TOPS' GERMAN DRIVE GETS 'TOOL BOX' TO REV UP ITS POWER

RICHARD TURCSIK

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Tops Friendly Markets here is teaming with CMA, the German Agricultural Marketing Board, to give a little more oomph to its annual German promotions.

The CMA has designed a "Marketing Tool Box" to help retailers, such as Tops, better market their imported German grocery products. The Marketing Tool Box contains point-of-sale materials, shelf tag programs, recipes, tips on in-store tastings, demos, staff incentives, coupons, sweepstakes and information on awarding scholarships.

"In the past, German promotions would consist of a couple of demos and ads and that was it. We're moving away from that and at the same time raising the awareness of German products in the stores developing this Marketing Tool Box," said Dirk L. Buescher, managing director of the CMA, New York.

Buescher said the CMA has developed a questionnaire for supermarket operators to determine what types of promotions it wishes to run before it sends the Marketing Tool Box.

Officials at Tops declined to comment about their marketing of German foods, but Buescher said his staff met with Tops late last month to discuss using the CMA's tools for upcoming Oktoberfest and Mayfest promotions. Changes in Tops promotion of German foods should become apparent during the fall Oktoberfest promotion.

Buescher said the CMA is also in negotiations with several other supermarket chains around the country, although he declined to name them.