Sam’s Club Gets Boost From Pinterest

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Sam’s Club learned the power of Pinterest recently after one of its recipes drew a lot of interest on the fast-growing social networking site, said Shawn Baldwin, senior vice president, Fresh Freezer Cooler, for the membership warehouse club chain.

The recipe for an item in the retailer’s Simply Delicious Meals program – a turnover with two pieces of asparagus and some cheese – was put on Pinterest and led to a surge of interest from people connecting to it, he said during a panel presentation at the American Bakers Association Convention here.

Pinterest is a virtual pinboard that lets users organize and share articles, photos, recipes and more. Baldwin said this platform holds a lot of potential for companies in the food industry.

“If you really want to make an impact, get a recipe on Pinterest that uses one of your products,” he told the audience of bakers and their suppliers. “It’s amazing how quick you can do it. You would see a bump in your sales. It’s a spot everyone’s looking to for entertaining.”

The panel also included Stew Leonard Jr., president and CEO of Stew Leonard's, and Todd Hale, senior vice president, Consumer Shopper Insights, Nielsen. It was moderated by David Orgel, editor-in-chief, Supermarket News.