Nestle has appointed Merlin Publicity after a four-way pitch to
beef up the promotion of its brands among wholesalers and the catering
industry.
The B2B contract, due to start on 1 January, will involve liaising with
trade publications, food wholesalers and retailers to promote the food
giant's out-of-home division, called Nestle Foodservice.
Nestle wants to reposition its brands - which include Nescafe, Maggi,
Chef, Herta, Rowntree and Cross & Blackwell - as strong names among
wholesalers and retailers.
The PR campaign will focus on building the Nestle brand name and
includes the promotion of a new consultancy hotline for restaurants and
other eateries to offer direct advice on food preparation.
'The company believes more could be done to push the Nestle brand name
among clients,' said Merlin account manager Rebecca Riches.
Riches explained that Nestle had also employed a team of cooks who will
be drawn upon by clients seeking telephone advice on food.
Kent-based Merlin Publicity, which has specialised in the food service
sector for ten years, has clients including Quaker Trading, British
Bakels and Westler Foods.
Nestle Foodservice's incumbent PR agency Meteorite Communications also
pitched for the work, along with Bristol-based Aspect and Barclay
Stratton in London.
Merlin's first project will be promotional work at the Hotelympia
catering exhibition in London next February where Nestle will unveil new
products.
The Merlin team reports to Nestle Foodservice commercial controller
Quentin Knowlson.
