WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

PRESENTATIONS

Creating Your Brand- the Essence of Your Company- 

Examples of successful branding and not so successful. What does it take to strategically craft a product and brand with appeal to retail buyers, distributors and end consumers.

Led by Esther Psarakis & Janis Grover

Practical, Tactical & Strategic Product and Branding Considerations

How and why are you packaging the product in a certain format. Does it speak to your audience, is it an effective advertisement and does the packaging safeguard its contents and allow for ease of use?

Led by Leslie Gurland

Creating a Company’s Visual Representation that Effectively Communicates

Overview of the creative process, logo and label development. Creating effective marketing and sales materials. What are the keys to effective collaboration with your Graphic designer.

Led by Diane Benjamin

PANEL DISCUSSION

How can our Attendees Create a Winning Approach for Branding, Packaging and Sales Success?

Questions will be posed to our Panelists and Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions. For attendees bringing product samples, this timeframe will also allow for some informal focus group feedback from attendees as well as professional insights from our panalists.

Moderated by Esther Psarakis- Panalists- Janis Grover, Leslie Gurland & Diane Benjamin

LIGHT BREAKFAST INCLUDED- OPPORTUNITY TO BRING PRODUCT FOR SAMPLING AND FEEDBACK FROM PRESENTORS AND ATTENDEES

PRESENTORS:

Esther Luongo Psarakis- President – Foodpreneur -Esther is a seasoned food development consultant specializing in early stage product development and in strategic management of international brands into the US market. She is the President of Foodpreneur, focused on strategic sales and marketing as well as educational consultancy that provides instruction on the basics of launching a food or beverage based company. This endeavor came out of her personal experiences launching her brand, Taste of Crete, as well as importing various artisan brands into the US. She sold these brands into a number of leading retailers including Whole Foods, William Sonoma, Sur La Table, Shoprite, King’s, Bristol Farms, and Andronico’s among others. Esther is a New Jersey SBDC, Small Business Advisor, specializing in handling clients with food and beverage businesses. She is also a business coach with Rising Tide Capital.  Her diverse background includes importing as well as extensive global sales & marketing experience and a strong training & development background from American Express & Citicorp. Esther has been a speaker and educator at the Specialty Food Association, been featured in the New York Times and USA Today, appeared on FOX News, and NJ Channel 12.

Janis Hertz Grover- President – Janis H.Grover LLC International Brand Manager with 25 years’ experience managing operational roles in both branded and private label at Liberty Richter, Haddon House Food Distribution, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Food Stores (A&P), Sysco Food Service and Bri-Al International. Janis has travelled to over 30 countries in Latin America, Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East sourcing new products, inspecting factories and guiding international brands from the ethnic channel into specialty. She conducted training programs on building new US brand strategies in Ecuador, El Salvador, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Brazil as part of a USAID state department contract. Recognized as an expert in new product development, market research, purchasing, labeling, packaging, distribution, marketing, branding and training. Janis has broad experience working with US and international companies to build market focused product strategies and identify key sales opportunities. She is able to guide brand specific trade spending including a realistic slotting and promotion budgets broker management, sales plan execution and identify opportunities in grocery, natural, specialty, clubs, drug, general merchandise, convenience and other non-traditional retailers.

Diane Benjamin- Graphic Artist Pomegranate Design-Diane is the founder of Pomegranate Design, a design studio with a focus on logos & branding, consumer products design and packaging, posters,brochures, trade show booths and web design. She has worked with companies from all over the world. Her goal with each of her clients is to communicate clearly and strategically about the company or product, having a beautiful and effective end result.

Company Website: http://pomegranate-design.com/

Leslie Gurland- Senior Vice President of Business Development for Tadbik NJ. She has held various positions within the company since 2001 and is passionate about her organization as well as the packaging industry at large. She has advised both start-ups and major corporations on how to best present their products from a packaging and presentation standpoint. Tadbik NJ is one of North America’s premier suppliers of pressure sensitive labels and services many sectors, including food, beverage, personal care and industrial.