Mindshare Supports Mie Prefecture’s “Mie Food Culture Pitches” Business Matching Event for Local Food Producers

As part of a commissioned project promoted by the Food Innovation Division of Mie Prefecture’s Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to communicate the appeal of prefectural agricultural, forestry and fishery products and expand supply chains, the business matching event “Mie Food Culture Pitches,” planned and operated by H.I.S. Co., Ltd., was held. At the event, local businesses from Mie Prefecture gave presentations to approximately 50 chefs and buyers from inside and outside the prefecture, followed by buffet-style tasting and business discussions. Mindshare was responsible for holding a pre-event online seminar to prepare participants for their presentations, as well as post-event review and feedback. The project is titled “Commissioned Work to Expand Supply Chains by Leveraging New Distribution Models Through the Promotion of the Appeal of Prefectural Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Products.” The event name was “Mie Food Culture Pitches,” hosted by the Food Innovation Division of Mie Prefecture’s Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and planned and operated by H.I.S. Co., Ltd. Mindshare’s role was to provide a brand-building seminar for Mie product businesses under the theme “What product strengths should be communicated?” Mindshare held the pre-event online seminar so that participating local businesses could effectively communicate the appeal of their products within the limited time of three minutes. The seminar explained the concept of viewing a brand not merely as name recognition or a premium image, but as a “promise to customers,” and introduced a framework for organizing product value into “basic value” and “peripheral value.” The seminar also covered how to identify the strengths that should be communicated by looking from three perspectives: listening to or observing customer feedback, understanding the target audience, and knowing the competition. Based on the idea that the clarity of a presentation is determined more by structure than by speaking style, Mindshare presented a basic presentation format for chefs and buyers: first communicate on-site benefits, then explain the commitments and background supporting those benefits, and finally provide product details and supply conditions. This structure was designed so that presentations would go beyond simple product introductions and convey how the product could solve the counterpart’s issues and be adopted in practice. After the business matching event, Mindshare provided review and feedback based on the actual presentations, supporting each business in a way that could connect to future sales activities. According to the post-seminar survey, 16 of the 17 responding businesses said they “understood” or “fully understood” the concepts of branding and differentiation points. All 17 businesses also responded that the content could be used not only for the business matching event itself, but also in their own sales activities. In the post-event review, participants commented that they had gained clarity on what to say within three minutes and learned how to identify the strengths they should communicate. In expanding sales channels for regional products, it is important not only to have good products, but also to organize their value in a way that can be understood by the other party and communicate the producer’s unique background, commitments, and adoption benefits. In this initiative, Mindshare did not treat improving presentation skills as the end goal. Instead, it supported communication design to help Mie Prefecture implement a new distribution model and ensure that prefectural agricultural, forestry and fishery products are chosen by food professionals inside and outside the prefecture. Mindshare’s “regional marketing” support applies marketing expertise cultivated over 35 years to sustainable regional revitalization from a marketing perspective. By combining know-how accumulated through marketing support for private companies with a nationwide network, Mindshare contributes to solving challenges faced by local governments that have been difficult to address through conventional approaches. Contact: Mindshare Co., Ltd., Regional Marketing Department, Attn: Noda. TEL: 03-6823-1216, Email: info@mindshare.co.jp, Contact form: https://www.mindshare.co.jp/contact/