L & J General
El Sembrador Foods
Challenge:
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In February, 1999, the Florida Department of Agriculture visited L & J General. The company then found themselves in the middle of a product recall by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. The FDA alleged that the El Sembrador brand of frozen mamey was the cause of a typhoid outbreak in Palm Beach County.
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ECA was brought in to minimize any further negative publicity and assist in repairing the company's reputation and credibility in the eyes of consumers as well as the business community.
Approach:
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Due to the widespread negative publicity, ECA worked with the company to immediately set up a toll-free hotline to address consumer concerns. ECA then advised the Hispanic and English media in Florida, New York and California to publicize the toll-free line for consumers.
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ECA sent advisories to grocery stores to return all frozen mamey and arrange for refunds.
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ECA advised the company to cooperate with health officials, hire an independent testing laboratory and retain counsel in Washington to assist them in working with the FDA.
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ECA organized and held several press conferences to offer updates and disclose lab reports. We also made available other important information, such as the fact that there were seven other brands of frozen mamey involved, not just El Sembrador as the FDA had claimed.
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ECA advised the company on various public relations actions to re-introduce mamey into the market, once the company was cleared.
Results:
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Reaching the Consumer:
Aside from positive Hispanic and English media coverage following press briefings, ECA also secured a positive national and international story, which was broadcast live on Univision's “Despierta America.” The goal accomplished was in reaching El Sembrador's primary customers, which are primarily Hispanic, with a story which profiled the family-owned company in a positive light. The media cooked and tasted El Sembrador foods, once again restoring the company's credibility. -
Reaching the Business Community:
ECA strategically secured a positive profile on the company in the Business section of The Miami Herald. This profile was an important positive step forward the company needed to begin repairing the damage to its reputation brought on by the typhoid scare.
