MICHELINA'S GETS $20M BOOST FROM LUIGINO'S CEO

BARBARA MURRAY

SANFORD, Fla. -- Jeno Paulucci, chairman and chief executive officer of Luigino's, based here, recently said he plans to spend $20 million of his own money this year to promote his Michelina's brand of 18 new Signature premium entrees.

Paulucci, a Frozen Food Hall of Fame member, is known for having issued a challenge in 1997 to other frozen-food manufacturers to participate in a prorated $20-million industry consumer campaign to benefit frozen entrees.

A spokesman for Paulucci said that he still maintains hope that his competitors will double, or even triple, their present branded advertising budgets to build the entire frozen food industry.

Consumer ads were to start this month. The premium entree line has a suggested retail price of about $1.99, competitive with other premiums.

Paulucci is respected for his success with Chung King and Jeno's pizza rolls, and is considered a creative mind in the business.

"This industry has always lacked the basic story, because it's so diversified," said longtime industry observer Al Rosenfeld.

Current promotions of fruits and vegetables as nutritious and beneficial are good, said Rosenfeld, pointing to the American Frozen Food Institute's promulgation of the Produce for Better Health Foundation's 5 a Day program.

With the exception of a time during the mid-70s, when gymnast Cathy Rigby was hired to speak up in favor of frozen foods, the industry has not had a broad-based educational program to promote its wares, asserted Rosenfeld.

Others say the National Frozen Food Month promotions during March and October are too price-oriented. Some have suggested that it would be more realistic to approach promotions category by category, as is being done with vegetables and fruits.