Sell those sandwiches

Insider tips for “artisan” food

By Culinate staff

March 16, 2011

The mighty global conglomerate Unilever — distributor of a wide range of goods, from Bertolli olive oil to Dove soap — has a website for sandwich purveyors called Sandwich Pro. A February post offered a primer on clever marketing and higher prices:

Since your customers are gradually becoming used to better ingredients on their sandwiches, they may need a little “push” to buy them. The more your customers know about what’s in their sandwich — and who’s providing it — the more open they will be to paying a premium price for it.

The entire post, in fact, displayed classic misuse of quotation marks while co-opting the terminology of the food-reform movement:

If you decide to upscale your sandwiches with artisan ingredients, promotion and merchandising are crucial to help differentiate your “handcrafted” specialties from ordinary sandwiches — and to justify the higher price point. Here are some ideas to consider:

• “Name-dropping” is one way to start: Using names of well-known artisan suppliers, such as Niman Ranch, on your menu will generate excitement and interest.
• Be descriptive. Use terms such as “local,” “regional”; and, of course, “artisan”; to help add value and lend an air of uniqueness. (“Local” is an especially attractive menu claim.)
• You may also want to consider posting a short bio with a picture of your provider to help customers make a “personal” connection. If your providers have a website, consider downloading their “About Us”; or biography page. Have it blown up as a signboard or place it in a plastic sleeve set on top of your sandwich counter.

Ka-ching!