- Birds Eye Steamfresh, Sarson’s, Jacob’s and Blackstone partner awareness week
- Le Vieille Ferme wines and plant-based Birds Eye Green Cuisine in third year
Grocery Gurus, organisers of the UK-wide National BBQ Week and Gastro Alfresco campaigns, have been boosted with the addition of four new sponsors.
Frozen food specialists Birds Eye Steamfresh, Jacob’s, the UK’s No 1 savoury snack brand, Sarson’s new Dip & Drizzle sauces plus American BBQ griddle manufacturers Blackstone have joined to promote a range of products through the partnership this summer.
The four new brands join existing sponsors plant-based Birds Eye Green Cuisine and French wine producers La Vieille Ferme, who are both in their third year of sponsoring National BBQ Week and Gastro Alfresco.
All six sponsors will be showcased across the summer as part of the 23rd Gastro Alfresco outdoor living campaign which runs across June and July, which will feature for the first time the 28th National BBQ Week, which runs from June 3rd-9th. Both campaigns promote the pleasure and benefits of BBQ and alfresco dining.
As part of the partnership, more than 100,000 food and drink samples will be handed out to consumers at three of the UK’s biggest outdoor shows – the Royal Bath & West Show, the Lambeth Country Festival and The Great Yorkshire Show.
Samples will include Creamy Cheese Pasta, Mushroom Tagliatelle and Golden Vegetable Rice from the Birds Eye Steamfresh range; Meat-Free burgers and Chicken-Free Dippers from Birds Eye Green Cuisine; Jacob’s is supplying Cheddars Red Leicester, Jacob’s Savours Sour Cream & Chive and Jacob’s Mediterranean Rosemary snacks; Sarson’s is promoting its new Dip & Drizzle table sauces which come in Original Malt and Zingy Garlic varieties; finally La Vieille Ferme will supply bottles of its rosé, red and white wines all produced in the southern Rhône valley.
Meanwhile, Blackstone, which is looking to grow its presence in the UK market and promote the benefits of cooking on BBQ griddles through a series of demonstrations, is also providing £10,000 worth of prizes to be used across a range of consumer activations.
Grocery Gurus director Brian George, who is the founder of National BBQ Week and Gastro Alfresco, said: “National BBQ Week, now in its 28th year, is recognised as one of the UK’s top awareness weeks and continues to be popular with consumers and retailers.
“Over the course of those years, it has successfully changed the public perception of BBQs and played a role in it becoming a multi-million pound industry. This explains why key brands want to partner with us.
“This summer we are looking forward to working with Blackstone, Jacob’s and Sarson’s for the first time and helping to promote their brands and products to a considerable number of UK consumers.
“We are also delighted to again be working with Birds Eye and La Vieille Ferme. Birds Eye need no introduction as one of the UK’s top food brands. Our partnership with La Vieille Ferme has played a key part in them establishing themselves as the UK’s No 1 French wine.”
For the first time, the 28th National BBQ week will be part of the outdoor living Gastro Alfresco campaign.
This will be the 23rd year that multi-award winning Gastro Alfresco has looked to inspire and promote the wonders of outdoor dining.
For more information visit www.nationalbbqweek.co.uk and www.gastro-alfresco.co.uk.
