Ford’s Gourmet Foods Awarded NA Marketer of the Year
Ford’s Gourmet Foods, the master distributor for North Carolina-produced brands including Wine Nuts, Fire Dancer Jalapeno Peanuts, Earth Family Organics & Naturals, Southern Yum Pecan Brittle and acclaimed Bone Suckin’ Sauces, started on a drop-down shelf in the Ford’s Produce warehouse and has been awarded the 2024 North American Marketer of the Year Award from The North American Agricultural Marketing Officials.
“Lynn and Sandi Ford and their family have been bringing quality products to market since 1946 at the old city market of Raleigh,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Their gourmet line really took off in 1992 when the entire family got involved and they began selling Bone Suckin’ Sauce at local retailers and at the State Farmers Market.
“Ford’s Gourmet Foods was built on hard work, service to customers and quality products. They embraced international marketing and worked closely with our staff to broaden their customer base. You can now find their products in over 80 countries,” Troxler said. “International markets hold tremendous growth opportunities for food businesses and farmers and we are committed to helping them get there.”
Ford’s Gourmet Foods is a fourth-generation, Raleigh, N.C.-based family business with a focus on making and distributing only the best. “We’re very proud as a company and as a family to receive this award and recognition,” said Vaughn Ford, vice president. “North Carolina is a great state to do business in and the Department of Agriculture has given us the support we needed.”
“The harder you work, the luckier you get,” said Patrick Ford, vice president. “This isn’t a journey you can do on your own, you have to nurture your relationships both with your customers and with government agencies. You need both to make it work and be successful. We are also appreciative to our great employees.”
Learn more about Ford’s Gourmet Foods
Learn more about Bone Suckin’ Sauce
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Nutritional Growth Solutions to Produce, Distribute The Healthy Chef in North America
Nutritional Growth Solutions Limited, a U.S.-based health, nutrition, and wellness company, has entered into an exclusive Intellectual Property License Agreement with The Healthy Chef Pty Ltd. to exclusively produce and distribute The Healthy Chef products in the United States and Canada.
The Healthy Chef was founded in Australia in 2006 by Teresa Cutter, a nutritionist, wellness coach and celebrity chef, with the premium brand reflecting her belief that wholefood nutrition is essential for optimal health and wellbeing. The Healthy Chef products are primarily sold through their Direct-To-Consumer eCommerce platform with a loyal Australian customer base, underpinned by a rich library of product innovation, content, cookbooks, recipes, and intellectual property, including seven U.S. trademarks.
Stephen Turner, NGS CEO and managing director, commented on signing the exclusive IP License Agreement: “We are thrilled to announce our strategic partnership with The Healthy Chef in North America, marking a pivotal step-change for the company. This milestone signifies our first IP licensing agreement to partner with synergistic Australian brands poised for success in the U.S. marketplace. This enhanced, capital light model leverages our existing team expertise, infrastructure and distribution platforms in the U.S., enabling the business to scale rapidly without needing additional capital or significant increases in corporate costs.”
The exclusive IP Licence will enable NGS to maximise its USA infrastructure and significantly fast track the path to positive cashflow and profitability with increased scale. The Healthy Chef provides a cornerstone comprehensive branded business that is:
- Highly complementary to the existing NGS business and Healthy Heights brand portfolio
- Synergistic opportunities to scale with operational cost optimization
- Increased quality revenue expected to be above US$1 million in the first year of trading
- High margin and profit accretive
- Combined online and offline distribution network in the USA with cross-selling opportunities
- Capable of seamless transition and integration with current USA operational model
- No significant additional corporate costs to grow the business at scale
NGS will engage Cutter as a consultant to provide the Company with services such as brand ambassadorship, and product and recipe development under a consulting services deed.
Cutter said, “This strategic partnership with an industry leader in nutrition offers an unrivaled opportunity for The Healthy Chef brand to reach millions more consumers seeking health and wellness products. Both businesses share a common vision regarding the future of food, health and wellbeing. I look forward to partnering with NGS in North America to represent and grow this amazing brand.”
The Healthy Chef is a premium producer of wellness and health products under the brand The Healthy Chef with a loyal customer base in Australia and significant library of product innovation, content and intellectual property generated over 17 years.
The Healthy Chef premium range of functional food products are proudly made in Australia from the purest wholefood ingredients with science-based formulations to deliver maximum health impact, and are free from gluten, fillers and sugar without compromising on taste.
Nutritional Growth Solutions is a U.S.-based health, nutrition, and wellness company. NGS develops, produces and sells clinically tested nutritional supplement formula for children following 20 years of medical research into pediatric nutrition at Schneider Children’s Medical Centre, Israel’s largest pediatric hospital. The nutritional supplements market has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, but most attention has been focused on adult users and children under three years of age. The three to twelve-year-old consumers represent a larger market opportunity and NGS is highly differentiated from its competitors with clinically tested products and an expanding product portfolio to capture this market opportunity.
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Ex-Football Player Clay Matthews Stars in Bar-S Parody Brand Spot
Former professional linebacker Clay Matthews takes on the role of Golden Locks in Bar-S Foods’ new parody brand spot, Golden Locks and the Three Fridges.
Bar-S consumers’ affinity for football, paired with the former pro athlete’s iconic long blonde hair, made Matthews the perfect celebrity partner for the campaign. Research showed that the fairytale theme would resonate with our target audience and their children, thus reinforcing the brand’s commitment to family-friendly values and accessible, delicious products.
“I loved being part of Bar-S Foods’ reimagined fairytale—it’s funny, clever, and guaranteed to make everyone smile,” said Matthews.
The 90-second parody commercial mirrors the original Goldilocks plot and supports the brand’s new tagline, “Bar-S. It’s Just Right.” However, rather than face a few bowls of porridge, Golden Locks has to choose from three refrigerators. The first is home to a loudly dressed designer meat “salesman” who offers Golden Locks name-brand meats that are way overpriced.
The second holds a roughly 40-year-old man who lives with his mom and has no taste or variety in his meal choices. It isn’t until he discovers the third fridge, stocked with Bar-S products, that Golden Locks finds the perfect balance of quality and value, appealing to his sense of taste and budget.
“Since the majority of our consumers have young children, we saw parody fairytales as the perfect vehicle for reaching the whole family,” said Linda Rodriguez, Bar-S’ marketing director. “The campaign not only showcases our diverse range of products but also highlights our dedication to providing exceptional value without compromising on taste.”
The creative strategy was orchestrated in collaboration with Heart & Soul Marketing, a full-service creative agency based out of Phoenix, Arizona. The campaign will be aired on CTV in select markets and across digital and social media.
To watch the full-length parody commercial visit this link and be sure to follow @barsfoods on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.
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