We talk a lot about the value of creating and sharing helpful content when it comes to increasing brand equity with consumers and retail partners. This is achieved through social media, helpful content on your website, downloadable information and more! But we have not really challenged you to think about using this same strategy to reach your foodservice partners as well – until now!

To help you get the wheels turning in that direction, we’re sharing four types of content that can deliver value to your foodservice customers:

1. What’s Available Now – Even though foodservice buyers are well-versed on the seasonality of fresh produce, they won’t necessarily know exactly how early or late your crop is looking in any given season and they may not be aware of all the items you offer. Keep your foodservice partners ‘in the know’ about what is available now, creative substitutions for your items in place of a typical recipe ingredient, or inspiration for seasonal flavors that could be a limited timeframe addition to the menu.
2. Yield/Usability – When sharing product information, help your customers easily understand yield for each of your pack sizes. Perhaps one product is better for a certain application over another for improved profitability of menu items. Maybe there is a labor savings component or a way to reduce food waste that can improve margins.  Use this opportunity to help your customers make educated decisions about product selections.
3. Menu Trends/Flavors – Keep customers up-to-date on food trends and popular menu dishes that can be easily made with the products you’re providing. Not sure where to begin? Try researching social media platforms to see what people are most excited about right now and what bloggers are emphasizing the most. For instance, are smoky flavors in? If you have products that taste great smoked or grilled, make that connection and show how menus can maximize relevance to these type of trends with your products.
4. Nutrition – People are becoming more acutely aware of the what and why of the food they’re putting in their bodies. How much fiber is there? Does it contain a good amount of vitamins? Are there any processed sugars? Not only are consumers asking these questions when making food purchases at retail, but they also want to understand the nutritional value of menu items.  Take the legwork out of nutritional analysis by including those details in your menu inspiration and by highlighting the health benefit of whatever nutritional component you are elevating at the time.

That’s not anything new and complicated, is it? You are probably already creating this information but have never really organized those efforts into a content marketing calendar and defined a plan to regularly deliver it up.  So now is your chance! Take the challenge and make 2016 the year that your content marketing incorporates both retail AND foodservice audiences.