Side by Side: New Holiday Promo Mashes Up Idaho® Potatoes, Litehouse® Herbs
EAGLE, ID, July 31, 2019 – Two category leaders are spicing up both side dishes and produce sales with a new retail promotion for the 2019 holiday season. The Idaho Potato Commission and Litehouse®, Inc. are partnering on freestanding display units with coupon pads for the “Mix, Mash & Be Merry” promotion running from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31. The coupon offers shoppers $1 off any Litehouse® freeze-dried herb with the purchase of a 5-pound bag of Idaho® potatoes. The shipper, billed as a holiday sides destination, features two cases each of four Litehouse®herb products: chives, garlic, parsley, and poultry herb blend.
“Our freeze-dried herbs are a perfect match for Idaho® potatoes,” said Theresa Lindholm, brand manager for Sandpoint, Idaho-based Litehouse®. “Who isn’t buying potatoes for their holiday meals? And our biggest seasonality is for the holidays, when fresh herbs aren’t in season.” Litehouse®’s freeze-drying process locks in flavor to deliver the taste and aroma associated with freshly picked herbs—with no prep time or food waste and a three-year shelf life. Compared with dried herbs, Litehouse® freeze-dried herbs have bolder flavors, brighter colors and stronger smells. Package labels note the fresh product equivalent inside each jar, highlighting the value of the freeze-dried herb option.
“Holiday cooks are looking for ways to make their lives easier at this hectic time of year, and the promotion shows them how convenient it can be to create a high quality side dish,” said Lindholm. “Different herbs can make good garnishes for potato side dishes or add to the flavor of a favorite potato recipe. The poultry herb product offers even more convenience, with a blend of herbs that would be delicious with potatoes and with stuffing for the Thanksgiving turkey.”
Versatile Litehouse® freeze-dried herbs can boost flavor and eye appeal of traditional potato dishes.
“With the strong market penetration of both Idaho® potatoes and Litehouse® herbs, we anticipate that this will be an exceptional sales driver for retailers,” said Seth Pemsler, vice president of retail and international for IPC. “It’s the ideal launch platform for the new crop of Idaho® potatoes this fall, and a great incentive for shoppers to purchase 5-pound bags during the upcoming holiday season.” In addition to setting up the shipper next to 5-pound bags of Idaho® potatoes in the produce aisle, retailers can incorporate the holiday sides promotion into an ad without taking a markdown. Kent Beesley, IPC’s retail promotion director, West, said he is advising retailers to position the Litehouse®/IPC shipper alongside secondary displays to maximize sales during the promotional period. “We ran a test with a major retailer that proved secondary displays will give you a 22 percent higher dollar sales lift for the time that the displays are up,” Beesley said. "And I think this holiday herb and potato promotion will be really big, especially for Thanksgiving. It’s a great tie-in."
About The Idaho Potato Commission
Established in 1937, the IPC is a state agency responsible for promoting and protecting the famous “Grown in Idaho®” seal, a federally registered certification mark that assures consumers are purchasing genuine, top-quality Idaho® potatoes. Idaho’s growing season of warm days and cool nights, ample mountain-fed irrigation, and rich volcanic soil give Idaho® potatoes their unique texture, taste and dependable performance. These ideal growing conditions are what differentiates them from potatoes grown in other states. For more information, visit www.idahopotato.com.
About Litehouse®
Litehouse®, Inc. started in the Hope, Idaho restaurant of the Hawkins family over 50 years ago. Since that time, it has become a leader in refrigerated salad dressings, dips, cheese and other innovative consumer packaged goods, manufacturing these delicious products at its five U.S. facilities based in Idaho, Michigan and Utah. Litehouse®offers its diverse portfolio of products through general retail, e-commerce, foodservice, deli, member stores, and value-added goods where Litehouse® products are featured in meal and salad kits. Litehouse® is proud to be 100% employee-owned and each one of the employee owners carries on the high standards of quality and innovation. For more information, visit www.litehousefoods.com.
