In the thick of the meat-and-potato selling season, a new promotional partnership combining Cargill ground beef with Ore-Ida potato products provides grocery retailers with a turnkey comfort food combo deal packed with helpful recipes and discount coupons to entice consumers during late winter and early spring.

Running through April 5, 2010, the promotion is underway at more than 1,800 grocery locations across the country. The cross-the-aisle collaboration is part of Cargill’s ongoing and ever-evolving effort to cater to consumers’ love of ground beef while offering cost-effective, timesaving meal solutions.

Cognizant that the financially pinched shopper doesn’t replace the time-starved consumer, retailer/suppler alliances that offer solutions to meet the combined consumer demands of less time and saving money handily fit the bill.

The promotion with Ore-Ida potatoes includes recipe pads displayed at the ground beef case, featuring four hearty meat-and-potatoes meals: Shepherd’s Pie, Beefy Mushroom Stew, Cheesy Sloppy Joes, and Cowboy Meatloaf & Potato Casserole.

“Sales of both ground beef and frozen potatoes are up, so this collaboration makes sense in that it highlights affordable, easy-to-prepare recipes incorporating both popular products,” notes Elizabeth Gutschenritter, Cargill brand manager, noting that Witchita, Kan.-based Cargill seeks to develop complementary product partnerships like Back to Basics because of the many benefits they provide for the product manufacturer partners, retail partners and consumers alike.

“We actively work with our partners to design a customized promotion that helps raise awareness, drive trial and increase volume for their brand, as well as our own products,” adds Gutschenritter. “Cargill’s promotional partnership opportunities help place brands such as Ore-Ida potatoes in one of the most coveted, high-traffic retail grocery positions available: the fresh meat case.”

The promotion with Heinz’s stalwart Ore-Ida potato brand continues Cargill’s innovative efforts to provide value-focused ground beef resources — beyond just the product — for consumers. A coupon on ground beef packages offers 50 cents off ground beef with the purchase of two Ore-Ida products.

The joint Cargill–Ore-Ida promotion also offers a variety of support for retailers, including point-of-purchase materials — with dual placement at both the fresh meat case and in the freezer aisle — that create awareness and draw shopper attention. In-store materials at the meat case include large and mini T-stand posters, 90-degree signs, recipe pads and on-pack coupons on ground beef. Additionally, freezer door clings are located near the Ore-Ida products in the frozen food section.