FOOD EMPORIUM EVENT SPURS FILIPPO BERIO LINE

JAMES TENSER

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- Salov North America Corp., whose Filippo Berio brand is in a pitched battle for leadership in olive oil sales, gave its market share a boost through an account-specific promotion at Food Emporium stores in the metropolitan New York market.

The promotion combined feature ads, in-store demonstrations and a recipe contest for shoppers at the 30 Food Emporium locations in the New York metro market. Food Emporium is an upscale division of A&P, Montvale, N.J.

Tony Scrimenti, sales manager for Filippo Berio, said, "The in-store excitement helped case sales. The outside publicity increased visibility for the brand among customers in the area. In addition, the contest gave us a unique opportunity to enhance our relationship with Food Emporium."

In naming a recipe contest winner this summer, Scrimenti said the company is looking ahead toward more account-specific activities with retailers in other markets across the country.

"We are becoming more creative, not only in reaching out to the trade, but also to the consumer," he said.

The olive oil cooking contest was conceived as a way to focus consumer attention on the versatility of olive oil. Prizes included Food Emporium gift certificates and cases of Filippo Berio olive oil. Several hundred contest entries were received, the company said.

Scrimenti credited the spring promotion with a good part of the momentum that helped power Filippo Berio to a market share of 44% in New York for the two weeks ended Aug. 10, based on Nielsen Marketing Research figures. Six Food Emporium stores have demo kitchens in their selling areas. Two locations, one in Manhattan and one in suburban Rye Brook, N.Y., were selected for demonstration days.

During the promotional period, Filippo Berio was included in Food Emporium ad features. The marketer's reps helped store buyers make certain enough extra products were stocked throughout the 30-store chain. Contest pads and recipe sheets bearing both the Filippo Berio and Food Emporium logos were printed and distributed in the stores, said Scrimenti.