Wholesome Sweeteners Brand Builds Following
isc | Feb 10, 2010
In today’s business-to-consumer world, brand values are everything. Companies that consistently offer consumers a product they enjoy and can believe in have the makings of a loyal customer base.
That’s the secret ingredient in the growing following behind Wholesome Sweeteners’ products and its Sugar Club.
Wholesome Sweeteners, Inc., a 50-percent-owned joint venture of Imperial Sugar Company, searches the world over to bring the “finest organic and natural sugar products from ethically and environmentally responsible growers and manufacturers” to North America.
Wholesome’s mission is right on time, as consumers become more aware of what’s going into the foods they eat and show increased interest in organic and sustainability issues.
“We use the Sugar Club as a vehicle for communicating our brand values,” said Pauline McKee, Wholesome’s vice president of marketing. “People are drawn to our brand because of the superiority of our products and the assurances we’re able to provide for food safety and quality.”
McKee said the Wholesome brand is being increasingly picked up in blogs, consumer ads and consumer-based publications, driving traffic to the Wholesome Sweeteners Website and, in turn, generating members for its Sugar Club.
The Sugar Club is part of Wholesome’s consumer communications, with its own Website and online newsletter. According to Wholesome’s Consumer Marketing Manager Karen Stevenson, who writes the newsletter, these are used as a resource to educate consumers about organics, the environment, and Fair Trade and the difference it makes.
Fair Trade means farmers are paid directly (without a middleman) and receive a set price for their crops that is fair and reliable. Under the leadership of its CEO, Nigel Willerton, Wholesome pioneered the certification process for Fair Trade Certified(tm) sugar and honey.
“For consumers, Fair Trade represents a personal value system and commitment to help support farming communities that are far beyond our shores and who for generations have been poorly paid for the hard work they do,” said Stevenson. “The Sugar Club provides the opportunity to create a relationship between the consumer and the farmer who are so very far away.”
Today, Wholesome Sweeteners is the category leader in Fair Trade Certified, organic and natural sugars, syrups, nectars and honeys.
On the lighter side, the Sugar Club sponsors recipe contests and other fun activities. A team at Wholesome evaluates recipe submissions and then posts its favorite online. In return for their time and energy, winners receive a box of sweet goodies.
“Where in the World” contests and activities incorporate a geographic aspect, highlighting the fact that all of Wholesome’s products come from various regions around the world, not from the United States.
“A lot of homeschoolers use our ‘Where in the World’ activities in their geography and geology lessons because we cover the plant science and ecosystems around our products’ sources,” said Stevenson.
The Sugar Club also introduces its 18,000 members to a number of celebrity chefs who have personally chosen the organic standards and Fair Trade activities of Wholesome Sweeteners. Background on these chefs, why they believe in Wholesome products and some of their recipes can be found on the company’s Website.
Wholesome Sweetener products are sold in such stores as Costco, Whole Foods, Kroger, Sprouts and through various food co-ops.
