Ardo - Europe’s leading frozen fruit and vegetable experts
Frozen assets
Brief
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Promote the Kent subsidiary of Belgian-based Ardo Group, a producer of high-quality frozen fruit, vegetables, rice and pasta for the retail, foodservice and industrial ingredients sectors. Its premises in Charing, near Ashford, is one 15 factories across eight countries, and part of the largest producer in its sector in Europe.
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Market, through media relations, Ardo’s extensive range of frozen foods to the retail, catering, hospitality and leisure press.
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Manage the launch of Ardo's £15m investment in a new factory.
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Promote Ardo’s success in winning business awards, including Frozen Food Manufacturer of the Year 2013.
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Develop and test a crisis management plan for the business.
Results and highlights
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Maxim successfully launched the new factory to the trade and regional business press. Thanks to the investment, Ardo is now perfectly placed to capitalise on the upsurge in demand for frozen fruit, vegetables, rice and pasta in the UK, with ongoing media opportunities.
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Visits - and resulting publicity - from Damian Green, the MP for Ashford, as well as key trade and business journalists.
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Media training and development of a crisis management plan. To challenge its robustness this included unannounced testing of a 'live' crisis with the senior management team having to deal with journalists, photographers and camera crews pursuing a carefully developed storyline that had been developed by Maxim and Ardo UK's chief executive. Ardo successfully passed the test.
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Promoting the East Anglian pea harvest following a deal struck between Ardo and the Anglian Pea Growers, a co-operative of 150 farmers.
Services delivered
Media relations, Reputation management