SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Fresh Solutions Network has a new way to target one of the industry’s most important customer bases—millennials. The company has enlisted a food blogger influencer program to market its Side Delights® potatoes. The creator of Steamables microwaveable potato bag, Side Delights® potatoes’ food blogger collective will be tasked with sharing unique branded potato recipes for the holidays under its “Mash It or Smash It Tonight – What Do You Do?” program.

“Millennial consumers are becoming even more important to reach, and Side Delights® Steamables are the perfect, quick-to-cook potato product as they explore cooking,“ noted Kathleen Triou, President and CEO of Fresh Solutions Network. “The blogger challenge and Side Delights® Steamables provide a fun and easy way for millennials to experiment in the kitchen while creating brand awareness.”

“Mash It or Smash It Tonight – What Do You Do?” will encourage food bloggers to post original recipes during the 30 days leading up to Thanksgiving, emphasizing either mashed or smashed potatoes for weeknight consumption. According to a press release, the blogger posts and photos will link to the Side Delights® website and will use the hashtag #MashItOrSmashIt.

The company says its #MashItOrSmashIt program will be amplified with social media posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, increasing the impressions and awareness. With millennials as an increasingly important consumer base, Side Delights® is seeking to increase brand awareness using the media channels the that reach them the most.

“We know how important it is to evolve with our consumers. As an organization, we are engaging the millennial shopper in store and at home, raising awareness while creating demand and pull through which helps our retailers increase sales,” added Triou.

Fresh Solutions Network cites info from Phil Lempert, Supermarket Guru, reporting that millennial consumers are passionate about food, but only 56% are confident in the kitchen. Lempert’s data suggests that nearly three out of four millennial consumers want to be a better cook, and good news for retailers, millennials shop at more retail outlets than the baby boomer generation.

Retailers who stock the Side Delights® product can benefit from the impact the brand has on their transaction averages, the company says. On average, shoppers that include Steamables in their baskets purchase nearly twice the register ring of a basket with any produce, $108 versus $56 respectively, the press release reports. The company recommends retailers locate Side Delights® Steamables potatoes in high traffic areas near complementary meal items such as rotisserie chicken, fresh prepared entrées, fresh meat, poultry, and seafood sections, to increase sales.

Fresh Solutions Network