Marketing & Promotion
Creating the tools you need
This Ain’t No Ordinary Chicken
• Conventional farmers have a huge array of
materials and resources available to them
• Outside the conventional box there is
nothing
• Create your own
Have a story
See, Smell & Taste
• Engage all the senses
• Create good visuals – posters, labels,
website, displays, table tents
– Show the animals
– Show the product
– Show the farm & the farmers
• Cook it – bring the aroma
• Offer free samples
• Provide recipes
See, Smell & Taste
• Can’t afford the fancy visuals?
– Photograph the farm
– Photograph the family
– Photograph what you do
Sales
• Know the rules of salesmanship
– Greeting
– Dress
– Etiquette
– Promptness
– Be an expert on your product
Be Honest
• About the product
– How does it look?
– How does it cook? (apron cards)
– How does it taste?
Be Honest
• About what you can deliver
– Don’t promise the impossible to get the sale
– Develop a reputation for quality and integrity
– Know when to say “yes” and when to say “no”
Know the Product
Definitions of Products Based on Standard Breeds of Chickens
Product Standard Breed(s) Age Dressed Weight
Cornish Game Hen Cornish 6 weeks 1 ½ pounds
Fryer American Class including 12 – 15 weeks 3 – 4 pounds
Plymouth Rock,
Buckeye, Wyandotte,
and others.
Broiler American Class 16 – 17 weeks 4 ½ pounds
Roaster Jersey Giant 20 – 24 weeks 5 – 6 pounds
Stewer All breeds 6 – 7 months 6+ pounds
Know the Product
Chicken Products
Whole Roasters CA cut Deboned &
•2 legs Deskinned
•90% of market
•2 thighs
•Breast meat
•3# •2 wings
= $5.50/#
•Split breast
•Cost: $8.50
•Dark meat =
•Sell for $11 •2.5 # $2.00/#
•Cost: $9.50
•Sell for
Timing & Cost
• Majority of cost is in first 5 weeks
• Bigger chicken brings less per pound
– 1.5 pound dressed = $5.00 / pound
– 3.5 pound dressed = $4.00 / pound
– 5–6 pound dressed = $2.50 / pound
Know the Market
• Fresh • Wholesale
• Refrigerated • Retail
• Frozen • Direct to Consumer
• Whole Bird
• Cut Up (California Cut)
• Specialty Cuts
• Breast
• Deboned & skinned
• Dark meat
Invite the Public
• Open the doors to the farm
– Have a bio-security plan and stick to it
– But make them feel welcome!!
– Be candid
Invite the Chefs
• Restaurant day at the
farm
– Invite chef, owners
AND wait staff
– Show, tell, share,
listen
– Provide table cards
(cheap advertising)
– Be candid
Get It In Writing
• Contracts answer questions
about who is responsible for
what
– Contracts with farmers
– Contracts with buyers
– Contracts with transport
Generating Visibility
• Access
• Expertise
• Internet
• Quality
• Other
Push -- Pull
Quantity
Quality
Push -- Pull
Genetic Diversity (Healthy)
Genetic Uniformity
Product
Variability
Product
Consistency