QUALITY FOOD CENTERS AND NALLEY GO ON CO-BRANDING 'PICNIC'

RICHARD TURCSIK

BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Quality Food Centers participated in a unique co-branding program that teamed its private label with a leading regional brand.

Under the "Picnic Payback" promotion, a $5 QFC gift certificate was awarded to consumers who purchased a bag of QFC's Heritage Farm private-label potato chips and two of three Nalley Fine Foods products.

The designated Nalley products consisted of a 32-ounce jar of mayonnaise, a 22-ounce jar of pickles and a 24-ounce jar of salad dressing. QFC advertised the Picnic Payback via a quarter-page section in its weekly circular.

It was backed up with in-store displays featuring the Nalley products and Heritage Farm potato chips, along with other point-of-sale materials and tear pads featuring the offer.

Officials at QFC did not return telephone calls seeking comment, but Julie Poduch, category general manager at Tacoma, Wash.-based Nalley Fine Foods, said Nalley developed the program in conjunction with the Ryan Partnership, its Los Angeles-based promotion agency.

"Other retailers have also selected that program. Retailers had the option of tying in whatever items they wanted. QFC selected their brand of potato chips," she said.

Nalley's joint promotion with QFC ran until late last month, but Poduch said it was too soon to gauge the response.

Promotions with other retailers are scheduled to run throughout the summer, she said.