Grocer Milks Cause Marketing to Save Local Farms
For some time Hannaford Supermarkets has been a friend of local providers of eggs, fruits, vegetables and other goods to its customers. Hannaford's program, Close to Home, spans five states, aids local businesses and reduces its carbon footprint. The grocer saw the opportunity to extend their work with local growers with Keep Local Farms, a broad effort to stabilize and enhance milk income for dairy farmers in the Northeast.
Hannaford will support the initiative in three ways:
- Promotional materials on the program in its 171 stores.
- A passive point-of-sale program that will allow consumers to donate $2 or $5 to the cause.
- Ten cents of every reusable bag sold will benefit the cause.
I really admire Hannaford's commitment to local growers, and this program will take it to new heights. While I'm not a big fan of passive point-of-sale programs (as opposed to active programs which involve an "ask" at the register), I think Hannaford's commitment to local farms and shopper familiarity with Close to Home will drive donations.
Hannaford is a good-size grocer here in New England and could partner with any cause they want. Not long ago I even pitched them on a health-related cause marketing program for my charity. But they've stayed true to their values and focused on the environment and local agricultural and husbandry.
The seeds they have sown have reaped rewards for local growers, their customers and, I'm sure, their business. Keep Local Farms is a great example of how a regional grocery chain and nonprofit are working to make a big difference in their communities.
