked off the campaign May 15.

WMMB is encouraging retailers not to limit the sales elements to the dairy and deli departments. Last year, when a more extensive, customized version of the promotion was tested at Top's Markets, the Williamsville, N.Y.-based retailer got the deli, cheese shop and meat departments involved, said Neil Surbaugh, the organization's vice president of channel marketing.

Last year's promotion was a 12-week campaign, featuring a dozen varieties of cheese and a like number of recipes. "It was so successful last year, in terms of sales, we decided to go national," Surbaugh said.

WMMB is teaching consumers there's more than one way to make a cheeseburger. Designed to cover a two-week period, this year's promotion has been simplified, and features one pamphlet with four to six recipes for Italian burgers, blue burgers, cheddar burgers and other versions of the sandwich, he said. Recipes will make it easy for cooks by suggesting more than one type of cheese.

More than 50 retailers are participating, Surbaugh said.

Shaw's Supermarkets, West Bridgewater, Mass., will partner with a major deli supplier, Land O' Lakes, in a promotion timed to coincide with the Fourth of July. The in-store bakeries and delis are working together in a coupon promotion that will offer consumers a free package of hamburger buns with the purchase of Land O' Lakes deli cheese, said April Methot, cheese buyer for the 185-store chain.

The retailer is promoting the offer in store advertising, and directing consumers to the deli counters where they'll find the coupons at all Shaw's and Star Markets.

Shaw's plans to conduct other deli promotions with suppliers this summer, featuring salads, cheeses and pastas, but those are not likely to come close to the Land O'Lakes campaign in terms of sales volume, Methot said.

Land O' Lakes cheese "is my No. 1-selling item," she said. "It definitely will increase sales."

In addition to the bakery, Methot said she hopes to get other departments involved. "Cross-promotion helps," she said.