Product sampling, a familiar concept in the CPG world, has evolved beyond its traditional marketing role. It’s now emerging as a crucial player in the sustainable movement within the industry. This approach not only drives sales but also addresses the urgent problem of food waste. Let's explore the diverse benefits of sampling, and how it can make a difference, one sample at a time.
Uncovering Consumer Cravings
The power of sampling lies in its ability to uncover consumer cravings. By harnessing this strategy, brands can capture real-time customer feedback and adjust their offerings accordingly. This ensures that only products with proven demand are produced in larger quantities. It's a win-win situation for all: customers discover products they enjoy, and companies can release items more likely to sell, thus reducing unsellable stockpiles.
At HelloFresh, we've embraced sampling within our sustainability initiatives. Through our partnership program, we send free samples of food or beverage products to our customers with their weekly deliveries and then collect feedback through surveys. This allows us to gauge customer satisfaction, enabling us to optimize our inventory and menu accordingly. This approach has not only minimized food waste but also enhanced our customers’ overall HelloFresh experience.
We’ve seen the same positive impact with our partners. For example, when a well-known chocolate brand collaborated with us on a sampling campaign, we distributed samples to 40,000 households across Canada. The goal was to gather authentic feedback on one of their existing product lines. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with the chocolate receiving an impressive average rating. This exercise wasn't just pleasing for our customers, but also provided the chocolate brand with invaluable insights, helping them refine their marketing strategies and product offerings.
View the case study to read the full story.
Turning the Tide on Food Spoilage
The perishability of refrigerated items presents an ongoing challenge in preventing spoilage. Food sampling offers an innovative solution by transforming potential waste into an opportunity for consumer engagement. Instead of throwing out products nearing their expiration date, they could be used as a marketing tool. By sampling these products, it mitigates food spoilage and has a significant impact on reducing overall waste. And since our HelloFresh boxes provide cold storage, it’s a great sampling option for perishable items, like dairy products.
From Food Waste to Want: Repurposing the Unsellable
Every company is familiar with the challenge of dealing with unsellable product lines. Beverage and food sampling provides a creative outlet for repurposing these items, preventing them from becoming waste. This strategy not only salvages products that might otherwise contribute to the growing issue of retail waste but also has the potential to convert trial into purchase.
Packaging with Purpose
Companies are becoming more conscious of the environmental impact caused by packaging waste. Product sampling serves as a platform for showcasing innovative and eco-friendly packaging solutions, enabling CPG brands to demonstrate their dedication to sustainability, and potentially influence practices across the industry. For example, our boxes are made from post-consumer recycled fibers and are 100% recyclable.
Embrace the Sample
Product sampling is not just a marketing tool but a way to create a more sustainable and customer-centric retail environment. For brands aiming to reduce food waste and strengthen their connection with customers, sampling could be a good option.
Are you interested in our product sampling program or a different type of partnership? Contact us. We’d love to hear from you.
