Helping Maine Food and Beverage Companies Expand Regionally and Nationally
Main Program Elements:
MarketShare participants receive personalized guidance from a dedicated, full-time program manager with extensive food industry experience. Our program manager will work closely with you to understand your company's specific business needs and develop tailored strategies for growth.
The MarketShare program includes an initial marketing and sales assessment, followed by recommended growth strategies, professional coaching and mentoring from food industry experts, access to valuable market and consumer data, and industry-specific workshops
Tailored Marketing & Sales Assessment
The program begins with an internal review of current markets served, distribution networks, identifying opportunities and gaps and discussing next steps for market development.
Professional Coaching by Food Industry Experts
Members are matched with mentors from MCE’s Maine Mentor Network based on individual company needs. Our mentor network includes experts in the food industry with private sector experience including business development capacities in: the natural products and specialty food sectors, mass grocery and consumer packaged goods (CPG), e-commerce, convenience and big box stores, foodservice distribution networks, food & beverage marketing and social media, compliance and finance, among other fields.
Market & Syndicated Consumer Data
Companies have access to Nielsen and SPINS Satori syndicated data, retail, foodservice and distributor listings through Seafax's Eureka!, trend reports, as well as access to technical assistance advisors who work one-on-one helping businesses incorporate data and findings into their strategies and sales materials.
MarketShare includes an annual Expert Connect membership to EmergeCPG.
Education & Networking
MCE hosts relevant webinars and workshops featuring speakers with expertise in the grocery, retail, e-commerce and foodservice industry sectors. Most webinars are recorded and can be watched "on demand". MarketShare members also have free access to the Emerge bi-weekly webinars featuring food industry experts from around the country.
One of the most valued benefits of joining the MarketShare program is the internal networking that takes place among the participating companies. MarketShare's Workshops and Business Roundtables allow companies to develop meaningful business relationships with like-companies in Maine, share resources & contacts and learn best practices for success in the food sector.
Results
The MarketShare program was launched in August of 2019. To date 55 companies have participated in the program, resulting in 150 new jobs and over $75M in additional revenue to the state of Maine. Hear what these Maine industry leaders have to say:
"The MarketShare mentorship and data access has been a huge asset to our sales team and reaching our goals. It has given our team insight into CPG trends, category growth and areas of opportunity, as well as specific tools to use in national sales meetings and internal growth strategies. As Atlantic Sea Farms pioneers a new category in fresh domestic seaweed, having accurate data that supports our efforts, and rapid growth is incredibly valuable. Any entrepreneur in Maine looking for industry mentorship or access to industry and consumer data should look into becoming a member. "
-Zoe Croft, Retail Sales Manager, Atlantic Sea Farms
“MarketShare’s Nielsen data, webinars, and workshops featuring speakers from national foodservice, retail, and market analytics companies, have been timely as we develop new ways to increase retail presence and shelf space with our new frozen product lines.”
- Irene Moon, VP of Marketing, Bristol Seafood
“MarketShare’s mentors and webinars have provided us with great information and feedback on critical areas such as assessing our grocery trade promotion programs, increasing our retailer e-commerce sales, and leveraging our presence at trade shows. This is a great program for companies looking to expand their presence in the grocery and natural food sectors!”
- Colleen Craig, Brand Marketing, Wyman’s
Current MarketShare Companies:
Angie’s Lobster, Allagash Brewing, Atlantic Sea Farms, Bangs Island Mussels, Bar Harbor Foods, Bixby & Co., Blackstone Point Oyster, Bristol Seafood, Browne Trading, Coffee by Design, Community Shellfish, Cooke Inc, Cozy Harbor Seafood, Downeast Dayboat, Get Maine Lobster, Good To-Go, Grandy Organics, Green Bee, Greenhead Lobster, Harvesting Good, Healing Home Foods, Heiwa Tofu, Luke’s Lobster, Maine Coast Sea Vegetables, Maine Crisp Company, Maine Food Group, Maine Grains, Mere Point Oyster, Mook Sea Farm, Mom’s Munchies, Mousam Valley Mushrooms, North Spore, Nova Seafood, Ocean's Balance, Passamaquoddy Wild Blueberry Co., Pemberton’s Gourmet Foods, Raye’s Mustard, Ready Seafood, Rupee Beer, Springworks Farm, Thirty Acre Farm, Three of Strong and Wyman’s Blueberries.
Timeline & Eligibility
MarketShare is a 12-month membership program and applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Applicants should be value added food, beverage, aquaculture or agriculture companies who have a proven sales history, have dedicated resources to sell out-of-state, are looking to secure more grocery and retail shelf space, and/or are interested in growing foodservice distribution. Participants will be selected into the program based on their readiness to expand their distribution and grow their business. Key consideration factors will include:
· Compliance with food safety and labeling requirements
· Current sales in the retail, grocery, e-commerce and/or foodservice sectors
· Understanding of product costs, profitability and capacity for market development
· Dedicated sales personnel
· Compelling product value proposition and ability to scale to regional/national distribution
Membership Cost
The MarketShare program offers remarkable value to businesses looking to expand distribution. Through our partnership with FocusMaine and the support of our generous sponsors, we offer this 12-month membership program at a reduced cost of $400 per company with less than $3 million in revenue and $700 for companies above that threshold.
Ready to Explore? Contact Naomi Neville to get started!