MINNEAPOLIS — Picture thousands of people paying $50 each to sample your cheese. You give them a brief pitch about your product and then a coupon or a sheet containing cheese and wine pairing suggestions to help them remember you and your brand the next time they head to the dairy case or the deli. And then they move on to the next cheese or wine display while you greet the next consumer in a growing crowd surrounding your cheese.

Sound too good to be true? A group of Upper Midwest cheese companies has discovered that it isn't.

This year's "Twin Cities Food & Wine Experience," held earlier this month in Minneapolis, attracted 12,500 consumers during its three-day run, giving cheese companies that exhibited just such a chance to talk one-on-one with consumers. Several cheese companies and marketers, most sharing a booth organized by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB), were there, showcasing their cheeses for a group of consumers that is decidedly knowledgable about food — and willing to pay to learn about it, considering the $45 advance admission fee and the $50 charge at the door.

"People at this show are the ones who buy your cheese," says Rob Ropson, regional sales manager, BelGioioso Cheese, about why BelGioioso exhibits as part of WMMB's booth. "They're the right type of consumers."

"People that come here are looking for product to buy," adds John Landmeyer of Deli & Dairy Solutions, who was representing Union, N.J.-based Arla Foods' Wisconsin-made cheeses at the show as part of the booth organized by WMMB.

Though they already tend to be educated about food, the show also gives consumers a chance to learn more about cheeses they don't know as much about — such as the fact that Crystal Farms has high-quality Havarti available in the dairy case, says Paul Keefe, regional sales manager, Midwest Division, Crystal Farms, Minneapolis.

The "Food & Wine Experience" is organized and produced by Minnesota Monthly and the show's presenting sponsor is Lunds & Byerly's, a chain of specialty grocery stores in Minnesota. Lunds & Byerly's took center stage at the event, with a curtained center area featuring a variety of foods from Tuscany, including imported cheeses incorporated into appetizers and other recipes. Long lines of consumers waited for their chance to step inside the curtain and try the delicacies the store was featuring.

The show, attendees say, is about letting consumers know about their products and how to use them. For example, in WMMB's booth one evening during the show, Organic Valley/Coulee Region Organic Produce Pool dairy producer members Mike and Linda Noble talked to passersby about the benefits and quality of organic products. And on the other side of the booth, a Sargento Foods representative showed pictures of recipes that Sargento products can be used to make. Many companies featured coupons.

Meanwhile, across the show floor, Schroeder Milk Co. Inc., a fluid processor in the St. Paul area, featured the company's dairy products in recipes for consumers to try. Not only does his company offer high-quality products, Bob Schroeder Jr. notes, it also offers value-added service like home delivery in some areas.

"It only makes sense to be at a show where people are looking for value-added," he says, adding that for his company the local show helps get consumers more familiar with the Schroeder label since a lot of the company's product isn't sold under its own label.

It also gives companies a chance to see consumers try their products.

"You're dealing with consumers and getting their true reaction. At other shows with retailers it's a little different mind-set," says Leo Malone, sales and marketing manager, Antigo Cheese Co., who also exhibited at the WMMB booth.

The event attracts a wide range of consumers who are serious about food but who are also out looking for a fun few hours. One of the largest apparent differences in marketing towards consumers at a show such as this compared to a show directed toward retail buyers was the atmosphere. Instead of it being an event where companies "work" the show floor, couples would make the event their date for the evening, enjoying food and wine.

"It's fun," says Dawn Gindt, sales support, Dan Carter Inc., who was representing cheese from Auricchio Americano, Meister Cheese, Park Cheese and Salemville Cheese at the WMMB booth.

Bass Lake Cheese Factory's Julie Erickson agrees, noting that it's also a good promotional tool.

While some companies make a show like this just a part of their overall event marketing scheme, Erickson says that this is only show that the Somerset, Wis., company participates in annually.

"This is our main show," she says, noting that between in-store sampling and the "Food & Wine Experience" the western Wisconsin company is able to make important inroads and relationships with its Twin Cities customers.

The show also gives the company good exposure to distributors and chefs, she notes.

While the "Food & Wine Experience" is about reaching the end customer — the consumer — the show also may have indirect benefits in helping companies reach retailers who might one day carry their products — or more of them.

While many attendees note that they have good distribution in the area — hence their reason for participating in a show with mostly local appeal — not all stores carry all products. But by giving consumers the opportunity to try cheeses they might not otherwise get the chance to try raises the possibility that consumers will then ask the retailers to carry the cheeses they don't have.

It's difficult to quantify how much cheesemakers get out of an event such as this one in terms of added sales.

David Leonhardi, Midwest regional marketing manager, WMMB, says that cheesemakers will see a marginal lift in sales from the show but they'll also see an increased awareness of the product and what to do with it.

"It's like a successful in-store demo without being in the store," Leonhardi says.

"It's not so much what happens during the weekend as how it influences consumers over the next 52 weeks," he adds.

Furthermore, the show gives cheese companies the ability to see a lot more customers than they would in an in-store demo.

WMMB also works to make sure that the money invested in the show isn't just limited to show attendees either.

As a co-sponsor of the "Food & Wine Experience," WMMB was featured in all of the advertising leading up to the event and also had a full page "Wisconsin cheese" ad in the show booklet available at Lunds & Byerly's stores prior to the event.

WMMB also co-sponsored two special events surrounding the show — the "Girls Night Out!" and the "Grand Red Tasting." Both events included Wisconsin cheese, including some from companies who didn't exhibit.

Of course, a show like this isn't the only way to reach consumers. In fact, Leonhardi notes that this show is really the only food and wine show for consumers that operates at this level.

California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) Director of Communications Services Nancy Fletcher says CMAB doesn't usually participate in consumer food shows because it has found at this point its money is better spent in other areas such as sampling. Independently, though, many cheese companies participate in food and wine shows and farmers markets, she adds.

CMAB has become very involved in working with "food influentials" such as chefs and food writers, Fletcher notes. Besides working closely with the Culinary Institute of America, CMAB also is involved with cooking classes such as those at Home Chef, where 20-30 people at a time will pay about $65 each to learn more about cheese. CMAB also is continuing to see an increasing number of cheese courses on the menus of upscale establishments, she notes.

WMMB's staff also agrees that working with restaurants is an important tool, and it uses the "Food & Wine Experience" as a jumping off point for working with chefs as well. Over the past four years, WMMB's participation in the show has had a positive influence on the use of Wisconsin cheese in at least a dozen upscale restaurants, Leonhardi says.

WMMB also has chefs come to the booth at the event to generate interest.

This year, WMMB's booth featured chef Kim Aubol, making Cherryville Amish Blue Toasts and Gingerville Amish Blue Toasts with Salemville Blue Cheese, and Kevin Cullen, executive chef, Goodfellow's, making shrimp tacos with Sargento's four cheese blend. In addition, chef and cheese carver Allen Hendricks did a cheese carving of the many buildings of the downtowns of Minneapolis and St. Paul, including the state capitol.

Those activities generated a lot of free media attention in the days leading up to and during the event, notes Debbie Crave, director of trade events and communications, WMMB. All told, WMMB garnered five television spots as well as print coverage. In addition, a radio interview with Crave was sent to 60 radio stations.

With the Twin Cities so close to home and so much Wisconsin cheese sold there, WMMB strives to "work" the show and make the most out of participation, Crave says.

"It's one of our key markets and a great event," she says.

CMN