On October 1, 2, and 3, 2024, Imalinx, together with the California Milk Advisory Board, participated for the third time in the Espacio Food & Service event in Santiago de Chile, Chile to continue developing relationships with key members of the dairy industry and generate new opportunities for different products such as cheese, butter, ice cream, among others.
The execution of the event included activities such as a presentation of the Chilean market by the United States Agro-Commercial Office in Chile, a visit to the most relevant supermarkets in the region and an area within Espacio Food & Service to do tastings of specialty cheese boards and pizza, appointments with more than 15 interested companies and the follow-up and presentation of promotional programs that the California Dairy Council can manage once the products are on the market.
“The participation of the California Milk Advisory Board in the show, together with the new trends that we see among consumers, will enhance the opportunity for new and specialty products to the Chilean market where we do not have such unique and differentiated varieties.” Dairy Importer in Chile.
USRPA (US Rice Producers Association) , in collaboration with the Colegio Superior de Gastronomía, organized a training session for 6th-semester students who were taking the course on grains and seeds. The event was attended by 14 students and aimed to instruct them on the advantages of using American long-grain rice. During the session, two recipes were developed: rice and shrimp croquettes, and orange rice pudding, where the star ingredient was American long-grain rice.
The collaboration between USRPA and the Colegio Superior de Gastronomía allowed for a theoretical class where the advantages and differentiators of American long-grain rice were explained. Subsequently, the students put these learnings into practice by developing the two mentioned recipes. All participants received a recognition for their participation, highlighting the importance of both practical and theoretical learning. The results of this session were highly positive.
The training session not only achieved its educational objectives, but also inspired students to explore new culinary possibilities with American long-grain rice.
Popcorn and CMAB participated as a sponsor in the event Restaurants Choice, organized by Players of Life, which awards the best restaurants in Monterrey and its metropolitan area. With the presence of international judges and more than 100 restaurateurs, including restaurant owners and directors of chains, the event focused on recognizing the best in each category.
During the event, they had a prominent presence on printed and electronic banners, as well as direct interaction with the restaurateurs and directors. The brand’s innovative programs were presented and collaboration opportunities were discussed, using various communication channels to ensure an effective message.
The results were notable: They achieved more than 30 direct contacts interested in future collaborations, and a large part of the attendees recognized the brands as a key player in the sector, strengthening its presence in the restaurant industry.
We had an approach with Pinche Gringo BBQ through the MLB event organized by the Agricultural Trade Office in Mexico city.
It is a chain with 8 restaurants in Mexico City. We saw a great opportunity to participate by integrating Idaho potatoes into some of their recipes and considering different types of support such as IPC-branded materials, uniforms, etc.
We committed to providing them with gradual support once the budget is finalized. Dubacano is the importer that delivers the potatoes to them on a weekly basis.
| Load | Weight in kg | Weight in lbs |
| Weekly load: 18 sacks | 405 | 891 |
| Monthly load: 72 sacks | 1,620 | 3,564 |
| Annual load: 864 sacks | 19,440 | 42,768 |
We have a Spuddy Buddy in LED that we will provide as part of IPC’s support materials.
All of these efforts will help us gain presence and raise brand awareness among their restaurant attendees.
They are very excited to work together to achieve the expected results for both parties.
An important support provided by Kiwi Zespri is the delivery of materials to traditional market vendors who handle the product. Some of the materials are: pennants, tarpaulins, recipe books, market bags, spoons, bin covers, borders, danglers and tasting boxes. These materials make Kiwi Zespri displays more visible and therefore sell more product.
Something new this year was the delivery of Zespri Umbrellas, which were very well received and have signaled the markets where our consumers now know where to find both Zespri Green and Zespri Sungold.
On August 8 and 9, Imalinx, in conjunction with the California Dairy Council and 5 cheese producers, visited the city of Querétaro to provide training to executives and store managers on products that bear the Real California Milk seal.
Mention client, association CMAB
The event was coordinated 3 months in advance to be able to adjust the agendas of Point Reyes, Di Stefano, Cheese Bits, Joseph Farms, and Vintage, prepare the presentations, send samples, and arrange the training for 40 people from HEB that included executives, regional managers from Bajío, store managers, and deli managers.
In addition to the presentations, there were Q&A sessions, as well as a guided tasting by Joe Baird, The Cheese Monger at CMAB, to discuss the flavor profiles of some cheeses, ways to use them, and how to pair them.
Within the trip and the activity, tastings were also coordinated in 3 HEB stores to promote the products with the end consumer.
“Thank you for the support. With these activities we can boost sales and commitment of the stores and collaborators to increase product sales!” HEB Regional Buyer
California Raisins actively participated in Expo Mexipan 2024, the most important bakery industry event in Mexico, which gathered processors, distributors, and consumers from across the country. This was a unique opportunity to strengthen the presence of California Raisins in the Mexican market and position them as a premium choice in bakery and pastry products.
During the event, the California Raisins team held meetings with over 50 processors, who showed significant interest in incorporating California Raisins into their products. Additionally, we engaged with more than 100 consumers, who provided positive feedback and expressed their preference for the taste and quality of our raisins.
On behalf of Zespri kiwifruit, Imalinx coordinated a display contest called Kiwi Fest 2024 in HEB stores, focused on promoting Zespri SunGold kiwifruit.
The contest consisted of a point-of-sale display competition, with the goal of increasing SunGold visibility, improving brand recognition and driving sales.
Over four weeks, stores competed in categories such as highest sales generated and most creative display.
The results showed a 32% increase in sales and a 15% increase in units sold, reflecting the success of the initiative in generating engagement and growth.
As part of the WUSATA program for Mexico in 2024, an inbound trade mission focused on agricultural products was coordinated, which was led by Imalinx-Mexico, acting as the representative in the country. The mission took place from July 7 to 12, 2024.
The main objective of this trade mission was to educate suppliers from the western United States about the Mexican market. Attendees had the opportunity to meet key contacts within the Mexican import industry and establish one-on-one relationships. Trade visits included tours of the facilities and fields of American companies. The final delegation consisted of five Mexican importers from different regions of Mexico. They met with ten suppliers and visited seven packing plants.
Key Points:
As part of IPC’s retail support efforts, we held l Potato Lover’s Month from April 8, 2024, to May 17, 2024, with the goal of increasing the supply and sales of Idaho potatoes in participating stores.
POS materials were sent out and used for displays. Store staff were assisted with setting up and maintaining the displays. The stores with the highest increase in sales were the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. The displays were posted on the Idaho Potato Facebook Page and were put to a vote based on the number of likes to determine a winner.
The Potato Lovers Month at HEB in 2024 was a success with unit sales increasing over 50%, thanks to the participation and enthusiasm of the managers and associates at each store.