To connect the dots between greenhouse operations and their customers, Canadian Mucci Farms is launching a podcast called Spill the Greens. “We think it’s important for people to know who we are, and see this platform as an opportunity to introduce retailers and consumers to our amazing team through education and information about the greenhouse industry,” says Ajit Saxena with Mucci Farms.
“To many people, we are a brand or a product, but behind the logos and packaging there is a team of 1400 people dedicated to growing, packing, shipping and marketing high quality fresh produce. We hope to provide transparency through this platform, with an aim to increase awareness and consumer loyalty,” Saxena added. After months of research and preparation, the official launch is today, August 18.
How did the idea for a podcast start off? Saxena explained that Mucci Farms is always looking for new ways to enhance its online presence and marketing. “As a forward-thinking company, we regularly consider new digital opportunities to reach people, and given the current circumstances, that effort has undoubtedly increased,” Saxena shared. “Prior to working in produce, I worked in Radio Broadcasting for 6 years so the podcast space was naturally intriguing, but I wasn’t sure if we could create enough content for an engaging show worthy of a regular listenership.”
In February of this year, some of Mucci Farms’ marketing team members attended United Fresh’ Brandstorm event. One of the sessions at the event was called the Power of Podcasting which highlighted the benefits of the platform. “As we listened to the panelists, it became clear that we needed to take a deeper dive into the opportunity and really take a look at how much content we could create. It was obvious that this was a rising platform. After the event, we went home to Kingsville, did our research and then presented our findings to our team.”
Podcast host Ajit Saxena and Mucci's CEO Bert Mucci.
Research was convincing
Nielsen had a lot of real-time data on podcasts available. “There were a surprising amount of statistics that pointed to our general target demographic as big consumers of podcasts,” said Emily Murracas, Director of Marketing at Mucci Farms. “It was eye-opening to learn that the podcast platform is growing more rapidly than YouTube,” she added. “We were convinced it was a good idea and without hesitation, green lit the effort to begin its development.”
Today, earlier than planned, Mucci Farms launches its very first episode. “Originally, we were going to launch closer to PMA Fresh Summit,” said Murracas. “However, when circumstances changed in mid-March, and much of the world shifted online, it made sense for us to move up the date.”
Bridging the gap between grower and consumer
The main purpose of the podcast series is to bridge the gap between greenhouse operations and their customers, including retail buyers and end consumers. “More than ever before, consumers want to know where their food comes from and a podcast will allow us to provide detailed information in full context without time constraints,” commented Saxena. “With Spill the Greens, our goal is to educate retail staff and consumers on what we do, how we do it, and what the benefits are of greenhouse-grown produce.”
The first three episodes will feature Mucci Farms owners, starting with CEO Bert Mucci in today’s first episode. Spill the Greens can be found on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher, but also by going to a dedicated website: www.spillthegreens.com.
For more information:
Ajit Saxena
Mucci Farms
Tel: (+1) 519-326-8881
asaxena@muccifarms.com
www.muccifarms.com