Sample Business Plan

7.Distribution Mechanisms

MA`O will connect with the five aforementioned segments by selling product at the following locations:

	High-end (tourist)	High-end (local)	Low-moderate	Retail	Restaurant
KCC Farmer’s Market, Honolulu					
Wai`anae Health Center			
Kaiser Clinic, Nanakuli;			
Leeward Community College, Pearl City			
Aloha `Aina Café (farmer’s market booth)			
Aloha `Aina Café			
Town Restaurant, Honolulu					
Wai`anae Store				
Kokua Natural Foods Cooperative, Honolulu				

We have gained invaluable experiences thus far in the diversity of markets penetrated. Some trends have developed which are worthwhile mentioning here: (1) At health clinics care-providers and dietitians have staged cooking demonstrations to teach patients new recipes using MA`O products, and doctors have purchased unsold product to support the social mission (2) At Leeward Community College faculty and administrators regularly call the farm to make large orders, this takes some of the guess work out of what to take to a farmer’s market; and (3) The KCC Farmer’s Market has become an “attraction”, there are food demonstrations and musicians, and people use the market as a convenient place to meet. All segments are represented at KCC including small restaurants that shop for specialty items and to investigate new product suppliers. Also Kokua Natural Foods is in close proximity to KCC Farmer’s Market, unsold product, can be sold to Kokua if necessary.

D.MARKETING PLAN

1.Promotions and Outreach

The critical strategy for outreach involves customer education of the uniqueness and benefits of organic foods, and the social mission of MA`O. Through multiple branches of media, and with the assistance of WCRC’s partnerships, MA`O has enjoyed some high profile free advertising, which has set the stage for current positioning. This has included:

OUTREACH	SEGMENT CONNECTED TO:
MA`O products were featured on a 30-minute cooking show called “Sam Choy Presents.” Well-known local chef Sam Choy was hired by Kaiser Permanente to stage a live cooking show at a local clinic to feature low calorie and vegetarian recipes.	Both high-end (local), low-medium, and restaurant segments.
The Hawaiian Electric Company has a 30-minute cooking show called “The Electric Kitchen”, the Aloha `Aina Café was a guest restaurant and prepared dishes using MA`O’s herbs and baby greens.	Crossed both high-end (local), low-medium, and restaurant segments.
University of Hawai`i (UH), working with KITV, a local television station, featured MA`O as a program partner in a news segment called “Discover UH, You’ll Be Amazed.” Two segments appeared, including a 30-second commercial that ran for to-weeks between the local evening news.	All segments except perhaps high end (tourist)
KITV has developed additional footage of MA`O, and added to other activities unique to Hawai`i to develop an in-flight commercial for Hawai`i that runs on flights coming to Hawai`i from Japan.	Both high-end
Hawaiian Airlines in-flight magazine, Hana Hou, featured the farm in a 5-page center-spread with color photos, appeared in the December 2003 issue.^xxxii	Both high-end segments.
The youth leadership training was featured as a center-spread in the Office of Hawaiian Affairs monthly newspaper called “Ka Wai Ola o OHA.”^xxxiii	Low-moderate segment.
Farm activities were featured in a two-page spread in the Honolulu Magazine, a monthly-published magazine. MA`O was included in the 2004 food edition.^xxxiv	High-end (local)
Farm activities were featured in one-page spread in the Honolulu Weekly, a free alternative newspaper featuring politics, entertainment and arts.^xxxv	High-end (local)

This publicity has occurred over 2-years and has increased MA`O recognition. In 2002, youth developed a MA`O farm tee-shirt which on the front read “no panic, go organic.” Over 2,000 tee shirts have been sold and the playfulness of the message has become iconic of the grassroots social mission of MA`O.