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Article released on: November 27, 2007

Healthy Frozen Potato Campaign Conects with Korean Consumers

International Success Healthy Frozen Potato CampaignConnects With Korean Consumers Creating a positive profile increases export, retail opportunities First came acrylamide, and then there was transfat. Would there be an end to the health concerns by Korean consumers with US frozen potato products? In 2007, the Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) announced a new act requiring the labeling of all transfat content in packaged foods. Complying with this announcement by the KFDA, frozen potato importers/distributors and major Hotel Restaurant Institutions (HRI) decided to switch to zero transfat fries. US fries had become one of the most readily mentioned food items referred to by the media when alerting the public to findings about transfat in foods. The acrylamide issue and a constant barrage of criticism on fast food had already prompted large Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) such as Lotteria, McDonald’s and Burger King to close outlets during 2005. For years, shoestring fries in QSR channels have dominated the frozen potato sector. With changing lifestyles and food-trends, the health conscious Korean consumers were developing increasingly poor perceptions about fried foods, which affected fry sales. While this was occurring, some conventional retailers were also removing frozen potato products from their frozen aisles. Korea is the fourth largest importer of US frozen potatoes. While this country produces an irregular supply of fresh potatoes, it doesn’t have a domestic frozen potato processing industry, so all frozen potato products are imported. Although Korea has some agricultural resources, the country imports between 60 to 70 percent of all its food. The majority of frozen potato sales lie in US hands, with 68 percent of the total market share. Recognizing the health concerns about fried, US frozen potatoes, the United States Potato Board (USPB) determined that a Korean “Healthy Potato” nutrition campaign was needed to respond to the growing concerns about frozen potatoes. A detailed program was designed to inform consumers about potatoes and their fit with healthy lifestyles. “In order to change the image of US frozen potatoes, a healthy potato campaign was launched with retail sales promotions helping to support new sales and secure market availability,” said Susan Weller, manager USPB International Marketing. “Through various kinds of public relations events including cooking classes, advertorials, feature articles in popular magazines and newspapers and television cooking shows, USPB Korea increased awareness of US frozen potatoes as healthy and convenient. Simultaneously, through ongoing new product launching retail promotional support, a total of eight new products were launched at five retail chains, in a total of 35 stores nationwide.” Some of the new frozen products introduced into the retail channel during the campaign were frozen dices, frozen whole potatoes, deli wedges, potato mini-pancakes, basket weave potatoes as well as flavor coated fries. In the past, frozen potato products at retail only included shoestrings and crinkle cut fries, and these were simply as fries only. These new products were introduced with various cooking alternatives like baking or pan frying—the most common preparation methods in Korea.By creating new products, new recipes and developing retail channel opportunities, consumers were engaged on a new level. To offset the acrylamide and transfat issues, potato nutrition was communicated in each aspect of the campaign. Television cooking shows and classes featured new products and innovative recipes with US frozen potatoes. A cooking instructor was hired to develop and present frozen potato recipes based on themes like: “Quick and Easy Recipes,” “Recipes for Kids,” “Party Dishes” or “Brunch Recipes.” Some of the cooking classes were hands-on sessions, and some were simple cooking demonstrations. Each session included presentations about potato nutrition followed by US frozen potato attributes. Advertorials were produced to introduce the new frozen potato products along with information about retail locations where these were available. New recipes using frozen potatoes like “Potato Mango Salad,” “Basil Potato Bruschetta,” “Oregano Flavored Roasted Potato Salad” and “Balsamic Sauce Potato Eggplant Roll” were introduced on television cooking shows. Articles showing the convenience and nutritional benefits of frozen potatoes appeared in national papers and magazines.A new Healthy Potato Korean website was created, which is more consumer targeted, presenting potato nutritional value and interesting potato stories. All media events were linked to the Healthy Potato website. The trade and consumer media were monitored regularly, and the Korean website was managed regularly. “In addition to the cooking classes, articles, arranging cooking shows, and producing advertorials, we did retail promotions that helped launch the new value-added US frozen potato products in stores, where consumers who previously learned about the frozen potato recipes, could actually purchase these new products,” said Shin-Hyung Chung, Korean market representative for the USPB. “At the promotions, in-store demonstrators showed how to make simple recipes next to the product displays.” In each activity, the nutrition and convenience of frozen potatoes were presented. The whole tone was positive and invited consumers to consider the healthy aspects of frozen potatoes, like vitamin and mineral content, instead of acrylamide and transfat concerns. As a result of the campaign, US frozen products are more readily available at retail with a lot more variety. The USPB’s frozen activities in Korea have made a positive impact in expanding US frozen potato usage and sales.

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