Food & drink brand managers face a constant budgetary juggle. Marketing budgets are increasingly stretched. Even the biggest brands with spend for TV and out of home can’t have it all.
We’re here to make the case for grocery trade PR. As an integrated communications agency, we deliver a suite of services. From campaigns and consumer PR to social media & influencer. There are many, very effective tools in our armoury to support our food & beverage clients.
And while influencer engagement is a close second, grocery trade PR is irrefutably giving our clients the best ROI.
Here’s why.
Case study
Take Saputo Dairy UK. For the past five years Pier has delivered a trade PR service. The global dairy giant owns an FMCG portfolio of brands includes Cathedral City, Country Life, Clover, Frylight and Vitalite.
Over that time, Pier has ensured key messages for these brands – why they attract shoppers, what makes them stand-out on shelf, their role in the category – have consistently landed in top trade media titles, achieving more than a thousand pieces of earned media coverage.
Strategy – more than a press release
Trade PR remains the most cost-effective way to be seen by an industry audience. And not only seen, but resonate.
It’s not just press releases (although, yes they still matter!) and responding to features. It’s being relevant, understanding what the journalist needs and how we can relate to the reader – the buyer, the decision-makers. B2B communications are not a world away from B2C. We can – and do – still inject creativity and relevance into our content.
The AI factor
PR is entering a new phase. As discovery shifts from traditional search engines to AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, authoritative, editorial content is becoming even more valuable.
Large language models prioritise trusted sources: fresh earned media, expert commentary, and credible trade coverage. When your brand appears in titles like The Grocer, Food Manufacture or Convenience Store, that visibility doesn’t just influence human decision-makers – it trains the machines shaping how insight is found.
For retail buyers and category teams increasingly turning to AI for inspiration and intelligence, this creates a powerful advantage. Trade PR isn’t just about being seen today; it’s about being discoverable tomorrow.
Supporting traditional media
The media landscape has changed dramatically, and quality journalism has never been under more pressure. We believe trade media matters – not just ethically, but strategically.
Trade titles shape opinion, inform buying decisions and set the agenda for entire categories. Supporting them means supporting the ecosystem your brand relies on. A subscription to The Grocer isn’t a nice-to-have – we would argue it’s essential.
Because when the right people are paying attention, the impact goes far beyond the page.
