Multi-Channel Trade Spend Success with Butterball

The dynamics and processes for retail trade promotions and foodservice trade spend management are not the same. Establishing a distributor trade program is different from updating your promotional schedule based on promoted and non-promoted volume. That doesn’t mean your retail and foodservice trade promotion management systems can’t live together in one application.

“At Blacksmith Applications, we encourage people to use one revenue growth and trade spend application. One system, one way to manage workflow,” says Paul Wietecha, President and CEO of Blacksmith Applications.

During Smoke Jumpers 2019, Butterball received the customer award for Multi-Channel Trade Promotion Management.

Of course you’re familiar with Butterball turkeys. But, the poultry processor sells many other products across channels. Butterball products are available at thousands of retailers across the nation and service operators and K-12 with breakfast bacon and sausage, deli meats and turkey burgers.

“Butterball has been exemplary; they’re using one system across all channels,” announces Wietecha. “It’s a fantastic job from this whole entire team.”

The Butterball team accepting their award during Smoke Jumpers.

Michael Druga, Director of Retail Business Development, explains Butterball’s journey with Blacksmith products. “About 2 or 3 years ago, we began looking at trade management tools. We had been using a homegrown system to keep track of our spending information.” Druga continues, “On an semi-annual to annual basis we’d say, this is the margin we’ll make, this is the net selling price, this is the volume we’ll end up selling.”

The Butterball team wanted to be better than that.

They wanted an integrated process that included planning and P&L management. Druga adds, “We have a highly perishable product. We needed to reduce shrink (margin dollars). We have to find a way to better ourselves.” Using Blacksmith Applications trade promotion management tools, “We go into the program creations, we’ve created parameters and rules. Yes, sell for this price. No, not at this price.”

“We have a highly perishable product. We needed to reduce shrink (margin dollars). We have to find a way to better ourselves. We go into the program creations, we’ve created parameters and rules. Yes, sell for this price. No, not at this price.”
-Michael Druga, Director of Retail Business Development, Butterball

Butterball has multiple functions using the software – finance, marketing, sales, supply and demand planning  are on board. Brokers use the system and own it. “Now, executives see how we’re spending our money, where the ROI is coming from.”

Butterball uses one fluid system where everyone has ownership. “You don’t have one person doing it one way and another doing it their way.” Druga explains, “Evolve yourself, keep your business progressing forward.”

⭐ Quotes taken from Michael Druga’s Smoke Jumpers presentation