NATIONALWATERMELONPROMOTIONBOARD

FISCALYEAR2015 - 2016

ANNUALREPORT

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ProgramHighlights&Successes2015 -2016F I SCALYEAR

THEFOLLOWINGH IGHLIGHTSARENOTINCLUS IVERESULTS OF ALL PROGRAMELEMENTS

CommunicationsPressOutreach• Annualpresskitmailing to2,500targeted media including editorsoffood,health, fitness,nutrition,parenting, lifestyle andtestkitchen staff• FamilyFeatures paid releases in2015:1fullrelease, 3matreleases, 1sharedrelease earned 834printplacements at34,808,483impressions and6,169online placements at588,602,974impressions, foranoverall adequivalencyof$1,628,048o CincodeMayo/FreshWaytoFiestao DrinkUpNatural,RefreshingBeverageso CelebrateDadwithGrillingandGolfo July4th RecipeRoundupo PartyPerfectCarvingsforHalloween

ConsumerCommunications• Jumpwith JillRock‘nRollNutrition Show

o 12monthsponsorship of“EatMoreWatermelon”nationaltourwith300+tourstopsvia3touringcastswithtotalliveeventattendanceof138,011 students

o TheSweetBeat interactivemusicvideo anduserguide• Watermelon, Wondermelon: FirstAnnualWatermelon BoardArt&WritingContestwithTheEducation Centero Classes usematerialsandbrainstormingguidelines tocreateasloganandartworkforapostercontest– garnered160entries;includedprintanddigitaladvertising

SpecialEvents• Tradeshows: SchoolNutrition Association (schoolnutrition.org), AcademyofNutrition andDietetics foodandnutrition conference (eatright.org)

• EpcotFlowerandGardenFestivalspringeventwithwatermelonrecipesalesattracts2.5million guestsover75days

• NASCARXfinity Series#4WatermelonChevy driverRossChastainatfourraceswithin-storeretailpromotions andschool visitswithwatermelonqueens

• 40th MarineCorpsMarathoninWashington,DC– eventsincludeHealthExpo,Kid’s FunRun,USDAFarmer’sMarketandtheMarathonFinish Festival

CommunicationsDigitalCommunications• VideoProduction: 6newwatermelon carving videos.How-towatermelonrecipe andcarving videos intheFexy networkhave received 197,826views• Watermelon.org launches newresponsive website

o EditorialfocusoMonthlygraphicsupdatesperslidersandboxesonallpageso Responsive viewchangestothedeviceitisviewedon(phoneuptotelevision)

• @WatermelonBoard Social Mediametrics andgrowthy/y:o Facebook:113,019(+23%)o Twitter:3,618(+36%)o Pinterest:1,400followers(+51%)=9.6millionimpressions ofpins fromWatermelon.org

o Instagram:1,687(+239%)o YouTube:18,559viewso Periscope(new),Snapchat(pending)

IndustryOutreachandCommunications• Springtime media andcommunications fornewwatermelon queenspokeswomen ambassadors• Crisis training session forboardmembers conducted atfallboardmeeting• Watermelon Updatemonthlynewsletter distributed toover1,500keyindustryandassessment-paying organizations• Vineline quarterly newsletter advertorial inclusion (viaNationalWatermelonAssociation distribution)• American Heart Association heartcheckmark certification forfreshwatermelon PLUs:seedless, seeded, miniwatermelon

RetailOperations/InternationalMarketingTradeshowParticipation• Tradeshow representation at8conferences withstrongretailer attendance

◦ NationalGrocersAssociationConference◦ SoutheastProduceCouncil SouthernExposure◦ VivaFreshExpo◦ CanadianProduceMarketingAssociationConvention◦ WestCoastProduceExpo◦ NewEnglandProduceCouncil Produce&FloralExpo◦ ProduceMarketingAssociation FreshSummit◦ NewYorkProduceCouncil Show

• Tradeshow/conferences included educational sessionsspecific toproducemarketing trendsandguidance• Distributed andcommunicated onthelatestconsumer research resultsandmarketing resources available

RetailPromotions&Marketing• Retail displaycontest received over100entries

o Averageof20%increaseinsalesvsprevious yearfromparticipantsthatreportedresults

o DeCA commissaries had100%participation• Regional accountmanagers (5US,1Canada) fulfilled approximately 45promotional agreements that included butwerenotlimited to:o Elevatedexposureincircularadso Support duringretailers’criticalpromotionalperiodso Jointpartnershipswithotherbrandsandcommodities

• Newpartnership withshopping appIbottagarnered atotalof5million brandimpressions, over200,000completed engagements, andaredemption rateof29.5%,outperforming theapp’saverage redemption rate;Thispromotionsupported the import season,asitwasconducted Sept-Oct• Supportedapproximately 30domestic watermelon queen/Chef JosephPoonin-storeactivations andconsumer-facing events

RetailOperations&InternationalMarketingRetailAdvertising&EducationalPieces• Developed anewretail education kitforprintanddistribution in2016• Advertised andprovidededitorial content invarious trademedia whosetargetaudience isretail-based tokeepwatermelon topofmindyear-round• Increased demand formarketing materials resulted inarecordnumber ofreprints

InternationalMarketing• MarketAccessProgramfundingwasfacilitated through theSouthern UnitedStatesTradeAssociation (SUSTA)andtotaled $283,048• Canadian PReffortsutilize $70,000.Media impressions totaled 87.7millionmedia impressions and included 16broadcast segments. Totaleditorial value:$2.2million• Conducted sevenCanadian retailer-based watermelon queen/Chef JosephPoonin-storeactivations that resulted inapproximately $250,000in salesatretail• Participated inandsampled watermelon attwoFourthofJulyAmbassador’sreceptions (Japan,Canada)• Begansocial media implementation strategies forUSwatermelon promotioneffortsinJapan

FoodserviceResearch• Conducted aCutting&Yield StudywithOregonStateUniversity withresultsfinalized Q42015andshared withthe industryandfoodservice audience• ConductedMenuTrends Research withDatassentials tocreate abenchmarkforwatermelon menumentions aswell asidentifyemerging watermelontrendsonmenusandtargetoperators formenu ideation andpromotionpartnerships

PublicRelations• Distributed pressreleases andongoingpitches throughout theyear tobuildrelationships andgarner foodservice media coverage• Delivered freshcut,juice,andpickled rindaswellasmaterials andgiveawaysto10publications withmore thanonemillion potential impressions fromthesepublications• International Foodservice Editorial Council (IFEC)participation andsponsorships toreachmore than30foodservice publications throughpitchingandsponsoredwatermelon menu items

Promotions• University ofMassachusetts, Amhurst Watermelon Day– 8watermelonrecipes, 4dininghalls,19,000studentsandfaculty, foodservice materialsprovided tostaff,consumer materials provided forstudents, faculty,andstaff• FirstWatch (135locations), TastesofFallpromotionAugust31-November7,2015;Surprise &Shine Juice supportedbytabletop pointofsaleandspecialsection onmenu insertdedicated towatermelon titled, “AFruit forallSeasons” included NWPBwebsite, health information andyear-roundmessage

FoodserviceIndustryEvents• National Association ofCollege &UniversityFoodServices (NACUFS)foodsampling sponsorship– 550institution members inNorthAmerica, 700members inattendance• American Culinary Federation (ACF)sponsored fruitcarving workshopandwelcome reception – more than17,000members, 1,000members inattendance• PMAFoodservice foodsampling sponsorship– more than1,800distributorsandoperators inattendance• TheFlavorExperience foodsampling sponsorship– more than200foodservicedecision makers inattendance including culinary, supplychain andmarketingfromchains,universities andmore• Worlds ofHealthy Flavor foodsampling sponsorship– more than45registereddietician andchefdecision makers inattendance fromchains,universities andmore• MenuDirections foodsampling sponsorship– more than165foodservicedecision makers inattendance including culinary, supplychain andchefsfrommostlynoncommercial operators

Importantnote:2015wasthefirstyearoftheFoodservice programoftheNationalWatermelon Promotion Board.