Kate and I had an excellent time earlier this month at Expo West in Anaheim, CA, aka THE trade show for ALL THINGS GROCERY. Leading up to it, we weren’t sure we were even going to go: we couldn’t compete with the big brands, and we wondered if it would be worth the time and expense. But a week before, we decided to let go and just go.
Our goal was simple: we wanted to get the Love Grown name out there.
Big brands spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their Expo West booths – and they are ABSOUTELY amazing. It’s like a carnival, with row after row of beautifully designed experiences and people handing out samples and totes bags and goodies. We had a blast zigging and zagging through the halls, sampling everything under the sun (including far too many coffees for me each day).
We had no budget and no booth. So to achieve our goal, we had to get creative. That meant box-to-hand sampling.
Box-to-hand sampling (noun)– a cereal distribution technique where Kate(s) fill giant tote bags with cereal boxes, and walk up to unsuspecting showgoers offering to dump the cereal of their choice into their hands (with later travel from hand to mouth for tasting purposes). Modeled after “hand to hand combat” due to close proximity, but decidedly less violent.
Here’s what we learned:
1. You don’t need a booth to stand out and get great feedback.;
Walking the floor and “box-to-hand” worked great. And thanks to our friends at Sourmilk, we were able to compare this to sampling from a booth. While we were super grateful to sample with Sourmilk, we found it so much easier to just chat with people as we were walking the floor. Plus, it was way less pressure.
2. Our coffee is special.
We sampled a TON of coffee (to the point of feeling very jittery and a little ill) each day. I loved it, but I have to say - it really hit home just how special our coffee is. I couldn’t find anything that wasn’t in plastic (or cans), and nothing quite tasted or felt as good as Love Grown.
3. The love is real, and the beans are really different
From folks in the g-free community to our favorite guy working the Big Mozz booth while eating an entire box of Love Grown, it was clear that our samplers loved our cereal. Many hadn’t eaten cereal in years. Some were hesitant at first, but pleasantly surprised by the crunch, the flavor, and of course - the beans. It made it really clear to us just how important our beans are: they are seen as really unique and exciting. We left super invigorated and excited to get our cereal out in the world in a bigger way.
4. Make sure you secure those boxes when not in use.
Of course, no plan goes off without a hitch. For me, this was not remembering to close the cereal boxes when not in use, and led to me accidentally flinging an entire box of Chocostars at the De Soi booth while accepting a sample. It was a good laugh, but not quite the “attention grabbing” tactic I was planning to use.
5. Everyone in the food world is exceptionally kind.
The show is full of really kind people willing to help each other out. From the De Soi staff, who graciously helped us clean up the cereal I showered them with, to the many, many people willing to share great advice, feedback, and contacts, it was a great reminder of the amazing community we are part of.
6. It’s exhausting.
All the walking (tens of thousands of steps) and chatting and chewing and sipping had us hibernating for the weekend when we got home. Tiring, but so worth it.
7. Maybe, just maybe, having fun matters more than anything else.
We wondered if it would be worth going, and when it came down to it - it was. We got a lot out of it. But more than that, we had so much fun with friends old and new. We’re trying to build our company with that spirit in mind - that fun matters, and that it makes us better at what we do. This trip really solidified that belief.
We hope you enjoyed our little recap of Expo.
If you’re interested in trying our cereal, we can’t get you box-to-hand, but we do have a great deal running right now on our 3 pack cereal sampler.
As always, we are so grateful for you, our Love Grown community.
With love and beans,
Katie
