Getting GF food samples for your support group

[aklap]

On April 19th, we attended the Thrive Allergy & Gluten-free Expo in Chicago.

I recommend everyone attend one of these events if one is anywhere near you. If you are a support group leader, I think it's even more important get to something like this. This event had speakers & demo events running all through out show. I'll cover this show's events in another post.

This particular one was dirt cheap [10.00 per day or two day pass for 15.00], however something like the GIG Annual Conference [which is on a much larger scale] is considerably more - but still worth it! CSA also holds their annual conference, but I've never been to one, so I don't know how much it costs.

Often times larger support groups will hold a GF Vendor Fair like NY's Suffolk County Celiac's GF Vendor Fair. This must be really cool!! Someday, I'll get there.

One of the great things about attending events like this is sampling all the great food. Probably not everyone in your support group will be able to attend something like that, so it's nice to be able to bring a bit it to them.

"I run a support group back home, do you
ever offer free samples to support groups?"




How do you do this? It's generally quite easy - you politely ask! As I was sampling their products, there's usually some other type of chit chat going on, so I'd ask "I run a support group back home, do you ever offer free samples to support groups?". You can see above and below the fruits of my "labor'. My experience with these vendors at both the 2005 GIG Conference and the 2009 Thrive Expo was fantastic! To be fair - I didn't have the support group in 2005, but the companies were still great when dealing with me. They're there to sell their product and to make an impression.

I've found that vendors/companies would rather get their product directly into the hands of those that will be purchasing it. What's a great way to do that? Offering samples to support groups - direct marketing is very effective.

I think the companies realize that we aren't always willing to purchase a product [in some cases due to the additional expense], when we don't know if we're really going to like it. Who likes to throw out an expensive product after only one bite? I think we've all been there - done that!

If you have a website or a blog, it doesn't hurt to mention that you'll post about their products after your group has sampled them.

We also plan to send handwritten thank you notes to those vendors that were so generous to us.

One other tip - visit the booths at the end of the day/event. You run risk of them running out of product, but you also gain the fact that they probably really don't want to lug that product back with them


Apple's Bakery & Deefields Bakery



Mary [the owner] of Apple's Bakery in Peoria, IL was extra gracious to us and gave us LOTS of product! Her only requirement - "Please let me know how the people liked them". Peg happened to be the one talking with Mary on this when I was listening to Cynthia Kupper, RD [always a treat!]

These cookies - are exceptional! Peg wanted one of the Coconut Meltways tonight for dessert. If a gluten eater wants one of these - you know they're good!

Peg also snagged me a crusty baguette from Deerfields Bakery.



Pamela's Products



Marion, the Community Relations Specialist at Pamela's Products was extra nice to me! As we were talking, she was tell me about a brand new product they were producing. It' a Corn Bread Mix. She was looking around the booth, pulled out a bag of this mix. She said "Here - you can be the first on the block to try this mix".


Andrea's Fine Foods



The gals at Andrea's Fine Foods were extra extra nice to us! They gave us Pumpkin Muffins, Dinner rolls, White Sandwich Bread, Oatmeal & Chocolate Chip Cookies! They did request that we put it in the freezer right away since our meeting isn't until May. They were even kind enough to hold it all, so we didn't have drag it around!
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[Home-Based-Mom]

Wow, Al!

You done good!
_________________
Sandi ~ learning to live in a world obsessed and infested with wheat.
"If it wasn't food 100 years ago, it isn't food now." Mike Huckabee
Support Operation Christmas Child

[cruelshoes]

That is one nice haul! The members of your group are going to be thrilled!

I have been amazed at how generous GF food companies are when I ask for samples for my group. The members of our support group always get really excited when they get to try new things. I live really close to the GIG head office, too, and that has been a great source for samples. Sometimes GF food companies donate their over-runs and short code stuff to GIG. It's been great for our group. I always tell people to come hungry!
_________________
-Colleen

Where are we going, and what am I doing in this handcart?

[Home-Based-Mom]

Hmmmm. I just might have to move back to Seattle!

OK - maybe not. I am kinda spoiled by the weather here!
_________________
Sandi ~ learning to live in a world obsessed and infested with wheat.
"If it wasn't food 100 years ago, it isn't food now." Mike Huckabee
Support Operation Christmas Child

[aklap]