Grassroots Product Sampling and Events
By Leah Bramich. AMGA
Cambride Markets – Sydney
To continue to drive top of mind awareness, a levy-funded, AMGA-run Grassroots Product Demonstrations and Events Program is underway to support local growers by driving demand within communities in which they live and work.
The program has developed ‘hyper local’ product sampling events to drive the uptake of mushrooms in both regional and metro markets, providing delicious product samples and promoting “Add the Mighty Mushie” to position mushrooms as an essential ingredient for enhanced taste and health.
The AMGA have selected Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Perth and the Gold Coast for activations, along with 15 regional areas which align with grower locations. A total of 23 product sampling events are being activated around the nation.
To efficiently roll out the product demonstration and sampling events remotely, local radio stations were engaged to design their version of a ‘Hyper local event’ with preferences given to local foodie festivals, farmers markets, restaurants, or independent green grocers, with mushroom samples cooked by professional chefs. In Ballarat, a former MasterChef contestant will cook ‘Mushroom toasties', in Adelaide, well know chef, restaurateur and former MasterChef Callum Hann will cook live on stage at the Adelaide Markets, and in Perth, seaside café Odyssea will include a mushroom on toast item to their menu for the week, inviting listeners to try it.
Each regional event is accompanied with a live broadcast or street team event, and a hefty radio campaign to support it, with reach amplified via the station’s social media channels. Taking simple product sampling to the next level, all events include a product sampling element and mushroom giveaways, and the opportunity for mushroom growers to be personally involved in the grassroots promotion.
Metro events have been selected in premium markets with high traffic. The 3-day Melbourne event at Queen Victoria Market reported 1760 mushrooms on toast samples provided, with 2250 interactions. A huge impact!
Local Grower Involvement
Local growers will be invited to take part in their regions event, as many have a long history of being active in their local community, active with local media and have long-standing relationships with local businesses.
In regions where there are multiple growers, AMGA will need to manage relationships carefully to ensure each grower is represented equally, and no preferences are shown.
Managed by the AMGA, Local Growers will be invited to:
Be interviewed on-air about the mushroom growing process
Provide free mushrooms for product sampling and giveaways
Provide a display, showing the mushrooms growing process
Facilitate open days/ Farm tours
While local growers are invited to take part, all messaging will remain with the “Australian Mushrooms” brand and all promotional efforts will link back to the Australian Mushrooms channels.
While all activations were booked to deliver in FY22 (and some have indeed have been deployed), Hort Innovation and the AMGA made the decision to put the program on hold due to the supply shortage. The program is now booked for late July and August.
Regional Radio Events
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Star 106.3 – 4hr street team event 0730-1130 from Willows Sunday Markets. Chef cooking elevated mushrooms on toast. Inc. Advertising schedule
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Hit 100.7 – Toowoomba Farmers market, 3hr outside broadcast. Chef cooking mushrooms on toast. Inc. Advertising schedule
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Mix FM 97.3 – Erbachers independent greengrocer (46yrs), 3hr outside broadcast 1500-1800. Chef cooking mushrooms on toast. Inc. Advertising schedule
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Hot Tomato – HOTA Farmers Markets, 3hr outside broadcast 0800-1100. Chef cooking mushrooms on toast. Inc. Advertising schedule
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3BA – Tim Bones (Masterchef) at Ballarat Markets cooking mushroom toasties, 2hr outside broadcast 1000-1200. Inc. Advertising schedule
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Hit 91.9 – Heathcote on Show, 3hr outside broadcast 0900-1200. Chef cooking Mushroom Bruschetta. Inc. Advertising schedule
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Edge FM – 4hr live broadcast 0900-1300 from Fruits n Fare independent grocer. Chef cooked mushrooms on toast Inc. Advertising schedule
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Hit 104.9 – Albury Wodonga Farmers Markets. 4hr street team with live crosses 0800-1200 – Chef from Smart Hospitality Inc. Advertising schedule
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Hit 101.3 – Terrigal Beach Markets. 2hr pop up event with live crosses. Chef to cook mushrooms on toast. Inc. Advertising schedule
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Hit 106.9 – Newcastle Food and Flower Markets, Sandgate. 2hr outside broadcast 1000-1200 and chef. Inc. Advertising schedule
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Mix FM – 2hr roadside activation 1000-1200. Location TBC Inc. Advertising schedule
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Power 94.9 – Easts and Eats Event. 2hr pop up event, late afternoon. Chef cooking mushrooms on toast. Inc. Advertising schedule
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Nova – Callum Hann (Masterchef) 2hr cooking demonstration. Location TBC, likely the new food hall. Inc. Advertising schedule
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Nova – Odyssea restaurant featuring mushroom bruschetta on menu for a week. 2hr live cross event with chefs providing mushroom samples. Inc. Advertising schedule
METRO PRODUCT SAMPLING EVENTS
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Sampling events held at the Adelaide Central Markets for 3 consecutive Thursdays:
• 26 May 2022
• 2 June 2022
• 11 June 2022
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Sampling events held at the Queen Victoria Markets for 3 consecutive days. Each event is 9hrs.
• Thurs 30 June 2022
• Fri 1 July 2022
• Sat 2 July 2022
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Two Sampling events held Cambridge Markets events. Each event is 6hrs
• 12 June 2022
• 28 August 2022 “Christmas in July” (Postponed event)
